Two LIFE Students Called to Duty – Michael Hollerbach, DC Student

Juan Fernandez and Jason Ellis head to kosovo

Fourth quarter student Jason Ellis and third quarter student Juan Fernandez will be leaving Marietta and heading to Kosovo for twelve months of active duty. The two are both 1^st Lieutenants of the Georgia National Guard 3^rd Squadron 108^th Calvary R&S (reconnaissance and surveillance.) Their Squadron will be part of a peacekeeping mission in aiding the Eastern European country.

Juan and Jay have been best friends since the day they met in eighth grade at G.A.R. Memorial High School in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania. Their friendship goes way beyond most friendships. Juan having moved from Puerto Rico to America barely knew any English and fortunately for them, due to the fact that they were seated next to each other in alphabetical order, Jason looked out for him. Their friendship grew as they went through high school. Following graduation in 2001 they both enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard doing their boot camp at Fort Sill Oklahoma. While at boot camp Juan’s father passed away unexpectedly, shortly after that his mother moved to Houston, Texas. Jason’s parents became Juan’s legal guardians.
Such tragedy brought to both young men a tighter bond; they were closer than most biological brothers. Jason and his family took Juan in as a member of the Ellis family. Fernandez was humbled and honored, and from that point until today Jay and Juan both feel like true brothers.

After military training they both enrolled at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. As roommates they took all the same classes together, majoring in Exercise Science. While there they were members of the Reserve Officers Training Corps, graduating in 2007 as commissioned 2^nd Lieutenants.

This is not the first time the two have been called to active duty. In the fall of 2003 they were a part of the Iraqi Freedom II mission. They were flown to Kuwait, then onto Qatar where Juan spent six months protecting Central Command as a Military Police officer on the base. Meanwhile, Jason was put on a personal security detail to protect high-ranking officers. They also spent time as convoy security at the Kuwait-Iraqi border before returning to Bloomsburg University to finish their degrees.

In January of 2009 they had a second call of duty. This time Uncle Sam sent them to a more volatile area: Camp Taji, ten kilometers north of Baghdad. During their stay they were responsible for protecting the base from attacks. They returned to their civilian lives shortly, got into Life and studied for six quarters till duty called for a third time.

When they received the orders this third time, the reactions were not the same as before. Jason was upset, at first, because he did not want to leave his wife Devon or school. Juan persuaded Jason to look at the positives: it will be a relatively safe deployment due to the fact that it is a peace keeping mission and the Kosovo military is in charge; after that, the NATO forces give support. The U.S. military is the third line of defense. Juan comforted his friend by saying, “Look Jimbo it’s a cake deployment. We’ll come back with some money in our bank accounts, we’ll get promoted to captains and nobody is going to die. And they can’t touch us for another three to five years so we will be able to graduate from Life.”

The comfort and support that they give to each other transcends all aspects of their lives. One example is the fact that Jason is taking a modified load of credit hours here at Life so his buddy can catch up with him. Juan fell behind Jason when he took time off to go to Ranger School, a childhood dream fulfilled.

Jason’s cousin, a chiropractor in New York State, guided the two to Life University.

The chiropractor asked Juan some questions about the body’s ability to heal itself. Upon answering, the doctor told Juan he had all of the philosophies of a chiropractor. Following that meeting, Juan knew his next mission. He came to Marietta to survey the campus in 2009 right after Camp Taji. After visiting the school he knew this was the site for them. Juan recruited his longtime buddy to study Chiropractic. In January of 2010 the two men came to Life University together in a rented truck pulling Jason’s Jeep.

The two soldiers leave for training on August 31^st, and will be in Kosovo by October.  Jason will be leaving his wife and his dog Bailey for the 13 months. Juan will be leaving behind his 5^th Quarter girlfriend Whitney Wills and their dog Foster. In the meantime, Whitney and Devon, will support each other just like Juan and Jason do, by living together and being there for each other on their wait for their dedicated men’s return. Jason and Juan are looking forward to coming back and changing attire from combat boots to Vibrams and the twice-a-week scrubs for wet lab. The two men ask that Life students stay in touch through Facebook. If you would like to show your support you can “friend them” at Juan Fernandez and/or Jason Ellis.

Mastering at LIFE – Sarah Moreau, Dietetics Student

Master of Clinical Nutrition Coming Soon

In the field of dietetics, a bachelor’s degree in a qualifying field, an America Dietetics Association-approved internship, and the Registered Dietitian’s national exam are all that are required to obtain the coveted “RD.” However, many RD’s find themselves wanting to pursue a Master’s degree in order to have a competitive edge in the workforce. In addition, many institutions with Master’s degrees in the field count the experience from the internship towards credit for the Master’s.

With this information taken into consideration, Life University decided to begin the process of developing a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition. ”By exposing students to best practices in teaching, and evidence-based research in clinical nutrition, each student will gain the proficiencies necessary to achieve optimum personal performance,” director and chair of the department of nutrition Jaleh Dehpahlavan says. “The program will also create opportunities for dietetic students to obtain an advanced degree after completing the requirements for the Dietetic Internship Program, expand the Department of Nutrition and Life University program offerings and will provide another opportunity for the Department of Nutrition to expand its Dietetic Internship Program slots to 30 from 16.” With this expansion, Life will have the largest accredited program in the entire state of Georgia.

“Since this program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education, which is a peer reviewed process, it will enhance the integrity and quality of the university program offering as well.” Ms. Dehpahlavan continues.

The degree will be in Clinical Nutrition, equipping the dietitians who earn this degree to assess and assist patients with a wide array of issues. As our nation grows more and more obese, dietitians are a critical part of helping Americans understand what foods are best for them, and educating patients on the correct way to prepare foods so they are enjoyable and healthy. “Not only will it prepare graduates with the critical scientific and thinking skills needed for transformational leadership in an increasingly diverse, global, and dynamic world, it will also provide them with the values needed for career success and life fulfillment based on a vitalistic philosophy,” Ms. Dehpahlavan says.

Ultimately, this degree will enable Life University to become a leader in the world of dietetics education and will give students who are studying dietetics here an option to stay at Life for the duration of their education, provided the students meet the requirements that will be set. Truly, the future for the nutrition department at Life is bright and only growing brighter as the department grows!

Finding a Fix for Falling Scores – Kelly Milano, DC Student

National Board Scores Plummet

As National Boards are quickly sneaking up on us, it only takes one look to realize that scores have plummeted over the past year. According to LIFE’s website, the most recent National Board scores for Part One were a mere 57.4% compared to the national average of 74.8%. This number has decreased from 63.2% just six months earlier and from 82.1% just in September of 2009. These numbers are concerning to not only the students facing boards in a few weeks, but to the faculty and administration as well. Many students have felt we are ‘reliving the past’ and that we are on the fast track to another collision with the CCE.

According to Dr. McAulay, Executive Vice President, over the past two years, our first time test takers pass rates have put us in a tie for fifth place among the other chiropractic schools. He states that in the past 18 months we have been as high as third, but the ultimate goal is to be first. So what do these numbers mean? When you look at the 57.4% passing rate we currently have, it means that of the 136 students who took the test, 57.4% passed all six sections and don’t have to retake any of them. While we, as students, feel relieved to see we only have to retake one or two sections, we are hurting the overall pass rate of the school as a whole. When it comes to Parts two, three and four LIFE is sitting in a good position, surpassing the averages in both Part two and Part four. We are not out of the woods and a lot of

Dr. Numeroff and Dr. King both stated that after the initial downfall 18 months ago the school began to look at what was causing the changes and what needed to be done to correct it. A group of professors began assessing the patterns and the process of our education. They began reviewing syllabi from the professors and seeing how they lined up with the NBCE tests. Dr. Amos, has been gathering questions from professors to update and expand the National Boards Prep section of the schools website. (Didn’t know we had that? If you are registered for the National Boards Prep Assembly, go to Blackboard and to the Board Assembly section. Under Documents you will find practice tests that target some of the most difficult board questions, memory joggers, review information and items contributed from each of the professors. There is also a link to Study Stack, an online flash card program that has a chiropractic section already created.)

Dr. Numeroff also stated that one of the big things the faculty is looking at is what a Part One successful student looks like. By doing this, they are hoping to be able to create a standard to strive for and to strengthen any weaknesses in the curriculum. New teachers have been hired in the Basic Sciences Department, but it will take time for them to perfect their curriculum and to see those changes in the board scores.

