Course Coordinator Guidelines for CDID Sponsorship of DABCI Educational Program and Obtaining DABCI Certification for an Educational (Enduring) Material.

The Council on Diagnosis of Internal Disorders (CDID) of the American Chiropractic Association has developed the following guidelines for organizers of a post-graduate diplomate program in the diagnosis and management of internal disorders for chiropractic physicians (DABCI). The CDID requires that organizers of a DABCI program adhere to these guidelines to ensure that students of a DABCI program are provided educational quality, clinical proficiency, and competence to sit for the DABCI certification examination administered by the American Board of Chiropractic Internists (ABCI).



Definition of Enduring Material


All enduring materials are printed, recorded, computer-assisted instructional material, and/or internet materials that may be used at various times or locations as the educational content of a DABCI program. All enduring materials must adhere to standards acceptable to the educational committee of the CDID and to Continuing Chiropractic Education requirements as set forth by a post-graduate program of any sponsoring chiropractic institution accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE).


Obtaining Course Coordinator CDID Sponsorship for DABCI Program


A program director, course coordinator, or organizer/creator of a DABCI program must submit a written request to the CDID outlining their proposed organizational format, educational content, proof of sponsoring chiropractic institution, corporate sponsorship and financial backing of the program, and designators instructors for the program. The CDID will require that the written request also satisfy the student DABCI educational requirements as outlined by the ABCI that will permit a student to sit for the ABCI certifying examination. DABCI instructor guidelines are outlined in the document DABCI INSTRUCTOR GUIDELINES and will be distributed to all prospective course coordinators. All course coordinators must provide proof of successful completion from a recognized DABCI educational program and possess a minimum of 10 years experience as a practicing DABCI. All course coordinators must be of appropriate legal and professional standing and possess educational and coordinative abilities commensurate with administering a post-graduate chiropractic educational program.  The course coordinator must possess an active doctor of chiropractic license in good standing. The course coordinator must be an instructor registered with the postgraduate department of a CCE approved chiropractic institution.


Course coordinators must demonstrate that they have no direct financial interest or other relationship with commercial supporters that may influence the educational content of the program or influence the content of the educational program in which a student is instructed to utilize a specific nutritional product, medicine, laboratory, or imaging service. Any and all potential indirect financial interest or other relationship with a commercial supporter that a course coordinator may have must be disclosed prior to approval of a DABCI educational program.  (We may want to consider a Conflict of Interest Policy and disclosure checklist with signature page.)


The CDID will require that 75% off all instruction be conducted by licensed doctors of chiropractic with DABCI certification and ABCI credentialing.


The CDID will require that 25% of all DABCI modules must be available to any corporate sponsor or commercial interest who has submitted an appropriate application to the CDID requesting participation as a vendor and who will advertise and market to students of a DABCI educational program.


The CDID will require a $20 fee per student per DABCI module for the sole purpose of administration of the DABCI educational program.


The CDID will reserve the right to evaluate a course coordinator, educational course content, and instructional format throughout the course of the DABCI educational program. Evaluations will be forwarded to the course coordinator for appropriate acknowledgement and, if necessary, corrective action.


The CDID will require that any course coordinator, program director, creator, corporate sponsor, or commercial sponsor conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the objectives of the CDID and ABCI. CDID objectives for post-graduate education are stipulated in the existing by-laws. Any inappropriate professional activity, illegal activity, or loss of credentialing will necessitate termination of the DABCI educational program.


Within 60 days of receipt of a course coordinator’s written proposal for organizational format, educational content, proof of sponsoring chiropractic institution, corporate sponsorship and financial backing of the program, and instructors for the program, the CDID will issue a written acknowledgement signifying approval of concept.


When the course coordinator has received initial concept approval from the CDID, the course coordinator may proceed with developing the educational content of the DABCI educational program in accordance with CDID directives.


Development of the Educational (Enduring) Materials


All enduring materials must be approved by the CDID. Course titles, modules, and instructional sequencing must satisfy CDID stipulations. Any modifications of this content must be approved by the CDID. The CDID requests that any new enduring materials be submitted to the CDID for evaluation prior to instructional disbursement.


Enduring materials must be presented to the CDID a minimum of 90 days prior to implementation of the material in a DABCI module. The CDID expects all new enduring materials to be properly referenced from contemporary scientific literature. The date, month, and year of original release of materials must be noted.


The CDID will require full copyright domain of these materials for use in DABCI educational programs.  The CDID will be noted as the program’s sole educational sponsor.  Content of educational material must be reviewed annually by course coordinators.
The course coordinator must submit documentation to the CDID that the enduring materials are approved by the post-graduate department of a CCE chiropractic institution for chiropractic continuing education credit.


The CDID will require that sponsors, coordinators, or commercial interests disclose any significant financial interest or affiliations they have with the manufacturers of products or devices that may be discussed in their respective presentation or with commercial sponsors that may financially support the educational content of the information presented. The CDID will require that the educational enduring material do not contain any product or company names. Generic names and dosages must be utilized.  Educational enduring material should address “off label” use of a commercial products or an investigational product not yet approved by the FDA for any purpose, and to provide adequate scientific and clinical justification for such use.  In compliance with this policy, a coordinator who has indicated an affiliation with organizations which have interests related to the content of the DABCI educational program must declare such to the CDID. The intent of this policy is to openly identify potential conflicts of interest so DABCI students may form their own judgements about the presentation with full disclosure of the facts.


It is the responsibility of the course coordinator or program director to provide all appropriate documentation to the CDID. Such documentation is to include course and class scheduling, attendance rosters, administrative fees, all documents demonstrating that instructors have satisfied requirements described in the DABCI INSTRUCTOR GUIDELINES, enduring educational material, annual submission of updated standardized module syllabi, CCE and chiropractic institution approval, and corporate and commercial sponsorship.  All material must be submitted in electronic format.


Obtaining Final Approval of the DABCI Educational Program


The course coordinator will submit a final copy of proposed organizational concept, educational content, proof of sponsoring chiropractic institution, corporate sponsorship and financial backing of the program, and designated instructors for the program to the CDID for final written approval and authorization.


Reproduction or distribution of the final educational product in any manner other than for DABCI post-graduate educational program is