Definition of Accreditation

According to the Association of Accrediting Agencies of Canada, accreditation is the process to determine and to certify the achievement and maintenance of reasonable and appropriate national standards of education for professionals.

Accreditation of Doctor of Chiropractic Programmes in Canada

The Canadian Federation of Chiropractic Regulatory and Educational Accrediting Boards (the Federation) is the representative body of chiropractic regulatory authorities in Canada and has, as part of its mandate, the responsibility to: accredit, recognize, and certify the quality and integrity of chiropractic programmes; encourage excellence in education within chiropractic programmes; and inform the public, the chiropractic profession, and the educational community regarding the nature, quality, and integrity of chiropractic education.

The Federation undertakes the accreditation function by:

the development of the Federation's Standards for Doctor of Chiropractic Programmes (Standards) which sets out the accreditation process for review and evaluation of Doctor of Chiropractic Programmes (DCP) emphasizing the use of outcomes assessment measures. The Standards also detail the Criteria for Accreditation which establish the minimum education expected to be received in the accredited DCPs that train students as primary health care clinicians.
the creation and maintenance of the Commission on Accreditation (COA). The COA will interpret the Standards, implement the process of accreditation, and certify the quality and integrity of DCPs through evaluation of their compliance with the Criteria for Accreditation (as set out in Section III of the Standards). The COA will also provide recommendations to DCPs on issues of effectiveness and programme quality.

The purpose of the accreditation process is to determine that chiropractic programmes:

have clearly defined mission and goals consistent with the Foreword of the Standards, with educationally-appropriate objectives;
maintain conditions under which the achievement of these objectives can reasonably be expected;
are in fact achieving these objectives substantially; and
can be expected to continue to achieve these objectives in the future.

In order to enhance DCP effectiveness, the COA will:

encourage improvement through continuous self study and review; and
provide counsel and assistance to established and developing DCPs.

Current Accreditation Status

The following Doctor of Chiropractic Programmes hold Accredited Status with the Commission on Accreditation.

The Commission on Accreditation also recognizes the accreditation status granted to chiropractic programmes by the following agencies who are members in good standing of the Councils on Chiropractic Education International:

Accreditation Standards and Policies

Why is Accreditation Important?

From the point of view of the public interest:

Accreditation establishes minimum standards for hours of instruction, subject areas to be taught, the competency of faculty, learning resources, finances etc.
These minimum standards attest to the quality of the programme.
The qualities of a Doctor of Chiropractic Programme are vested in the

commitment to excellence by the administration and governing board
soundness of the institutional programmes
abilities of its faculty and staff
calibre of students
adequacy of its facilities and finances

The Doctor of Chiropractic Programmes accredited by the Federation's Commission on Accreditation are dedicated to the purpose of producing competent chiropractic practitioners who will provide quality patient care.

From the point of view of students:

The course credits of one accredited programme will be recognised by similarly accredited programmes and will be transferable.
The degree, certificate or diploma received by a graduate from one accredited programme will be recognised by other accredited programmes and can be taken to fulfil educational requirements that are prerequisite to admission to study for a higher degree.
The degree, certificate or diploma received by a graduate from an accredited programme will be recognised by the Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board and by the provincial and territorial regulatory boards where licensure is sought.

From the point of view of the programme:

Accreditation encourages excellence in education by encouraging improvement through continuous self-study and review.
Accreditation standards qualify those programmes for recognition and chartering by government and their students eligible to receive government funding (e.g. student loans) or other benefits.

Confidentiality and Disclosure of Information by the Commission on Accreditation

The primary purpose of accreditation is to ensure that Standards are met and that the regulatory boards can be assured of the level of education of graduates seeking license to practice. Accreditation is therefore conducted in a manner that encourages candour and continuous quality improvement on the path to excellence.

The Commission on Accreditation follows the requirements as defined in the Standards and policies. All correspondence and all information concerning programmes are considered privileged information. Therefore, confidentiality is mandatory. According to the Standards, a Sanction of Probation and the granting or withdrawal of accreditation are the only decisions that can - and must - be made public.).

The process benefits greatly from the candour of the programmes evaluated, which would be lost if all the available information had to be made public. The Site Teams which periodically inspect the programmes offer very frank comments to them, and such clear communication has led to improvements. Public disclosure of such information would induce a Site Team to constantly minimise the risk of litigation, and therefore, to tone down its comments. As a result, the whole accrediting process would greatly lose in openness and credibility.

The Commission will notify other appropriate accrediting agencies, chiropractic regulatory boards and the public within 30 days following the final decision to place a DCP on probation, including the length of the probationary period. In keeping with the need for regulatory boards and other accrediting agencies to fulfil their mandates, the list of Standards for which the Commission had found deficiencies will be released, on a confidential basis, to Registrars of Canadian chiropractic regulatory boards, and to the chairs of the Commission on Accreditation of CCEI member accrediting agencies.

A History of Chiropractic Accreditation in Canada

The Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) was established in Toronto in 1945. It sought and obtained recognition from the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE-USA) in the United States and its predecessor organizations.

In 1977, CMCC recommended to CCE-USA that a system of international reciprocity be established in the field of accreditation. CCE-USA agreed, provided that a Canadian accrediting agency with similar standards be established.

On November 17, 1977, a steering committee consisting of representatives from CMCC, CCE-USA, Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA), Ontario Chiropractic Association and the BDC (now the College of Chiropractors of Ontario) approved an international agreement and recommended that the CCA considered the feasibility of establishing the Council on Chiropractic Education of Canada (CCEC).

On April 1, 1978, the CCA approved the establishment of the CCEC which received its charter from the Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs of the Government of Canada in October 1978. The CCA, Canadian Federation of Chiropractic Regulatory Boards (CFCRB), Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board and the educational programmes were all given representatives on the Board and shared the costs of accreditation.

The CCEC and CCE-USA announced the establishment of recognition of each other's accredited programmes in 1982. Subsequently agreements were reached with the Australasian Council on Chiropractic Education in 1986 and with the European Council on Chiropractic Education in 1993.

In 2000, the CCEC became a founding member of the Councils on Chiropractic Education International, whose members also include the CCE USA, European CCE and Australasian CCE. Membership in CCEI and adherence to the CCEI Model Standards now form the basis for recognition of accredited programmes internationally.

In 2007 the CCEC amalgamated with the CFCRB to create the Federation. The accreditation function is carried out by two Standing Committees of the Federation, the Commission on Accreditation and the Accreditation Policies and Standards Committee. The Federation has continued Canada's membership in and support of the CCEI.