While the school is working to revamp the curriculum and fight back against the dropping scores, Dr. King and Dr. Numeroff both gave several tips to help students do the best they can to pass boards. They said studying needs to start in first quarter. Dr. King stated that students need to begin putting together a binder and organizing their class notes. She states that she often tells students to keep their notes at the end of the quarter. If you’ve already thrown them away, go back to the professors and get their notes and put them in your binder for boards. Dr. Numeroff added that when you take a test, even if you get a 98%, go and look at the test. See what you missed and have the professor explain the concept to you if you don’t understand it. That topic could end up being heavily tested on boards and you will not want to miss those questions. Some of the biggest tips they gave included:

• Look at the National Boards Breakdown both on Blackboard and on NBCE.org.  Find your strengths and weaknesses and how they will weigh on the test. Study accordingly.
• Time management is crucial. It’s difficult to study for boards at the same time you are taking classes. Don’t wait until the last minute. Just because Microbiology may be mostly memorization, don’t put it off until the very end thinking you’ll remember it all. It’s one of the highest failed sections of our scores at the moment and it’s mostly because students push it off to the end.
• Rotate your study time. Don’t spend hours on one subject, but instead spend 20-30 minutes on it, then move on. Once you have a subject learned, move on and don’t come back to it.
• Know your study style and use it!  If you are a group studier, plan your group early. If you are visual, use one of the online flashcard sites.
• Keep a positive attitude!  When taking the test and you come to a question you don’t know, acknowledge it, remember that you are smart and have made it this far, and move on.
• Take boards as soon as you are eligible. The longer you wait, the more you will have to relearn.

Some other tips include that you don’t need to spend $500 on board review. Our professors have given us the information we need. They are the ones who write for National Boards and they are the ones who know what is on the exam. Use the tools they give you and study hard! If you do go to a review, remember it is a REVIEW! You will still need to put in outside study time.

Don’t try to give up caffeine if you are addicted to it. Don’t start or stop any habits or make major changes while preparing for boards. LIFE is responsible for making sure that students are prepared and pass boards, but only can assure your success! Be prepared and ROCK BOARDS this quarter!!! You are ready!

Let us know how you did. Follow us on Facebook and follow the conversation!

Two Pioneers, One Home – Jason Feltz, DC Student

LIFE honors drs. sid and nell williams’ legacy

It was approximately one year ago that Drs. Sid & Nell Williams returned home to LIFE’s campus to be honored, including having their feet and hands preserved in concrete for display on a campus “Path of Heroes.” Their return, among hundreds of chiropractors, guests, and students was both a healing experience and the unveiling of a legend unknown to some students. On Thursday, July 21, both Sid and Nell came back to LIFE, this time, their legacy was to be immortalized by a series of dedications and unveilings.

With approximately 400 doctors and a multitude of students in attendance, Dr. Riekeman introduced Drs. Sid and Nell at Lyceum Park to a welcoming applause and chants of “Sid, Sid, Sid.” The ceremonies proceeded with a walk to Celebration Plaza, where two monuments were to be unveiled next to D.D. Palmer’s, one honoring D.D.’s son B.J., and the other for Sid. After exposing Sid’s monument, the crowd was riding an emotional ridge. When Dr. Riekeman read the tribute’s inscription, he and the crowd choked up and many tears were shed. The ceremony then moved to the entrance of the Nell Williams Library, where reconstruction has been ongoing since the end of the spring quarter. The library was rededicated as the Drs. Sid E. & Nell K. Williams Library & History Center, which contains Williams’ family memorabilia and LIFE history not before seen. The ceremonies were concluded at a luncheon to dedicate the Dr. Sid E. Williams Center for Chiropractic Research. Then as a surprise to all, Dr. Riekeman presented Sid with a set of keys to his permanent office on campus, which eventually will be reconstructed with the administrative offices. LIFE has opened its doors and hearts to Sid being home on campus.

LIFE’s dedications to Sid and Nell were moving experiences to all those who attended that day. In honoring the legendary couple who helped create a school and defend the chiropractic profession, both the LIFE and chiropractic communities shared the glory. For Sid, the pride he has for his followers, his institution and the profession must be insurmountable. There will come a day when new students will not have the opportunity to be in Sid’s presence, to discover him. According to Miguel Hastings, “It is the students, after all, that Sid adores most.”

Dr. Sid may not be the president of LIFE, but this campus still reflects his accomplishments, passion, and commitment. The university was Sid’s outlet for his lasting purpose of protecting and growing the chiropractic profession. Each student, employee, and member of the community has been impacted by his creation. He plays a part in the destinies and influence of the LIFE community as he helped make them possible. There is euphoria about his presence that makes the campus feel more alive. Will LIFE be able to capture this, so that the Williams legacy is felt on campus forever? By the reactions of visitors and the Williams’ themselves on July 21^st, it was a huge step in that direction and Life University made it right.

LifeSource – Jenn Roberts, DC Student

Octagon

During the weekend of April 15th, LifeSource 2011 sponsored the Octagon event on Life’s campus. Attended by DC’s, CA’s, spouses, biochemists, functional neurologists and, unfortunately, very few students, the Octagon brought together experts in their field to pose their own definitions of subluxation and how to measure success in treatment of that subluxation.

Dr. Riekeman started the conference Thursday afternoon, after the Lyceum Park opening on campus by discussing the term subluxation, focusing specifically on nerve interference, including mechanical dysfunction, environmental toxins and thoughts & stressors. Dr. Riekeman also drew our attention to the fact that the Octagon is a dynamic, ongoing forum for thought and discussion to benefit understanding of chiropractic both externally and internally of our profession.

Dr. Triano discussed that while Vitalism asks ‘why,’ Reductionism asks ‘how;’ how the Vital Force is equal to the human soul. He stated that the goal of any DC should be to intervene both productively and predictably with the subluxation. He also pointed out that while the flutter of a butterfly wing can indeed cause a hurricane half a world away, we do not yet know which flutter set off the storm.

Drs. Haavik-Taylor and Goertz discussed research and statistics around subluxation and chiropractic and results experienced by patients and how that translated into statistical data. Dr. Goertz talked about what matters most to patients and the difference between somatic dysfunction and subluxation while Dr. Koch mentioned how ‘intelligence exists without scientific hypothesis,’ however the nervous system ‘is scientifically appraisable.’

Dr. Lipton spoke to the attendees about how the more energetically connected we are, the more we care… and that entanglement is equal to a change in the recipient. He also stated, “In order to be the master of your science, you have to DO your science.”

An attendee brought about an interesting question as to are we ‘mechanistic back crackers or are we Wholism, Holistic. The answer was that yes, we are more than just biomechanics. We need to bring the theory of subluxation into the classroom. We need a mutual starting point for the discussion.

A lot of chiropractors in practice focus on pain and whiplash, being a focus of many, received some attention at Octagon. Dr Damadian discussed Chiari Syndrome and Cerebellar Tonsillar Ectopia as well as the amazing results experienced by patients once they had their atlas adjusted. Patients experienced a reduction in headaches from occlusion of CSF movement and arterial flow to the brain, nausea and vomiting, pain and numbness and black outs among others. Dr. Damadian, inventor of the MR Scanner, (more commonly known as MRI,) demonstrated how results are different in MR pictures depending on whether the patient is recumbent or sitting/standing; the more evident injuries were visible in a standing/sitting scan.

Dr. Carrick spoke about the relationship between science and philosophy and how once you answer a philosophical question it becomes science; the theory of Science = True & False while Philosophy = Sense & Nonsense and about errant a priori concepts upon which conceptual questions can be developed.

We discussed politics and its relation to improving or impinging patient care and comparative effectiveness and that the ‘absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence’.

Another point mentioned by staff at the Octagon was how few students were repeat visitors every day – only three signed in and out on the registration sheet. Fellow students remarked Saturday evening at a gathering I attended how they didn’t know it was happening. As students of chiropractic it is our duty to learn, be focused and pay attention. Ignorance is no longer a viable excuse for missing data and details. The Octagon was published on the front page of the Vital Source newspaper, on all of the televisions in the cafe as well as communicated several times by student email. And while I know there were a lot of events during the same weekend, DE, a BGI (biogeometric integration) seminar, a Pierce Results seminar, the Gonstead Extravaganza and a few others, many of us were still on campus.

