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Cleveland Chiropractic College – Kansas City

CCCKC and Truman Medical Center finalized an affiliation agreement last fall through which CCC operates its own chiropractic clinic inside TMC’s Lakewood hospital near Lee’s Summit, Mo. The College began providing chiropractic services at TMC-Lakewood Feb. 4.

Reviewing the college’s clinical curriculum and discussing opportunities for continued improvement overall is the main focus of FUTURE, a faculty-led process with the ultimate goal of promoting discussion and advancing knowledge. Dr. David Deupree, chairman of basic sciences and FUTURE participant, said these goals are met through a series of meetings involving administration, faculty, students and staff.

The process of FUTURE, which stands for Faculty Undertaking Technique Upgrades Reaching for Excellence, revolves around weekly discussion meetings that are focused on the modes of patient analysis and treatment techniques utilized by the college. In addition, FUTURE investigates the published research and clinical experience that serve to address these assessment and treatment issues.

The challenge is finding a workable balance between the most effective chiropractic methods, old and new.


Life University

There has been a flurry of activity on the campus in the past month. Life University President Dr. Guy Riekeman and the administration have hit the ground running. The weekend of July 22-25 will mark many milestones at the university. This weekend will mark the first annual LP3 event which will include the inauguration of Riekeman as the fourth president of Life University. Also that weekend, the fourth LifeSource Seminar will be held on campus in conjunction with the Annual Homecoming Celebration. Noted speakers will be featured in the areas of philosophy, technique, science, practice management and research. The event that begins on Thursday will include a children’s program and programs for students and prospective students. More information about this event can be found on pages 39-43.

Alumni and friends of Life University have been busy holding fundraising and student recruitment all over the Eastern United States. Dr. Joe Lupo, a 1978 alumnus from Michigan, and Dr. Charles Ribley have been instrumental in spearheading this effort. During the first two weeks of Dr. Guy Riekeman’s presidency, Life has raised over $2 million from alumni and supporters including Dr. William Harris, Dr. Larry Markson, Dr. Pat Gentempo, and numerous other supporters. Over 300 prospective students have been contacted with more events scheduled over the next months in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and New York.

In other campus news Life is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Hoefer and Dr. Deborah Pogrelis have been appointed to the Academy of Site Team Evaluators of the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE). Hoefer is a longtime faculty member at Life University, former dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and currently serves as Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning. Pogrelis is the former Chief of Staff of Clinics, Interim Dean of the College of Chiropractic, and is currently a consultant to Life University in the areas of accreditation and litigation management and a private practitioner. Their appointments herald the beginning of a renewed mutually beneficial relationship between Life University and the CCE.

Since his resignation as interim president in early March, Dr. Ben DeSpain was honored by Life’s Board of Trustees, President Dr. Guy Riekeman, students, staff and faculty on March 17. The entire Life family wishes Dr. DeSpain much success in his future endeavors.

At the end of January, Life held its second Life Source seminar in Atlanta which attracted hundreds of chiropractors, chiropractic assistants and supporters for three days to hear some of the most inspiring speakers in the chiropractic profession today talk about the Lasting Purpose idea of living an inner-directed life. With each successive seminar, the number of doctors and staff in attendance has grown. Although the speakers finish by 10 p.m. each evening, the fellowship and camaraderie often continues into the early hours of the morning. Old friendships are renewed and new relationships forged that last long past the conclusion of the seminar.

Life Source was created for doctors of chiropractic, chiropractic assistants and office administrators to gain knowledge on how to build a better, more successful practice. The role call of speakers at the Life Source Seminars continues to grow. Among those scheduled to speak in April are Drs. Chuck Ribley, Jim Sigafoose, Shawn Powers, Bruce Parker, Sharon Gorman, Darryl Wills, Gerry Clum, and Stu and Teri Warner. Chiropractic students are admitted free to the seminars. The seminar offers a special late-night Friday program for chiropractic students and prospective students that provides them with the opportunity to interact with the outstanding team of speakers and address issues that are unique to them.


National University of Health Sciences

NUHS alumni and students may now pursue a master of public health degree online through a cooperative effort with Missouri’s A.T. Still University. The MPH degree is particularly appropriate for chiropractors who plan to work in federal, state or local health agencies or for those who want to work in international health organizations. The degree is also highly suitable for chiropractors, who envision public or private sector careers in policy areas such as environmental health, occupational health, disease prevention and control, injury prevention or substance abuse.


New York Chiropractic College

NYCC researchers have launched an investigation to determine the efficacy of the Graston technique in treating carpal tunnel syndrome. The study is expected to last for approximately one year, with results available as early as this fall.

The study will develop in three phases. In the first phase, a research team led by Dale Buchberger, D.C., will screen patients suspected of having CTS, in the hopes of recruiting 20 patients who have carpal tunnel in one wrist. In the second phase, the patients will be assigned randomly to two groups for a six-week treatment period. All patients will receive the same treatment protocols, including soft tissue manipulation twice during the first four weeks and once during the last two weeks; however, in one group, patients will be treated using Graston technique instruments, while in the other group, patients will be treated using manual manipulation.

