• Ciolfi MA
• Azad A
• Al-Azdee M
• Habib A
• Lalla A
• Moslehi M
• Nguyen A
• Panah BA

• Affiliation / Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC). Department of Chiropractic Therapeutics
• Affiliation / University of Bridgeport. College of Public and International Affairs
• Affiliation / University of Bridgeport. School of Chiropractic
• Affiliation(G) / Canada / Ontario / Toronto
• Affiliation(G) / United States / Connecticut / Bridgeport
• Chiropractors / Ontario
• Decision Making
• Education, Chiropractic
• Entrepreneurship
• Financial Management
• Open Access Document
• Small Business / education

Objective: Chiropractic, as a business in the health care system, has a component of entrepreneurship. Therefore, it is important to have business education in chiropractic schools. This study examines perceptions of business education in chiropractic schools as evaluated by Ontario, Canada, practicing chiropractors.

Methods: We conducted a series of interviews with 16 chiropractors practicing in Ontario. Questions aimed at analyzing 2 levels of chiropractors' perceptions on the quality of business education they received. The questions were designed around 2 concepts: perceived level of business knowledge acquired and current level of knowledge for 6 businesso topics. The topics included accounting and finance, organizational behavior and human resources, legal and ethical issues, strategic management, managerial decision making, and operational management. Interview responses were analyzed by grouping significant statements into themes followed by descriptions of what and how the subjects experienced the phenomena.

Results: The interviews revealed that Ontario practicing chiropractors' requirements for education in business skills are both broad and essential, embracing most if not all major business domains. Many participants indicated that the status of business education in chiropractic schools is minimally contributing to business skills following graduation.

Conclusion: Producing chiropractors with entrepreneurship skills requires enhanced business education in chiropractic schools. Perceptions of Ontario chiropractors reveal a gap between skill-oriented business training in chiropractic education and the skills needed to practice within the profession.

Author keywords: Chiropractic, Education, Decision Making, Entrepreneurship

Author affiliations: MAC: School of Chiropractic, College of Health Sciences, University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States; AA:Department of Chiropractic Therapeutics, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; MA: School of Public and International Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Bridgeport,Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States
Corresponding author: MAC—mciolfi@bridgeport.edu

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