And while attendance of the conference excused us from class, I know whole-heartedly we are still responsible for the material, but to some that acted as an excuse for not attending any of the forum. To that I say, what about Thursday night and Saturday? Or when classes ended for the day Friday. The more we attend, understand and breathe in about philosophy, the physical attributes in technique as well as the biggest concept, subluxation, the better DC’s we will be when in practice with our own patient base, or the better our research will be, should we follow that tract.

The Octagon is an ongoing event we were fortunate to host this time on our campus. Hopefully it will be back on our campus for the next session

Factoids: Did you know…

• 45-50% of people experience whiplash symptoms 17 years after of the injury

• A ten mile car cash is equal to catching a 200lb bag of cement dropped from a second story bldg.

• 4-30% of neck injuries are missed by other practitioners, which leads to permanent ‘neurologic sequela’.

Faculty for the Contemporary Scientific Paradigm that is Octagon:

Dr. Bruce Lipton, PhD, Conference Chair.

Dr. Gerry Clum, DC, Conference Host

Dr. Fred Carrick, DC PhD

Dr. Ray Damadian, MD

Dr. Joe Dispenza, DC

Dr. Christine Goertz, DC PhD

Dr. Heidi Haavik-Taylor, DC PhD

Dr. David Koch, DC

Dr. Scott Rosa, DC

Dr. Peggy Samples, PhD

Dr. Rob Scott, DC PhD

Dr. Jay Triano, DC PhD

Mandatory Direct Deposit – Phyllis Shropshire, Student Accounts

Life University is implementing Mandatory Direct Deposit starting Summer Quarter 2011.  For those students who have not signed up for Direct Deposit, please do so immediately.  Financial Aid Refund checks will no longer be available for pick-up in Student Accounts.

The Direct Deposit Enrollment form is available in the Student Accounts Office or print the form out at http://www.life.edu/sites/default/files/Direct%20Deposit%20Form.pdf. Please return completed form with a voided check to the Student Accounts Office. Direct Deposit refunds will be processed on Tuesday and Thursday of each week. All direct deposits are guaranteed to arrive in your bank account within 48 hours after the refund has been processed in your student account. Your financial institution must be a U.S. bank and funds will be deposited only to your checking account.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at 770-426-2626.

World Congress of Chiropractic Students – Michael Hollerbach, DC Student

Life Represents in Rio

The Life University World Congress of Chiropractic Students represented well at the 32nd annual congress. The WCCS congress was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

April 2^nd-9^th. There were six Life students representing our school this year, more than any other year. The delegation was led by its president, Sean Drake; also attending the congress were DC students Ryan Barnett, Tania Demiray, and Ron Sweeney, as well as undergrads Jessica Quintero and myself.

The WCCS is an organization of students that represent thirty two chiropractic schools from around the world. Their purpose is to advance and unite the global chiropractic profession through inspiration, integrity, and leadership. According to the website at www.wccsworldwide.org, the objectives of the corporation are “to promote the exchange of new ideas from a student perspective, to unify the chiropractic profession from within, and to unify the health care community in the interest of contributing to world health.” Each year, students get together for a week to discuss issues in chiropractic education, as well as in the profession worldwide. At this year’s congress, 160 students represented twenty-four schools from five continents.

While in active session, the WCCS congress utilizes the formal Robert’s Rules to discuss a wide variety of topics that the delegations propose. Each delegation was allowed to submit three proposals at this year’s congress. The proposal topics range from issues at particular schools, to how to further improve the WCCS, to building a foundation for the future of the profession.

For the first time ever in the history of the WCCS, this year’s congress was held in conjunction with the World Federation of Chiropractors bi-annual conference. This was an excellent opportunity for students to mingle with chiropractors from around the world, listen to the leaders of the profession, and get a different perspective on chiropractic at the international level. There was also a wide variety of chiropractic seminars that students could attend.

The WCCS had very good speakers each day that had spoken to the congress. One of the most emotional moments was when a Korean chiropractor spoke about the struggles he faces practicing in his country. Only six months earlier he had been put in jail for practicing chiropractic.  The Minister of Public Health and Sports for the island nation of Aruba is a chiropractor and he spoke about his plans for making chiropractors the point of entry into the health care system in his country. The universal health care in Aruba is being looked at as a model for larger countries in Europe. Life University graduate, Dr. Liam Schubel, had a high energy passionate talk on the endless opportunities in the profession and the need to take chiropractic to every person in the world.

One of the things that makes the WCCS such a special organization is that students are able to make and develop friendships with other chiropractic students from around the world. There is much bonding while discussing the similarities and differences in the educational processes at different schools, but some of the best connections are made after congress when people let down their hair and take to the city on adventures, like everyone piling into buses to visit one of the new seven wonders of the world, Cristo Redentor—or as we know it in English—the Christ the Redeemer statue.  And aside from the organized side trips, there are the informal, intimate encounters between newly-made lifelong friends over a good meal and a night of dancing and enjoying the local nightlife.  Many times, friendships at the WCCS easily turn into working relationships following graduation.

At this year’s congress, the delegations voted on where to hold the 2013 congress. The Durban University of Technology won the bid to host the congress in Durban on the eastern coast of South Africa. Next year’s congress will be held in August at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. Past congresses have been held in Dallas, Texas; Auckland, New Zealand; Mexico City, Mexico; Toronto, Ontario; and many other cities.

The Life University chapter of the WCCS would like to thank all of those Life students who came out to support the organization at the mansion parties. We would also like to thank the Office of the President, Student Services, and the student council for their generous support.

If you have any questions or interest in being a part of our school’s chapter, WCCS meets in room C-108 at 5:00pm on Wednesdays.

Life Faculty, Student to Co-Present – James Williams, UG Student

At Worldwide Coaching Conference

A professor and student from Life University have been invited to present at a prestigious international conference in Las Vegas this fall. Dr. Cherry Collier, teacher in the psychology and life coaching degree programs, and Life student James Williams, have been invited to give a 90-minute presentation at the International Coach Federation (ICF) 2011 Conference this September.

The pair share a passion for life coaching, which helps people to move out of their own way, set goals, and create the business, relationship, financial, and health successes they want.  Together, they’ll share information about how psychology research and theories support the work of the nearly 10,000 life coaches worldwide.

Dr. Collier has worked for a decade as a highly successful executive coach with corporate managers and entrepreneurs. James Williams, specializes in health coaching and draws together his skills, experience, and qualifications from the nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle management professions.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to give back to the life coaching profession, and put Life University on the map as a premier Life Coaching school,” said Dr. Collier.

Hidden Treasure – Collin Bartoe, DC Student

Found on Life’s Campus

I recently discovered a hidden treasure on Life University’s campus. I was originally notified by a field doctor of the existence of this treasure, and the map was promptly laid out with a little help from some of the faculty doctors. I found the treasure in an unsuspecting location, and at first it seemed like an insignificant finding, until I learned the truth behind this historic and Chiropractic wonder. When I first saw it, hanging on a dark wall, hidden away in the student preparation lounge in the C-HOP, I didn’t realize what I was looking at. An average looking picture frame containing an unsuspecting official looking document that I had previously passed by, sat under, and even glanced at, but something I had never given a second thought.

After sitting down and reading this document, I began to realize that this was something beyond anything I have previously seen. It was, rather it IS a State Senate Resolution. A legal governmental document recognizing not only a physician for their work in healing and educating people, but a chiropractor! I did a little more asking around to clarify the true meaning of the document, and came to find out a few very interesting and unique things about it. Apparently, in 1989, when the resolution was accepted by the New Hampshire State Senate, no physician had ever been honored with a senate resolution, and to my knowledge, it still has yet to happen again! For those of us who are ignorant about the specific workings of senate politics, in order for a resolution to be passed like this, it has to be agreed upon by ALL of the members of the senate. The magnitude of this find, and the fact that it is located on Life University’s campus is astounding. This is a one of a kind piece of not only chiropractic history, but American history. An original document commending a chiropractor for their work both nationally and internationally is completely unheard of.

This document was written in commemoration of Dr. Carrick, a chiropractor who has utilized chiropractic care in combination with his extensive knowledge of human physiology and neurology, (functional neurology,) to help innumerable patients. Dr. Carrick has become a world-renowned chiropractor and educator, teaching hundreds of chiropractors, PT’s, and even MD’s about utilizing a drug-free and surgery-free approach to improving the function of the nervous system.  He was honored with this resolution for his extensive work in research, the publication of that research in indexed journals, and successfully treating patients around the globe. By utilizing his knowledge of how both subluxations and adjustments work on a physiological level, as well as focusing on research and publication of topics relating to chiropractic treatments, Dr. Carrick has created a global shift in how healthcare is being viewed. This is a change that all of us can help to progress.

