The opening of the Murdoch University Chiropractic Clinic in 2005 marked a significant advancement in healthcare education and services in Western Australia.

As the first, and still the only chiropractic training centre in WA, this contemporary evidence-based teaching clinic not only serves to prepare students for working capably and ethically under the supervision of registered chiropractors, but also stands as a beacon of health and wellbeing or the community.

At the heart of Murdoch University’s chiropractic program lies the clinic, a place where students and health converge. Here, students learn to treat real patients, providing them with hands-on experience that is crucial for their future careers. 

The clinic boasts 16 spacious treatment rooms, a rehabilitation centre, and a digital radiographic suite, ensuring that students are well-prepared for the challenges of the real world.

The clinic’s impact extends beyond the university’s walls with an award-winning outreach program.

Close to campus, Murdoch runs clinics at St Patrick’s Community Support Centre, South Lake Ottey Family and Neighbourhood Centre, Mandurah Seniors and Community Centre, and Palmerston Farm. Each clinical placement provides an enriching and unique experience that offers valuable community services to vulnerable people including those who may be experiencing significant disadvantage, marginalisation, poverty and homelessness. 

"Clinical outreach is pivotal not only for broadening our students' clinical experience but also for instilling in them the fundamental values of social justice and equity in healthcare,” Discipline Lead Dr Barrett Losco (Chiropractor) said.

“By engaging with diverse communities, our students learn the profound impact of accessible and inclusive care." 

Since 2006, Murdoch has also run a remote chiropractic outreach program, providing around 30,000 free consultations to communities across Western Australia’s Pilbara, Midwest, and Kimberley regions.

The initiative not only offers vital services to areas where chiropractic care is limited or non-existent but also enriches the educational experience of Murdoch’s chiropractic students.

Senior Supervising Clinician Dr Lyndon Amorin-Woods (Chiropractor) said the outreach efforts not only enrich the students’ learning experience but also provide much-needed healthcare services to underserved populations. 

 “Our outreach programs are a vital part of our commitment to community health and student education. They provide invaluable experiences for our students and essential services to communities in need,” he said.

In March 2024, a group of four 5th-year chiropractic students had the opportunity to provide pro-bono chiropractic services in Derby, a first for the community. 

Accompanied by Elders Auntie Jean Roberts and Leena Fraser-Buckle, they visited Looma, a ‘closed’ community, to offer chiropractic services and lifestyle advice under the shade of a 500-year-old Boab tree. 

The outreach efforts extend to various settings, including schools and cultural orientations with local community members. In Broome the students set up in the performing arts classroom at a local high school to adjust the staff and engaged in cultural orientation with local Elders who shared stories and received a chiropractic consult.

Chiropractic student Josh Stanbury said the experience was not only a chance to give back but also a humbling learning opportunity from the Elders and the community. 

“This has been such an enriching experience where we not only were able to give of ourselves in providing our care, but also humbling to learn so much from the Elders and the community who have welcomed us with such open hearts,” he said.

Students who participate in these placements are up to five times more likely to return to rural practice after graduation, Dr Amorin-Woods noted. The program also aims to attract more students from regional areas to study chiropractic at Murdoch University.

“We are especially passionate about encouraging Indigenous young people to consider a career in chiropractic. That is one reason we take students out to communities on Country. You can’t be what you can’t see,” he said.

“We believe in the importance of giving back to the community and inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals.”

A recent addition to the clinic’s educational arsenal is a unique teaching manikin which allows students to practice radiography skills without exposing patients to x-rays, enhancing their learning while prioritising patient safety. Murdoch is the only chiropractic institution in the southern hemisphere, potentially the world, with this type of manikin.

“The teaching manikin is a game-changer for our program,” Clinic Director Dr Vincenzo Cascioli said. 

“It allows our students to gain practical experience in a safe and controlled environment.”

The clinic is not just a place for learning; it’s a place for growth. It supports the next generation of chiropractors, providing them with the highest levels of training and compliance. 

The curriculum emphasises safe, evidence-based, and patient-centred care, preparing graduates who are dedicated to patient welfare and public safety. 

“Our goal is to produce chiropractors who are not only skilled but also compassionate and dedicated to their patients’ wellbeing,” Dr Cascioli said.

The Murdoch University Chiropractic Clinic is more than just a clinic; it’s a cornerstone of the university’s commitment to excellence in healthcare education and community service.