NCMIC Foundation Approves Integrative Research Fellowship

The Award Supports Chiropractic at the University of Minnesota

Posted in Foundation on Friday, August 27, 2021

The NCMIC Foundation is pleased to announce that it has awarded the University of Minnesota a grant supporting the continuation of the Integrative Health Research (IHR) Fellowship Program at the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing.

Established in 2018 with funding from the NCMIC Foundation, the goal of the IHR Fellowship Program is to improve the nation’s health and wellbeing by increasing the quality and quantity of chiropractic and complementary and integrative health (CIH) research. The program fills a critical need by providing comprehensive, individualized, “bridge” training for promising chiropractors and CIH professionals seeking research careers.

“Doing research is tough and conducting high quality, impactful science has become increasingly complex,” said Roni Evans, DC, MS, PhD, and director of the Integrative Health & Wellbeing Research Program. “The IHR Fellowship Program provides a platform for mentorship and training with NIH-funded scientists from various professional disciplines. It’s especially gratifying as it gives us the chance to share the gains we’ve made over the years with aspiring chiropractic researchers so they can advance the profession forward.”

The program is among the first of its kind in the country in terms of scope, scale and size to focus solely on chiropractic trainees. It comes with some distinct advantages including:

• Unparalleled research infrastructure and resources available at the University of Minnesota, the 8th ranked public research university in the country.

• Mentorship provided by experienced chiropractic researchers with extensive multidisciplinary scientific networks, established NIH track records and current active funding for original research exceeding $13 million.

• A research portfolio that addresses the effectiveness of holistic chiropractic care for societally relevant problems including pain management and healthy lifestyle behaviors.

The IHR Fellowship Program has been approved for five years and is being funded by NCMIC’s non-profit entity, the NCMIC Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. Founded in 2003, the NCMIC Foundation provides financial support for clinical, scientific and educational research that demonstrates the need for chiropractic and alternative care. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded nearly $7 million in scholarships, grants, fellowships and research dollars.

“The partnership with NCMIC has been critical to our success as well as very gratifying,” said Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN, FAAN, director of the Bakken Center. “The Foundation leadership is deeply committed to evidence-informed practice and understands the importance of rigorous research and creating a robust pipeline of researchers.”

NCMIC Foundation President and Advisory Committee member, Louis Sportelli, DC, said the Foundation is investing in the future of the chiropractic profession through research and career training.

“The chiropractic profession today is nearly unrecognizable compared to what it was 50 years ago,” Dr. Sportelli said. “Research and educational opportunities available to emerging DCs are taking chiropractic into new territory. Where and what tomorrow will look like is anyone’s guess, but we must continue to fund programs like the Integrative Health Research Fellowship to keep the momentum going.”

NCMIC Foundation Advisory Committee member and NCMIC President, Wayne Wolfson, DC, said the results of the IHR Fellowship Program speak for itself.  

“Since 2014, the Integrative Health & Wellbeing Research Program has funded more than $20 million to advance chiropractic, conducted six federally-funded research studies, placed 10 chiropractors in faculty and research positions at major universities and delivered more than 90 research papers and presentations,” Wolfson said. “This kind of success is remarkable and is a testament to the future of the chiropractic profession. The NCMIC Foundation will continue to fund programs like the one at the University of Minnesota because it helps advance chiropractic in new and innovative ways. We couldn’t be prouder to have played a part in the success of the program.”

About NCMIC

NCMIC was formed in 1946 by a group of doctors of chiropractic with the express purpose of offering malpractice insurance to DCs when no one else would. Delivering on its promise, We Take Care of Our Own^®1, NCMIC has grown to become the largest provider of chiropractic malpractice insurance in the nation and has expanded its offerings to include business and personal insurance, equipment loans, credit card processing, business credit cards, and premium financing. With more than 75 years of experience and an “A” (Excellent) rating from industry analyst A.M. Best², NCMIC is a company that DCs can rely on today and in the years to come. 

About the NCMIC Foundation

As part of NCMIC’s long stance of supporting complementary and alternative approaches of healthcare in clinical practice, research and academia, NCMIC founded the NCMIC Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization. Since its founding in 2003, the NCMIC Foundation has collaborated with organizations, institutions and doctors worldwide to fund chiropractic research that is comprehensive, as well as far-reaching. Visit ncmicfoundation.org (opens in a new window) for more information.

¹ “We Take Care of Our Own” is a registered service mark of NCMIC Group, Inc., and NCMIC Risk Retention Group, Inc.

² Industry Analyst A.M. Best ratings range from A++ to S. See www.ambest.com.