As chiropractic continues to shift more toward proposing, completing, publishing, and utilizing research within our profession, we are able to transform the lives of more and more people. Most everyone in chiropractic agrees that our ultimate goal is to help sick people get well and/or to maintain or maximize the expression of health in those who are not sick. So if the principles of life in all places and in all things are based on growth and adaptation, should we as chiropractors not strive to adapt and grow? As Chiropractic was founded on a tripod principle, we must ensure that we continue to grow the profession in an even and balanced manner. If any one of the legs is over-developed or forsaken, the tripod will topple. The Art, Philosophy, and Science of chiropractic must be combined and nurtured together. So why are so few chiropractors contributing toward the research that validates the scientific proof of our work? This research isn’t just meant to validate our work, but to show HOW our adjustments work. As that body of knowledge increases, we not only become more sought after doctors, we find ever better ways that we can help our patients! Dr. Carrick himself noted in his lecture at Life University on March 7^th, 2011, that upon seeing the specificity and affect of chiropractic as performed in an empirical and directed manner, the medical (allopathic) community is shifting toward adopting what we do….because it is unlike anything that any other profession can do! Let’s appreciate the work of those who have gone before us; the achievements they have made, and then let us step up, assume our responsibility to make chiropractic the predominant health care system, and become contributors of our time and money to the production of chiropractic science research! For more information please contact neurodork@gmail.com.

Clinic Gateway Experience – Kelly Milano, DC Student

Celebrating Student Success

On Tuesday, April 12, Life University hosted its first Clinic Gateway Reception honoring the new interns who are joining the Life Clinics. The event began in the afternoon with a learning experience that included speakers such as Dr. Davis (Dean of Clinics) and Dr. Schneider (Director of Student Services) as well as hands on events such as the Myers Briggs Personality Inventory.  The afternoon event, as stated in the invitation, was geared toward “Communication, Celebration, Care, Compassion, and Success.“ According to Dr. Marc Schneider, “The experience was developed to provide a means to help students entering the clinical setting, to be better able to, and more effectively communicate with, prospective and current patients. Our experience with students transitioning into the clinical setting informs us that one of the areas that would enhance and improve the transition is effective communication.”

Following the afternoon events, the students and their guests were invited to a dinner catered by Bon Appetite. The evening was a chance to recognize the students for the hard work they had endured as they reached the next step in their education. Ceremonies such as this are becoming more popular among medical, dental, chiropractic, physical therapy, and veterinary medical schools and marks the student’s transition from the basic sciences to clinical health sciences and patient care. Brett Kubricht, Vice President for Student Council and new 8^th quarter intern, opened up the evening by welcoming the guests.  He was incredibly excited because just hours before, he had given his first adjustment in the Student Clinic (CCHOP.) As any new intern knows, that is truly a life changing moment for a student!

Dr. Riekeman addressed the students by telling them, “The day you said you were going to a chiropractor, you became a chiropractor.”  He went on to challenge them by asking, “When do you stop being a student and start being a doctor?  I hope it’s now.” He talked about the chiropractic profession being a ‘tribe’ and continued that it’s not, “faculty, staff, administration and students. We are all CHIROPRACTORS”.

After Dr. Riekeman’s talk, Dr. Davis called each student’s name and ‘presented’ them to Dr. Riekeman. The students walked across stage and received their Clinic Gateway pin, signifying the next phase of their journey.
In the past, student turnout to the event was dismal at best. Of the students entering clinic, only a small handful showed up, most choosing to ‘boycott’ the event all together. This quarter, the event coordinators responded with not only having the learning event, but by adding the reception afterwards. This changed the perspective of the students and only a handful didn’t show up. Grant Lassiter, 9^th quarter intern, stated on Life’s Facebook page “It was great to celebrate this accomplishment with fellow classmates and faculty” and most students agree.

Congratulations to all the new interns on reaching this milestone and thank you to Life University for taking the time to honor the students along their journey!

Carrick on Chiropractic – Collin Bartoe, DC Student

A Functional Neurology Perspective

With an almost palpable level of awe, excitement, (and for some, disbelief,) hovering throughout a crowd of nearly 160 students, video after video was shown of the true breadth of what chiropractic can achieve.  Dr. Carrick, a world-renowned chiropractor, functional neurologist, and educator to thousands stood before the Life University student body on Monday, March 7^th 2011 and delivered a lecture for the ages. He spoke about the depth with which chiropractic can be utilized, explained some of the basics of what science shows us regarding how chiropractic may exceed our own expectations, and challenged the profession to step up and move toward integrating modern knowledge.

The topic of the lecture was, “Functional Neurology: What It Is And What It Means For The Future Of The Profession,” and Dr. Carrick delivered every ounce of that topic and then some.  For Dr. Carrick, the work of a chiropractor is vital for the health of the world. He shared stories about how veteran medical doctors, even surgeons around the world are looking at the possibilities that only chiropractic can deliver, and they want it. He explained about and showed videos of a myriad of situations in which standard medical practices were powerless to help patients, and the only thing that was able to help was directed and specific chiropractic care. One of the most influential clips of the night was of Dr. Carrick being called into a hospital room to adjust a medical patient in the throws of a stroke. The sounds of jaws hitting the floor almost rose above the video as he utilized his knowledge of physiology and chiropractic and ADJUSTED a patient to help her during a stroke! During the performance of a George’s Test, a test to determine vascular integrity in the vertebral arteries, the patient began to shake uncontrollably, and her eyes began to shake (nystagmus.) The patient had also lost her ability to speak prior to his entering the room. After a quick assessment of the situation and the patient, Dr. Carrick began to adjust her upper extremities on both sides, and then moved on to adjust her NECK! After just a few moments of adjusting, the patient began to speak again! When Dr. Carrick performed George’s Test again, the patient did not being to shake and the nystagmus did not recur. For Life’s students to see the absolute majesty of directed and intentional chiropractic giving a most dire patient their life back was incredible.

In total, more than a dozen separate case study videos and clips portraying specific disorders were shown while Dr. Carrick lectured over a number of topics that ranged from what a subluxation is, to how the adjustment can affect the function of the nervous system and body. Students were challenged to not become stagnant in their knowledge, to continually educate themselves and expand their understanding of how the body works so they can better determine how to give that specific chiropractic adjustment. One of the greatest comments of the night pertained to how chiropractors are utilizing 1895 science that is no longer scientifically valid, when the 2011 science that stands now shows much more diverse and empowering possibilities for our profession than ever before. We have seen through modern research that the bone-on-nerve model has been largely disproven and that new models of how subluxations and adjustments work is based on a brain-based nervous system approach. More and more research is being published to support how chiropractic works, and now a new fully-indexed journal is being unveiled! The journal is called: “Functional Neurology, Rehabilitation, and Ergonomics” and is part of a movement being created in part by Dr. Carrick as well as other interdisciplinary physicians and functional neurologists. The importance of the journal is not just that research is being done, it is that advanced research, by many different professions is being done for the sake of chiropractic and functional neurology…and it will be published in a place where people of all professions can read it!

For more information about the journal, go to www.frcarrickresearchinstitute.org/iafnr

There’s a New Greek in Town – Jacqulyn McDaniel, UG Student

Kappa Omicron Nu Initiation Held

Nu Omega Chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu of Life University initiated seventeen founding members on 17 November 2010. Dr. Deborah Tippett, Chair of the Board of Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society was in attendance to instill the Nu Omega Chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu. Dr. Michael Smith, Dean – College of UG Studies; Jaleh Dehpahlavan, Head of Nutrition Department; Donna Plummer, Dietetic Internship Director were invited speakers.

Founding initiates of Nu Omega Chapter are, in alphabetical order:

Helen Abbadi, Tamara Clark (Secretary), Abha Chopra, Derrick Dawson, Lisa Ferrone, Sarah McCormick (President), Jacqulyn McDaniel (Editor), Alexandra McNamara, Patrick Miller, Makeda Mogerie (Treasurer), Sabrina Nyka, Christina O’Neil, Ashley Patterson, Karen Porter, Sarah Tennesen, Erin Thompson, Cindy Trieu, (Vice President), and Julie Wallace.

