Program Overview

Introduction to the Chiropractic Academy of Research Leadership Program

The Chiropractic Academy of Research Leadership (CARL) Program is a grassroots initiative focused on promoting positive, forward-looking, and credible academic leadership within the chiropractic field. The program aims to connect promising early and mid-stage career researchers who are dedicated to developing high-quality evidence regarding chiropractic, as well as establishing a global research network.

Program Objectives and Structure

The CARL Program facilitates training on a range of mentoring, leadership, networking, and research-specific skills relevant to early and mid-career researchers. The program has been co-designed and is co-directed by Professor Jan Hartvigsen, Professor Greg Kawchuk, and Professor Jon Adams. Since its inception in 2017, the CARL Program has provided support to over 25 early and mid-career researchers, offering a unique opportunity for the chiropractic field to instill mentorship at the highest level necessary for planning and developing a broad evidence-base for chiropractic practice and use on the international stage.

Program Components and Activities

The program centers upon an annual week-long residential program that rotates continental locations over the first three-year cycle. Each residential consists of an intense week of activities, including:

• Individual mentorship
• Problem-solving
• Career development
• Insights into academic and research management
• Presentations and workshops from invited international senior academics Additionally, Fellows are allocated time to explore areas of mutual interest for collaboration and partnership.

Research Areas and Collaborations

The CARL Program draws upon rigorous, established methods and multi-disciplinary perspectives from across public health, health services research, and clinical science to promote and conduct collaborations across and beyond the profession. This approach helps strengthen and further grow the integration and standing of chiropractic within wider health care teamwork and systems.