People from all over the world come to The WAVE to get inspired and to engage in the latest insight on chiropractic and health care topics. This year Life West partnered with a local education group to bring some fresh young minds to The WAVE.
For the first time ever, Life West and the FACES for the Future Coalition gave high school students interested in health careers the opportunity to learn about brain health and chiropractic at The WAVE.
Based in Oakland, CA, the FACES for the Future Coalition is a project of the Public Health Institute, which works with communities to prepare high school students for entry into health professions.
The FACES for the Future program was conceived as a direct response to two significant problems facing diverse communities – the lack of support and opportunity for youths seeking to improve their lives through education and a lack of diversity in health professions.
“If we can get these students on track to go into a fulfilling and lucrative career, it lifts up the whole community,” FACES for the Future Program Manager Jasmine Nakagawa-Wong said. “I see it as a program that’s able to make some wide-spread social and community change, and that’s evident in our partnerships with organizations like Life Chiropractic College West.”
Life West President, Dr. Ron Oberstein, met with leaders of the FACES Coalition, Tomas A. Magana, Brooke Briggance and Jasmine Nakagawa-Wong, and offered students in the program free admission to The WAVE 2017.
Life West Lab assistant, Dr. Jeana Edwards, is working with the FACES program and was delighted to host these young minds around The WAVE.
“It felt great to know that these students will be young ambassadors for chiropractic when they enter their undergraduate programs for their chosen medical profession.” Dr. Jeana Edwards said. “The students were in awe of the intricate details of chiropractic neurology (Dr. Ted Carrick) and how simple it is to explain a subluxation after listening to Dr. Heidi Haavik.”
This is only the beginning of the collaboration between Life West and the FACE Coalition via the FACE Anatomy Certificate Program (FACP). Students that complete the FACP will leave the program with a basic understanding of how chiropractic facilitates an innate healing environment and how chiropractors can assist other healthcare providers in the overall life of the patient.
“Everyone at Life West who’s worked directly with our students has been totally on board with the mentorship and generous in providing them with knowledge. It’s really inspiring for our students,” said Jasmine Nakagawa-Wong.
For more information about the FACES for the Future Coalition and ways to get involved, visit FacesForTheFuture.org.