Dr. Beverly Demetrius is the faculty advisor for the society at Life University.

Eligibility criteria for undergraduate & master degree students and professionals include exemplary study and practice in Dietetics, Nutrition, and Sports Health Science.

Kappa Omicron Nu consists of more than 100,000 members worldwide. The mission of the organization is to recognize and encourage excellence in scholarship, research, and leadership in the human sciences.

Among the activities and programs of the honor society is a scholar program that awards local scholarships and a fellowship and grants program that makes national awards. Nu Omega Chapter, a new chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu, plans to be very active in both the Metro Atlanta community and Life University community as scholars, researchers, leaders, and volunteers.

The 5th Annual All-Star Event Makes An Impact – Jenn Roberts, DC Student

On Saturday, February 26, Innate Enterprise, in conjunction with the SICA, hosted the 5^th Annual All-Star Event at Life University. This annual event was held in the Socrates Cafe and was attended by students from both Life University and Sherman College of Chiropractic. Doctors of ChiropracTIC spoke to the group of students as mentors to each of us. The panel included Dr. Susan Brown, creator and developer of Bio-Geometric Integration (BGI), Dr. Jim Dubel, founder of New Beginnings, Life Universities own Dr. Drew Rubin, Dr. Cirone, Dr. Clarino, Dr. Liam Schubel and Dr. Austin Cohen, graduates of Life University.

As a first quarter DC student who had never before attended the All-Star Event, I didn’t quite know what to expect. What I got was more than I bargained for. I was utterly amazed by what I experienced, listened to and learned. Not only were there recurring themes of philosophy, faith, an innate intelligence, and following your calling, but truly deep and touching recollections were shared by each of the DC’s who spoke and they spoke with incredibly passionate conviction. Each of them shared with us what ‘success’ means to them on such an emotional level, it was like they spoke to us all on a one-to-one basis in private discussion. They also not only recalled how they have impacted their patients’ lives, but how their patients have impacted them.

As Dr. Dubel asked, “What happens when you cut your finger? It heals… from the inside out.” That is innate intelligence. Bringing the body around to its homeostatic state. A power we all possess but a power we don’t all unleash in ourselves to its greatest potential.

Drs. Cirone and Clarino struggled with getting their own practice off the ground until they changed their thought processes, abandoning the educated mind for their own philosophy. Instead of bringing their practice into their faith, they brought faith into their practice. By sharing the wondrous capabilities of the human body with their patients, and how they were helping to facilitate their return to their own innate function, their patients experienced more. More than the pain relief that may have led them to their door. More than treatment of a symptom or a syndrome. While they may have made their initial appointment for those very reasons, they returned to their office for others.

Drs. Liam Schubel and Austin Cohen talked about the expansion of the ChiropracTIC philosophy. From offices in Atlanta and the Northeast, to practices around the world, ChiropracTIC is impacting the lives of people who have not only never had access to allopathic healthcare, many had never heard of ChiropracTIC until they were face down on an adjusting table in an office, a homeless shelter, a patch of grass near a rainforest in South America.

While the world needs exposure to what we do, our calling, we, as students need exposure to the world. We are only in the Life University bubble for a short time, like an egg in a nest. But when we graduate, we are kicked out of that nest by the Momma bird and we have no choice but to fly or fall hard. While our classes teach us the academics, we must embrace the challenge to experience and be taught the practical lessons ourselves, by volunteering at a local ChiropracTIC office, becoming involved in outreach/mission trips abroad, by doing PEAK somewhere other than our own back yard.

The world is a very big place and while some of us have seen a lot of it, it changes all the time. Views and opinions are changing and many people are now eager for other options related to health care. At assembly last week, even Dr. Manns talked about how the corporations and even the very government of Ghana have embraced his mission of ChiropracTIC as a natural, critical way to improve one’s body function proactively.

Each of the presenters at the All-Star Event shared miracles with us. Dr. Rubin shared the story of Peggy and her family with us and watching Dr. Rubins eyes tear up absolutely wrenched my heart. It was a beautiful story of how ChiropracTIC not only helped Peggy rebound amazingly from the cancer she had been in treatment for with radiation and rounds of chemotherapy, but it gave her time, three additional years of time with her most valuable asset, her family. When she knew her time was short, she called Dr. Rubin to her home and asked him to adjust her so she could be more clear of mind and heart, and could spend her last three days of life with her family at home. Dr. Rubin gave her that gentle, final adjustment and on the night of the third day Peggy spent with her children, their spouses, their children and their children’s children, Peggy died in her sleep.

ChiropracTIC is not about the money. It is not about treating pain. It is not about the number of patients you ‘have to see’ in order to have a ‘good’ practice. If you practice for the right reasons, with faith and passion to help others, the rest will follow. ChiropracTIC is about the difference you make in others lives by empowering them and liberating the innate intelligence within to allow the body to function at its own maximum potential, do its own healing, to perform better.

And ChiropracTIC care is indeed for everyone. From adjusting a pregnant mother-to-be to giving her newborn baby his/her first adjustment after birth. From adjusting the young child through his/her adulthood, and then caring for that patient until they pass from this earth.

We are a small but growing group. We are meant to do this. We have been picked by the very innate intelligence we restore the connection to in the patients we care for. We are ChiropracTIC

Declare Your Nerd Day – Sarah Moreau, UG Student

“Nerd.”  When you hear or read that word, what images come to mind? Do you, like most Americans, picture a skinny boy with suspenders, acne, and a pocket protector bursting with pens and a graphing calculator? Do you use the word “nerd” synonymously with the words “geek,” “dork” and “dweeb?” While the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a nerd as someone who is “socially inept,” I would argue that we each have at least one subject we totally geek out on. While some people might have nerd-offs about stereotypically dorky things like Star Wars, Star Trek, computers, chess, band, and episodes of Glee, many other people have nerd-gasms about books they love, history, school clubs or even sports. That’s right! I said (well, typed) sports.  Some men can recite the winning team names of all of the World Series since 1903. While many scoff at unofficial official holidays like Pi Day (3/14), Mole Day (10/23), and Intergalactic Star Wars Day (May the Fourth [Be With You.]), I would love to see each member of the Life community find at least one day a week to nurture their inner dweeb.

Why only one day? Well, unless we happen to be able to live our lives immersed in our passion, (what we’re nerdy about,) we probably can’t spend all our time focused on something that isn’t helping with school or work, lest we flunk out and freak out. Why a whole day? Well, if you can’t do a whole day at once, try an hour or two a day. Or, try treating yourself to a whole weekend of geekiness once in a while by indulging in a conference. By living in Atlanta, we have a unique opportunity to have a ton of historical sites, professional sports, touring plays and concerts, an amusement park, museums of science, art, and history, beautiful parks, and annual conferences such as the Atlanta Comic Con and Dragon*Con right in our back yard! There are local events such as “Sip and Stroke,” a wine and painting class, groups that participate in table-top role playing games, groups that participate in weekly trivia games, opportunities to audition to be an extra in various films, and even Frisbee golf leagues, fantasy football leagues, and fantasy baseball leagues. Perhaps we could each volunteer to coach our favorite sport with an underprivileged team, teach our favorite art or craft at the local craft store or recreation department, or even just have a party to discuss our particular passion. By using common interests and even differing interests, we can bond with our fellow LIFEers to create a stronger bond within our community. Embracing and encouraging this part of yourself can help each of us understand each other, relieve stress, and become well-rounded students.

This Pi Day, I challenge each of you to step out of your normal routines and relish the side of yourself you typically hide from the world for fear of being mocked. Fly your nerd flag proudly, and you just might help someone insecure about their own geekdom feel a little more secure to reveal themselves.

While our campus is very accepting and is overall a very loving campus, we can nurture those around us more by accepting different interests and different points of view. By doing this, we improve our bonds with our classmates, our ability to relate to others who are not quite like us, and perhaps even learn more on a subject about which we knew nothing before. Who knows, we might even find a passion we’d never discovered before.

Freshness Delivers – James Beuerlein, DC Student

New Student Run CSA brings premium produce to campus

For those who care for high-quality nutrition and sustainability, this is big, big news! Two Life students were recently recognized with an article in Atlanta Magazine for their work beginning a new Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiative at Life University. A CSA is essentially a co-op between farmers and consumers, bypassing the middleman grocery chains in order to deliver the cheapest, freshest produce to the consumer and to promote and sustain small business practices for the farmer.

