Chiropractic lecturer qualities: The student perspective

Chiropractic lecturers sit at the interface between theoretical education and the transition to clinical practice. They are central to a positive and high-quality learning environment. This study aimed to explore how chiropractic students in the United Kingdom rate the importance of lecturer qualities and their influence on overall preregistration course experience.

An online mixed-method questionnaire was used. Data were converted into proportions with lower and upper limits of the 95% confidence interval (CI). Likert-scale questions were treated as numeric variables with the mean, mode, median, and percentage calculated for combined responses. Thematic analysis reported patterns of data extracted from open-ended questions.

Of the population of current UK chiropractic students, 195 completed the questionnaire. Five out of 12 teaching roles were rated as very important, including the ability to deliver high-quality information and evaluate the curriculum (mean = 4.71). Communication ranked as the number 1 personal quality followed by command of the subject. Lecturers were perceived as very important to overall course enjoyment (mean = 4.88) and students' ability to succeed (mean = 4.54). Students felt it was more important that lecturers were clinically active (84%; 95% CI, 78%-89%) than research active (25%; 95% CI, 19%-31%).

Chiropractic students in the United Kingdom recognize the significance of lecturers in the educational experience. A range of qualities were considered important relating to overall course enjoyment and student outcomes. Clinically active lecturers facilitate student development. Of importance, students felt course evaluation and curricula development were valuable qualities in the modern-day lecturer.