After the six-week treatment period, all patients will be retested to assess improvements; testing will be repeated again after three months.


Northwest Health Science University

More than 100 NHSU students attended the Minnesota Chiropractic Association’s Legislative Day Conference in early 2004. Thanks to the efforts of students, doctors and patients, HF 2889 (the bill redefining “soft tissue” injury and therefore unable to treat patients from motor vehicle accidents) was “killed.”

It just shows how important it is that the profession shows up in force and told all the members of the House and Senate about this bill so that the insurance companies cannot sneak an amendment in on another bill. They were also able to address many other chiropractic issues.

During the past several years, NHSU has helped disabled community members by assisting with the training of many dogs for Hearing Service Dogs of Minnesota. The family of Dr. Lynne Hvidsten, D.C., associate professor and director of clinical education, was a foster family for a service dog-in-training. Hvidsten’s family has hosted a total of six hearing dogs, and Brian Turner, lead paramedic instructor, has hosted several service dogs.

As a “puppy raiser,” Dr. Hvidsten’s family took a small, black dog named Ringo every place they went to train the dog to get used to being in a variety of environments in which it would be expected to work. Northwestern officials allowed Dr. Hvidsten to bring Ringo to work with her so he could get used to being around a lot of people in a busy, social situation. With the assistance of Ringo, Northwestern was able to actively support fulfill its mission of community service and educate its faculty, staff and students about the importance of hearing and service dogs. In February, Ringo began his job as a full-time service dog with a disabled woman.


Palmer College of Chiropractic

The research capabilities of the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research have been bolstered by the addition of three experienced researchers. Maria Hondras, D.C., Dana Lawrence, D.C., and Edward Owens Jr., D.C. joined the PCCR research faculty between November 2003 and January 2004.

The addition of these three respected research scientists to the Palmer research team comes on the heels of a recent $2.7 million grant from the National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health. The grant allows Palmer to establish the Center for the Study of Mechanisms and Effects of Chiropractic Adjustments, a three-year, collaborative project with National University of Health Sciences, Kansas State University, the State University of New York at Stony Brook and the University of Iowa.


Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida

The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools has granted accreditation status for PCCF as a branch campus of PCC in Davenport. NCA is one of six regional accrediting agencies in the United States. It accredits K-12 schools plus post-secondary educational institutions, including junior colleges, colleges and universities in its region, which spans 19 states and about 1,200 colleges and universities.

According to Donald Kern, D.C., interim PCC president, the NCA accreditation process began three years ago, even before students arrived at the Port Orange campus in October 2002. “A school with no previous NCA accreditation getting accredited for the first time is a significant accomplishment,” he said. “It sends a strong message to current and prospective students.

PCCF also has received an annual license to operate in Florida from the Florida Commission for Independent Education. “With this second jewel for Palmer Florida, along with the state licensure, we now are setting our sights toward completing the crown with CCE (Council on Chiropractic Education) accreditation,” Dr. Kern said. He anticipates hosting a CCE on-site visitation team shortly to determine if PCCF is eligible for CCE accreditation as a branch campus.


Palmer College of Chiropractic

Members of the Palmer Student Alumni Foundation immerse themselves in the holiday spirit with their annual Toys-for-Tots campaign in December conducted by local Marine Corps Reservists.

Of the organizations on campus that contributed, to the event Palmer’s Student Council lead the cause with a $500 donation. Other student organizations who donated include the Palmer Vet’s Club, the Palmer Student ACA, the Palmer Student ABCA and the Beacon. Faculty and staff’s contributions added over $625 to the efforts. In addition, the Palmer Faculty Senate gave a $100 donation as well.

The total combined contribution for all the classes was over $750.


Palmer College of Chiropractic-Florida

Palmer Florida students have formed a Motion Palpation Club to facilitate a greater understanding of the technique. The primary goal of the club is to help students become proficient in the art of motion palpation, while developing an understanding of clinical biomechanics and neurology. Club meetings will cover palpation of the spine and extremities; concepts of end feel, joint play and joint dysfunction; biomechanics of joints and the back force transmission system; and neurological considerations.


Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic

A unique union was formed on March 13 in upstate South Carolina—that of military services and chiropractic health services. For the first time in Sherman College’s history, chiropractic interns held a spinal screening for military personnel at the Annual Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center’s Health Fair at the Donaldson Center in Greenville.

All military personnel were given the opportunity to listen to health talks from Sherman interns, as well as receive free spinal screenings. Participants ranged from first year sailors to Lieutenant Commander Eythell, commanding officer of the reserve center.


Texas Chiropractic College

After serving two years as the TCC president-elect, Richard G. Brassard, D.C., officially became TCC’s 13th President on Jan. 1.

A native of Beaumont, Texas, Dr. Brassard is the son of the late Dr. Gerald and May Brassard, who were originally from Manchester, N.H., before relocating to Beaumont. Following in the footsteps of his father, who was a respected and admired leader in the chiropractic profession, Dr. Brassard graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1965.

In his more than 35 years since graduating from Palmer, Dr. Brassard has been elected or appointed to numerous positions within the chiropractic field at the local, state and national levels.

 

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© Copyright 2004 Today's Chiropractic

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