It works like this: The consumer pays a set, recurrent membership fee to the farmer in return for a consistent quantity of fresh, local, and seasonal produce each week. The farmer delivers identical baskets of produce to all consumers each week, based on what the farm is producing that season, so the exact produce received is constantly changing with the seasons.

What are the benefits to this system?

1. Freshness.     The produce delivered to each consumer is usually picked the day it is delivered or the day before.

2. Absolutely local.    All of the produce comes from one farm (or a co-op of farms) in the immediate vicinity of the CSA. This benefits small farms, creates a more sustainable relationship between producer and consumer, and reduces the environmental impact because the produce doesn’t have to be shipped across the country or globe! CSA’s usually imply a face-to-face relationship with the farmer. Often, members are invited out to see the farm and to be familiar with the farmer’s practices and methods. There are also health benefits from eating locally-grown produce, including greater nutrient concentration and reduced seasonal allergies.

3. Seasonal dietary variety.     The changing of the seasons places different demands on the body’s chemistry. Humans (as have all animals) have evolved to be nourished by different foods during different seasons. When people eat seasonally, they give their bodies the nutrients needed to maintain health in response to a changing environment (seasonal temperature, sun exposure, etc.). When consumers buy the same 15 items at the grocery store year-round, they compromise their bodies’ ability to adapt to the environment (i.e. feeding it summer-food in the winter).

4. Variety.     As part of a CSA, members will be receiving some produce that they may not normally eat – or perhaps have never tried. CSA communities are great about sharing recipes and increasing one’s appreciation for food, as well as expanding the palate. In addition, fresher food tastes better! The longer produce is “preserved” on the shelf, the more taste it loses.

5. Fewer shopping trips.     This system allows for far fewer trips to the grocery store, since each week’s shipment brings a new supply of produce for the week. Less standing in line and searching for needed items equates to less stress in one’s life.

Now let’s talk about the new CSA at Life. Life’s CSA is the brainchild of Peggy Kalis and her fellow enthusiast Noah Beaudry. Oddly enough, both were raised on farms in Canada, and so were raised with an appreciation for food and for the farmer. The CSA came about as a result of Peggy’s own search for a CSA. She met a local farmer, Neil Taylor of Split Cedar Farms, this past summer. In the fall, he called her and asked her if she would help start a new CSA that would go year-round. Peggy and Noah went out to visit his farm later that same day and got to see his dedication to his farm and the passion he has for organic produce and good food!

They struck up a deal and landed on the arrangement of $300 for 10 weekly deliveries during the quarter (corresponding with the 10 weeks of class). This buys members a delivery of 5-7 lbs of fresh-picked produce each week. Most CSA’s work on a “meet-up” system, where the members come to the farm at a certain time on a certain day and get the food directly from the farmer. Life’s system is a little different.

With the class and life schedule of each member varying greatly, creating a meeting time was impractical. This is where Noah’s genius came into play. He built a locker system in the Sports Health Science building. Mr. Taylor brings his produce on Friday, opens up the back of the lockers (similar to a community mailbox) and deposits identical baskets in each locker for the members. Then each member comes at their convenience and unlocks their personal compartment to get their produce.

Peggy and Noah have a vision of an expanded and completely autonomous CSA. As more and more members are added, Peggy would like to see cooking classes put on in the kitchen of the nutrition department on campus, giving members ideas on how to use their produce. The goal is for each member to deal directly with the farmer – rather than having to go through Peggy and Noah – so that the CSA can survive long after they graduate. Currently, members make checks out to Neil Taylor and give them to Peggy or Noah, who deliver them to Neil.

Currently, there are 26 members from the Life University community, with plenty of room for more. If you’re interested in joining, or simply want more information, email Noah Beaudry at nbeaudry@student.life.edu. Additionally, check out Neil Taylor’s farm online (as well as recipes for the produce that he grows) at both of the following websites: taylorganic.blogspot.com and http://www.localharvest.org/taylorganic-farm-dba-split-cedar-farm-7359.

Life Source Octagon – Kelly Milano, DC Student

A new model for subluxation

As most of us are aware, the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) recently held meetings and votes and revamped much of the underlying philosophy and definitions within chiropractic. With this, they removed the terms ‘subluxation’ and ‘drug and surgery free’ from the description of what chiropractic is. This allows the CCE to accredit any program it deems to be “equivalent” to the current DC program [1]. This move by the CCE accelerates the decline of the chiropractic profession, moving it away from the drugless paradigm we currently follow, and allows for the validation of a “Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine” degree.
Dr. Riekeman, Life University and many of the chiropractic colleges have challenged the CCE in this decision but as of now, the CCE has not backed down. For Dr. Riekeman, this is a chance to further discussions and bring together some of the great minds within Chiropractic to discuss this important matter.  On April 14-16, 2011, Life University will be hosting a forum entitled “Contemporary Scientific Paradigms: A New Model for Subluxation.” According to the Life Source Octagon webpage, this is an “attempt to explore these concepts, issues, and work to outline a new theoretical model that is more capable of explaining these and other phenomena related to growth, development, health and healing.“ Joining in this forum will be Joe Dispenza, DC, PhD, Bruce Lipton PhD, Rob Scott DC, PhD, David Koch DC, Fredrick Carrick DC, PhD and more.  Dr Gerald Clum, former president of Life Chiropractic College West, will be the host for this discussion.
Currently, our health care system is based on a mechanistic model. This model doesn’t fully explain many of the phenomena we observe in a chiropractic definition of health and healing. The mechanistic model may work in the medical community, but it does not give adequate place or understanding to the concept of subluxation and the approach to health and well-being seen in chiropractic.  The LifeSource Octagon weekend is unlike any other held at Life University and many students are expected to take this opportunity to be in attendance. There may never be another time when all these minds will be together in one room, discussing the very core of the existence of the chiropractic profession and the foundation of human health.  The event will include topics such as evidence that our bodies function through adaptation to their environment instead of following a static genetic predetermination. This series can lead you to a deeper understanding of your role as a chiropractor and teach how to help your patients understand these complex subjects.
Registration for this three day event is only $30 and it is open to all students, faculty and the general public. Visit www.life.edu/octagon for more information and registration.  Students will be able to attend a conference packed full of speakers they find interesting and receive excused absences. Students are required to talk to their professors the week before the seminar and they must attend all sessions for which they want to be excused from classes. Attendance will be taken at all sessions and reported to faculty for the proper documentation of excused absences.

EDITED: New names are continually being added to the list of speakers. Since the writing of this article, Dr. Stephen Bolles has also been added. Dr. Bolles will be the coordinator/director for the conference.

Life Student Email Gets Bombarded – Carley Edwards, DC Student

How to get rid of unwanted emails

Life University student email has become a high traffic area. With emails from the Georgia Council of Chiropractic, Band of Brothers, Dynamic Essentials, and other  names and organizations you may have never heard of before, it’s difficult to keep up with important, school-related emails.

How did these organizations get a hold of the email addresses? A post was made on the Life University Facebook page asking this very question.  The response from LIFE was that student, faculty, and staff emails are publicly available through the Life University directory.

How can students stop unwanted emails? Students can report unwanted emails as spam by clicking on the email and then clicking on the ‘Report spam’ icon. Students can also sort through each email individually and unsubscribe to emails they don’t wish to receive anymore. Gmail also has a filter feature that allows users to keep certain messages, but not have them appear in the inbox and not get sent to spam. Messages can be sorted by sender, keywords, recipients and more. This only applies to new messages. For directions on how to do this, visit http://bit.ly/etCxNH.

MMR – Carley Edwards, DC Student

The facts behind a highly controversial vaccine

MMR stands for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, a vaccine that combines live viruses of the three diseases. The vaccine was manufactured in the 1980’s, a couple of decades after the individual vaccines were created. In the USA, the three vaccines are manufactured separately so they can be administered individually. However, most doctors do not recommend this option. In England, the British Medical Association banned the production of the individual vaccines and any medical doctor who tries to challenge this risks losing his/her medical license.

