Rate My Professor Hazel Jenkins

Dr Hazel Jenkins is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chiropractic at Macquarie University, part of the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences. She earned her PhD from Macquarie University focused on strategies to reduce the inappropriate use of imaging in the management of low back pain. Additional qualifications include a Master of Chiropractic from Macquarie University, a Master of Applied Science in Medical Imaging from Charles Sturt University, and a Bachelor of Medical Science from the University of Sydney. With more than 20 years of experience as a chiropractic clinician specializing in recurrent or chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions, Jenkins teaches clinical decision-making and the appropriate use and diagnosis of musculoskeletal radiology. She serves as Postgraduate Course Director and has delivered invited talks, such as on the pitfalls of imaging overuse.

Jenkins' research centers on the implementation of evidence-based care for low back pain into clinical practice, employing systematic literature reviews, intervention development and implementation, survey design, and cross-sectional research. Her publications appear in leading journals including The Lancet Rheumatology, CMAJ, European Journal of Pain, and The Spine Journal. Key publications include 'Effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce the use of imaging for low-back pain: a systematic review' (CMAJ, 2015), 'Current evidence for spinal X-ray use in the chiropractic profession: a systematic review' (Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, 2018), 'The association between guideline adherent radiographic imaging for low back pain and clinical outcomes: a prospective cohort study' (Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, 2021), and 'Long-term effectiveness of non-surgical interventions for chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis' (The Lancet Rheumatology, 2025). She has received numerous awards for her research, such as Best Podium Presentation at the CAA NSW conference (2015), Best Student Poster (2017), Early Career Researcher Podium Presentation second place (2017), and the shared Education Excellence Award (2023). Jenkins contributes to initiatives like the Spinal Pain Research Centre resources, including low back pain curriculum content standards and patient information booklets, influencing clinical guidelines and reducing imaging overutilization to improve patient care in primary settings.