Elise Hewitt, DC, DICCP, FICC, decided to dedicate her career to improving children’s health with chiropractic care shortly after she and her husband opened their practice, Portland Chiropractic Group, 33 years ago. To establish their practice, they provided treatment to patients of all ages, but Dr. Hewitt quickly recognized her passion for helping children. Despite being told it would be impossible to build a practice on chiropractic pediatrics alone, Portland Chiropractic Group has grown significantly as the demand for chiropractic care for children continues to increase.
“Seeing firsthand the profound, positive impact chiropractors can have on the lives of children and their families in my practice inspired me to advocate for and advance chiropractic pediatrics not only in the United States but around the world,” Dr. Hewitt said.
Dr. Hewitt is a founding member of both the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Pediatrics Council and the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics and was president of the ACA Pediatrics Council for 10 years. A member of the NCMIC Speakers Bureau, Dr. Hewitt also teaches chiropractic pediatrics to students and healthcare professionals at chiropractic institutions and associations worldwide and has published numerous textbook chapters and peer-reviewed publications in pediatrics.
In spring 2021, she was presented with a unique opportunity to further progress chiropractic pediatrics.
“My career has evolved over the years, but I never thought it would lead me to developing the first master’s degree in pediatrics in the U.S. designed for chiropractors,” Dr. Hewitt said.
When a colleague from Logan University in Chesterfield, Missouri, asked Dr. Hewitt if she would consider becoming the founding program director for what would become the Master of Science in Integrative Pediatrics (MSIP), her first instinct was to decline the offer. She was busy operating her practice and teaching, but she realized she could not pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“For a long time, I have believed the chiropractic profession would benefit from master’s degree programs,” Dr. Hewitt said. “For years, we have had quality certification programs in chiropractic pediatrics that are valued within our profession, but since a master’s degree has external accreditation and oversight, the degree is recognized by healthcare professionals, governmental bodies, and institutions beyond the chiropractic profession. This opens new doors for MSIP graduates to work in hospitals and multidisciplinary clinics, teach at universities, and pursue careers in pediatric research.”
Studies continue to validate chiropractic pediatrics as a safe way to address health issues, such as colic, nursing difficulties, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, and chronic ear infections. Chiropractic, in general, is also becoming more integrated into a variety of healthcare settings, giving more children access to doctors of chiropractic. However, some healthcare professionals are unfamiliar with chiropractic pediatrics, or they are unaware of the myriad ways it can positively impact children’s health.
“This degree program is necessary because it further demonstrates that chiropractic is an appropriate form of health care for children,” Dr. Hewitt said. “Leading the ACA Pediatrics Council and writing textbook chapters and scientific papers are ways I’ve been able to help people understand the valuable role chiropractic care plays in pediatric health. Developing a master’s degree program is another key step we can take to continue to establish its validity.”
Dr. Hewitt reduced the amount of time she spent teaching and working in her practice so she could focus on her new role as founding program director for Logan University’s MSIP. She did not have any experience developing a degree program, and since it is the first of its kind in the U.S., there were no existing ones that she could model.
“I started by thinking about what I wish I would have known when I was a student who wanted to specialize in chiropractic pediatrics,” Dr. Hewitt said. “I knew I wanted this program to have a clinical focus and be for the practicing doctor of chiropractic. I designed this program so graduates would have all the knowledge and skills needed to meet the chiropractic needs of the youngest members of society both safely and effectively and be prepared to collaborate in the greater field of integrative pediatric health care.”
Dr. Hewitt worked with Logan’s Department of Curriculum and Content Development to translate her clinical expertise into a part-time, two-year online degree program with annual sessions held in person for hands-on learning. The program is designed for U.S. and internationally licensed DCs who want to become experts in pediatrics, with a pathway available for DC students with advanced standing as well. To teach courses ranging from pediatric development and pediatric technique to pediatric public health and pediatric case management, she handpicked 12 instructors from around the world who are experienced and respected leaders in the field.
The first cohort of students started the program this fall. Through an evidence-informed curriculum, they are gaining a working knowledge and understanding of the anatomy, physiology, neurology, and nutritional needs of pediatric patients; learning how to modify manual therapy skills for pediatric patients in spinal, cranial, and extremity techniques; learning how to manage common and uncommon pediatric health conditions while appraising and assimilating scientific evidence; and diving into the management of pediatric sports injuries and extremity conditions.
With new cohorts beginning every fall and spring trimester at Logan University, Dr. Hewitt is looking forward to helping the program continue to grow.
“My goal has always been to increase children’s access to high-quality, pediatric-specific chiropractic care,” Dr. Hewitt said. “With the Master of Science in Integrative Pediatrics, we aim to reach as many chiropractors and students as possible who want to specialize in and are passionate about this field. The more graduates from this program, the more doctors who can help children and their families achieve the highest quality of life possible.”
About Dr. Hewitt
Elise Hewitt, DC, DICCP, FICC is the Founding Program Director for Logan University’s Master of Science in Integrative Pediatrics. A board-certified pediatric Doctor of Chiropractic and one of the foremost authorities in the specialty of chiropractic pediatrics, she has focused her 34-year career on improving children’s health with chiropractic care. Dr. Hewitt can be contacted at 636-230-1847 or [email protected].
About Maggie Teson
Maggie Teson is an account supervisor at Common Ground Public Relations in Chesterfield, Missouri. She works in all facets of integrated communications, from media relations, digital and social media, custom publications, content development, messaging, and more to help people and organizations communicate with their essential audiences. She can be contacted at [email protected] or 636-530-1235.