The reason for combining the vaccines has nothing to do with safety or efficiency. It is done simply for convenience. Aborted human fetal tissue is used in the culture for the rubella portion of the MMR vaccine. According Merck & Co., Inc, the MMR vaccine can cause diabetes mellitus, encephalitis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, arthritis, otitis media, conjunctivitis, anaphylaxis, pneumonia, seizures, Steven-Johnsons Syndrome, pancreatitis, and death. The two full pages of reactions can be found online at www.merck.com.

How dangerous is measles? Measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection with symptoms that include a runny nose, fever, red eyes, coughing and a pink rash that develops on the skin. Treatment involves letting it run its course, although vitamin A supplementation has been shown to greatly decrease the chance of death from measles. A major concern with the measles is that it can result in encephalitis. The CDC claims that one out of every 1000 children who contract the measles gets encephalitis. Dr. Robert Mendelson (MD), pediatrician and vaccine researcher, says those numbers many be accurate in malnourished children, but for everyone else, those numbers are closer to one out of every 100,000. Ironically, one of the several dangerous side effects of the MMR vaccine is encephalitis!

Hasn’t the vaccine decreased the number of measles outbreaks? The measles vaccine wasn’t introduced until the mid 1960’s. However the death rate had dropped by almost 98% by 1955. The measles vaccine does not grant permanent immunity and a person can contract it again at any time. Other concerns include an increase in outbreaks among populations of unvaccinated children.  However, senior epidemiologist for the Center for Disease Control Dr. William Atkinson admitted, “Over 95% of  [measles] cases have a history of vaccination.” Even the World Health Organization (WHO) admitted that those who have been vaccinated are 15 times more likely to contract the disease than those left alone. In 1995, 56% of all measles cases in the U.S. occurred in people previously vaccinated.

Mumps is a viral disease whose symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches and fatigue. Symptoms dissipate within a week and medical intervention is rarely required. Last year, news broke of a mumps outbreak in New York and New Jersey. 1,000 people contracted the mumps, and a spokeswoman told CNN that 77 percent of those who contracted the mumps had already been vaccinated against it.

Rubella is a contagious viral infection with symptoms including fever, rash, runny nose and swollen lymph nodes. The disease is allowed to run its course and is gone within a few days.

When a person contracts measles or mumps naturally, they are permanently immune. Very rarely will a person who has contracted rubella contract the virus again. When given the MMR vaccine, no person is fully immune and can contract the disease again at any time.

When 49 doses of 14 vaccinations are recommended before age six, parents are urged to investigate all the possible side effects and dangers. The list of ingredients in vaccines is extensive and the side effects even more so. The state of Georgia allows for medical and religious exemptions from vaccination. Parents are urged to do the research before making a risky decision. For more information, parents should read “Vaccine Safety Manual” and “Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and Effective,” both by Neil Miller.

Pierce Results Level One’s – Anthony DeMaria, DC Student

The opportunity of a lifetime is coming to Life University

There is an opportunity of a lifetime coming to Life University on April 15. The leaders of the Pierce Results System and the Life University Pierce Results Club will be hosting a Level One Pierce Seminar in Marietta. It will be headed by Dr. James Galgano, the lead instructor for the Pierce Results System in North America. With the addition of other strong leaders in of the Pierce System, including Dr. Anthony Pugliese, a former lead instructor of the system who studied directly under it’s creator, Dr. Vern Pierce, and Dr. John Madeira, the founder of Chiropractic Pure and Simple, who recently converted his practice to the Pierce system, this seminar promises to be different from any other Level One Seminar to date. Both will be joining Dr. Galgano in teaching the Pierce System for this one weekend.

The seminar will kick off with a free introduction on Friday, April 15, from 5:00-6:30p.m. in room CCE-149. The rest of the seminar will span Friday night through Saturday afternoon and cover a variety of topics, including specific analysis, drop table adjusting, instrumentation and business. Come for a chiropractic “pick me up” with some  keen philosophy and learn a new technology that addresses subluxation philosophically, scientifically and artistically.

This seminar is an opportunity to learn from some great doctors for a price that will never be available again once you’ve graduated. Come learn how to be an excellent chiropractor, one who knows without a doubt that you can both remove, and prove you’ve removed, the subluxation.

For more information, contact Anthony DeMaria or visit the Pierce Club on Tuesdays from 11:00-12:00p.m. or Wednesdays from 5-7 pm in CUS-109.

Vaccine-Autism Study Retracted – Carley Edwards, DC Student

Wakefield’s defense against accusations of fraud

In January of this year, news resurfaced of Dr. Andrew Wakefield retraction of his study examining a possible link between vaccines and autism. The study was retracted in early 2010.  Wakefield had about three-dozen charges brought against him.  He lost his job at London’s Royal Free Hospital, and his license to practice medicine in the UK was revoked. Wakefield’s study was published in 1998 in the Lancet, (a specialty medical journal for oncology, neurology and infectious diseases,) and described the findings of 12 children who experienced autistic regression and GI symptoms following inoculation with the MMR vaccine.

Brian Deer, author for the London Sunday Times and the British Medical Journal (BMJ) called Wakefield’s study linking autism to vaccines an “elaborate fraud.” According to Deer, clinical histories of the 12 children were falsified, and information in the study was fabricated. It is believed the results of Wakefield’s study led to a drop in vaccination rates from 92% to 80% in the UK. According to Vaccination News, “There were strikingly far fewer reported measles cases in the UK in the ten years that followed Wakefield’s paper than in the ten years that preceded its publication.”

Another argument against the study was that it has not been replicated.  However, according to Wakefield, the study has been replicated in five different countries. A year before Wakefield’s paper in the Lancet, Professor Walker Smith and Dr. Amar Dhillon had previously documented the exact same issues with children from their study, in fact, proving the Wakefield study had been replicated. In a statement made by Wakefield, he has documents proving, “beyond a shadow of a doubt that I did not falsify the data, that the findings are real, and that these findings were accurately reported in the Lancet.”

There was also no claim in Wakefield’s article that vaccines cause autism and states the link may have occurred by chance. The study says, “We did not prove an association between measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and the syndrome described,” once again proving false the allegations brought against him.

Wakefield’s opinion on whether vaccines actually do cause autism remains the same and is backed by claims made from parents about their children’s regression after the MMR vaccine. For example, two children involved in the study were brothers and the eldest experienced fever, rash, aggressive behavior, and convulsions within two weeks of receiving the MMR vaccine and later experienced developmental regression. The boy had been previously potty trained but became incontinent. The mother informed doctors that she did not want to give her youngest son the MMR shot until he was closer to two years old. After being told she was an irresponsible mother for putting her son at risk by not vaccinating, she was persuaded by guilt to give him the shot. A month later, he experienced some of the same symptoms as his brother.

There is concern about 11 of the 13 authors of the study and how they issued a retraction. Wakefield commented on this in his book Callous Disregard, saying, “11 of 13 authors issued a retraction of the interpretation that MMR is a possible trigger for the syndrome described. This remains a possibility and a possibility cannot be retracted.” In his book, he continues to defend himself against other rumors, saying there was no conflict of interest on his part and the children involved were not litigants, as some have alleged.

The question of fraud really lies with Brian Deer, who lied about his own identity to gain entry into the home of the parents of one of the autistic children from the study, and with the vaccine makers who have been quietly settling autism and other neurological disorder cases related to vaccination since 1991. Let’s not forget that Merck, the makers of the MMR vaccine, also created Vioxx, a drug that has been linked to heart attacks and stroke in as many as 50,000 people[JH1] . In 2009, an email from Merck was leaked during a lawsuit involving Vioxx. Referring to doctors who were questioning the drug’s safety, Merck said, “We may need to seek them out and destroy them where they live.”

Wakefield may have been targeted for several reasons, including fear from pharmaceutical industries. A recent poll from Ohio found that 61% of parents believe that vaccines cause autism. Vaccination rates in higher income families dropped by four percentage points between 2008 and 2009. New statistics show that 1 in 110 children has autism, and the rate in boys is even higher at 1 in 70. Parents are looking for answers and standing by Wakefield’s claims.

Wakefield is defending his study and his need to protect children from the corrupt medical community. “In a less compromised world, these presentations, (and those in many more thousand children worldwide,) and the pattern that emerged from the commonalities in their symptoms and clinical findings should have initiated a cascade of urgent clinical research that would have led through an iterative process to discovery-discovery of cause, treatment, and prevention, Sadly, this has not been the case.”

