Mike Wiles, associate director of Academic Affairs and visiting professor for the Doctor of Chiropractic program.
Mike Wiles is the associate director of Academic Affairs and visiting professor for the University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) program at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Wiles has spent his career working in higher education and in chiropractic care.
Read on to learn why professor Wiles is excited to be involved with the DC program.
---
Tell us about your role in the Doctor of Chiropractic program.
I will be involved in the academic administration of the program assisting Program Director Mike Schneider in many areas, particularly accreditation and assessment of the program and assessment of student achievement.
I am excited to bring a large repertoire of experience in teaching, practice and administration to the program and to the students, including my enthusiasm for the future of the chiropractic profession as it is seen from the perspective of the Pittsburgh program—that is, working as a vital team member of the health care system and providing a unique service within that system.
I would like students to know that I want to be a genuine person—that is, what you see is what you get. I believe in the unique value of every student, and I want to do all I can to encourage, facilitate and assist them in being successful and proud to be a chiropractor.
I began discussions with Dr. Schneider as far back as 2013 about the possibility of a Doctor of Chiropractic program at Pitt. It is incredibly exciting to see it start, and to be a part of chiropractic history! I can’t wait to see our first cohort walk across the stage as doctors of chiropractic in 2028 and begin the transformation of the chiropractic profession!
How did you become interested in a chiropractic career?
Wiles speaking at the Florida Chiropractic Physicians Association in 2016.
During my pre-chiropractic years at the University of Toronto, I was encouraged to check out the chiropractic profession by a family friend. I met with a warm, professional doctor who was clearly interested in advising a young pre-professional student and I was very impressed. He had a wonderful staff and office, and I left thinking how I wanted to be just like him. He has since passed away, but I had the honor of teaching both of his sons at the chiropractic college in Canada where I was a faculty member for many years. Ironically, prior to that visit to that chiropractor, I thought chiropractic was the same as forensic anthropology–in other words, I thought chiropractors were the ones who identified bones and skeletons as part of police investigations (no idea where I got that idea from, but that’s what I thought chiropractors did)!
As far as my academic background goes, I completed a pre-chiropractic Bachelor of Science program at the University of Toronto, then my Doctor of Chiropractic at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto. As a young faculty member teaching courses in chiropractic science and actively practicing as a chiropractor, I then earned a Master of Education in educational administration from Brock University. Many years later, I retired from active practice and became a dean at Northwestern Health Sciences University. During this time, I felt I needed a refresher in medical education, so I completed a Master of Science in medical education leadership at the University of New England. Finally, I earned a Doctor of Education at the University of Liverpool.
I have spent a long career looking forward to the time when a chiropractic school existed within a major, research-intensive university and here we are—I am very proud to be a part of chiropractic educational history!
What are you most looking forward to doing with the first cohort?
Wiles receiving his Fellow of the International College of Chiropractors plaque at the World Federation of Chiropractic Educational Conference in 2016.
I love working with students and seeing them functioning as a team, being proud of their chiropractic school and profession and gradually transforming into health care professionals. I’ve seen this for over four decades and it never ceases to motivate me to be the best I can to be a valuable and worthy part of their professional journey.
I have had a wonderful career in teaching, administration and practice, so I have had great enjoyment from my interaction with patients (I saw three generations of patients in some cases, including at least two babies named after me!) and beyond. My work with chiropractic programs to achieve accreditation and high-quality educational programs has been rewarding, but perhaps most of all it has been so gratifying to work with students and see them achieve competency and professionalism as they work their way through chiropractic school. I am excited to witness the successes of the incoming Doctor of Chiropractic students!
---
For more information about the Doctor of Chiropractic program, visit our website, or speak with an enrollment specialist at enroll@shrs.pitt.edu today!