Visit www.vaccinesafetyfirst.com for pages of studies that support Dr. Wakefield and a copy of his response to the BMJ demanding a retraction of their false allegations. Read Wakefield’s book, Callous Disregard that details the events of his study and his battle against the medical system.

Active Learning Comes to Life University – Alexandra Gerdel, DC Student

QEP may seem boring, but the rewards are phenomenal

This winter marks the beginning of  the implementation of Life University’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Headed up by Dr. Kathryn Hoiiris, the QEP Director, working along with many others across the Faculty and Administration, QEP has become something to talk about at Life. In early February, the QEP committee will have its first series of meetings with SACS, the accrediting agency for the University.

The most important thing for students to know about QEP is that its aim is to create a learning environment that allows students to actively participate and be engaged in classes, rather than just being “lectured.” These types of learning activities are referred to as Active Learning Strategies (ALS). While many of the upper quarter students currently enrolled at Life University probably won’t get to see all the global benefits of our QEP and the potential changes in the learning curve and the curriculum at Life, there are some perks for current students.

If you were around the Socrates Café during the four QEP giveaway days or if you played the weekly QEP stakes in Life News, you may have already won some of the free QEP goodies just by answering a question or two about the QEP. Current students may also begin to see the immediate effects of the numerous Life faculty members who are using or exploring a wide variety of Active Learning Strategies and implementing them in classes throughout the College of Chiropractic and the College of Undergraduate Studies.  Faculty will be including more and more opportunities for students to “get interactive” in the classroom setting.  Get ready to say goodbye to some of those “sage on the stage” lectures and, instead, be engaged in more “guide on the side” learning experiences.

And remember that the QE in QEP stands for Quality Enhancement, which makes it a Plan to Enhance the Quality of YOUR education.

 

The Nutrition Club Is Cooking One Up – Melissa Stewart, Undergrad Student, Nutrition Club

A Big Event is coming to campus

Want to know what the Nutrition Club has in store this quarter? Look no further! Coming Thursday, March 3, 10-2 is our annual Health and Wellness Fair in honor of National Nutrition Month. We will feature vendors from different wellness venues, special speakers and fun for kids. All students on campus are invited to bring their children for our special kid’s presentation and crafts.

The Nutrition Club is a great club for students in any program at Life. We offer educational discussions on nutrition and dietetics topics, fun events and a way to socialize with like-minded students to network for the future. If you are interested in learning what Nutrition Club membership can do for you, email us at nutritionclub@life.edu

Want to know what the Nutrition Club has in store this quarter?

The Nutrition Club is a great club for students in any program at Life.

Innate Enterprise and SICA Present – Alexandra Gerdel, DC Student

The All-Star Event

Every winter Innate Enterprise—a club dedicated to communication, leadership and service in the chiropractic profession—brings some of today’s greatest chiropractic leaders in for an afternoon of philosophy, advice and inspiration.  This year they have teamed up with the Student International Chiropractic Association (SICA) to create an unforgettable afternoon with four doctors from all different arenas of practice and the world.

On Saturday, Februray 26^th seven doctors will share the stage and their knowledge with the students, faculty and staff of Life University. Past events have included big names like Dr. JC Doornick and Dr. Terry Yochum, (of the famous Yochum and Rowe two volume text read heavily by chiropractic students in Dr. Fox’s classes.) This year’s line up proves to be even more power filled than previous events.

Dr. Austin Cohen: A 2009 Life graduate practicing in the Buckhead area. Before even opening his practice, Dr. Cohen had been featured on CNN twice. His passion for chiropractic and advice for students still in school is both infectious and invaluable.

Dr. Liam Schubel: A Life University graduate who made his way internationally – he owns and operates eleven clinics in Peru. Come hear his stories from practicing outside of the country and learn about the new PEAK opportunities in one of his many offices.

Dr. Jim Dubel: The founder and leader of New Beginnings, a powerful philosophy weekend based in solid straight chiropractic principle that is held in New Jersey several times a year. He has been a licensed chiropractor since 1980 and offers a wealth of knowledge and insight for chiropractors young and old.

Dr. Drew Rubin: Life University’s own Dr. Rubin not only owns and runs his own clinic, but teaches advanced pediatric courses and works as a clinical doctor in the pediatric unit of the Center for Optimum Health and Performance. Known for energetically awakening his 7 AM classes with philosophy from the Green Books, Dr. Rubin is an inspiration to be reckoned with. His fiery dialogue on chiropractic should not be missed.

Drs. Cirone and Clarino: A husband and wife team who graduated from Life University in 1999 and currently practice in Sugar Hill GA. Between the two of them they care for all types of patients from pregnant moms and infants to athletes to those with chronic disease. They are members of the ICA and will join us to share their knowledge and chiropractic philosophy.

Dr. Susan Brown: the creator and developer of Bio-Geometric Integration (BGI) Dr. Brown will be joining us for some hands on learning and philosophy to round out a jam packed afternoon. The opportunity to learn some of the principles and methods from the creator of a quickly growing technique among the chiropractic profession and Life University doesn’t come around often.

The All-Star Event will be held on February 26^th from 1-5 PM in room C127. Tickets are $10 for students and $30 for doctors. Seating is limited.  To purchase a ticket look for a table in the café or speak to Kevin Kustarz, Michelle Huvenaars, Josh Gagric, Melissa Bettess, Alexandra Gerdel or any other member of Innate Enterprise or SICA.

Do not miss the opportunity to be inspired by and learn from a powerful group of doctors who are out making a difference in the world, and sharing from the same stage for one day only!

What is WARRIOR? – Michelle Huvenaars, DC Student

Read further for the answer to this question and more

That’s a great question…especially now. In the last issue of the Vital Source, Lauren Liebold shared a story from her personal journey with WARRIOR Coaching and WARRIOR Club. Because of the snow week, we were unable to answer this question at Club Day. Nonetheless, this is THE quarter to be asking that question because WARRIOR Club has so many opportunities for you to experience what WARRIOR is.

*Our club meetings will be taking place Mondays from 5-7 PM in C149.

*We had our first video call in January, and for every month this year we have a different chiropractor lined up to speak with us and answer our questions. The next one is February 2nd at NOON in C108.

*The founders of WARRIOR Coaching, Drs. Ed Quirk and Yurij Chewpa, and fourth year WARRIOR, Dr. Michael Heskett, will be hosting a Student Night to ignite your passion and renew your focus, at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel on Thursday, February 10th from 7-9 PM. It is FREE to attend, but only a limited number of spots are available, so please register by emailing warriorclub@life.edu.

*If you would like to check out a seminar for yourself, there will be one day seminar on Friday, February 11th from 4 AM – 4 PM.

As always, you can check out www.warriorcoaching.org or email warriorclub@life.edu for more information.

 

The Gloria Ivy Breast Cancer Association – Kelly Milano, DC Student

Life students gets active after watching his mom’s battle

When Damarius Pernell, 9^th quarter DC student found out his mom (Gloria Ivy) had breast cancer in 2008 just after he started the DC program, his life was flipped upside down. Having been raised by his mother in a single parent household, this news was absolutely devastating to him and he knew he had to do something. After watching her struggle with the disease and the misconceptions that he heard people express, he knew he couldn’t just sit and do nothing. He started the Gloria Ivy Breast Cancer Association as a way to spread awareness, find a cure and support those needy individuals with breast cancer. To Damarius, it’s not about doing research or himself working towards a cure, but it’s about helping those with the disease. His goal with GIBCO is to help create support groups, do fundraisers and help in any way he can, including toy drives at Christmas time to give to the children of cancer patients.

Gloria Ivy Breast Cancer Organization has several Life University students sitting on the board of directors, including Danielle Jones, whose mother is also a breast cancer survivor. The organization is also a great way for student to get involved and also stress healthy lifestyle as well as to empower and enrich the lives of women who are struggling with breast cancer.

In November, Damarius also began a women’s clothing and accessory store in his home town of Indianola, Mississippi. Damarius states he was “tired of ladies in my home town having to go so far for nice clothes.” He states that there were no boutique type stores and no where to buy nice plus size clothing without having to drive a long distance to the stores. He saw the need and decided to capitalize on it while helping his female family and friends. He created Jewel Box Boutique that provides nice clothes for all types of women, regardless of size, and provides that at a reasonable price. The store also carries jewelry, handbags and shoes. Damarius plan is that when his mom retires in 2 years, she will take over the Indianola store and he will open another one. Currently he is working on an online store and states that all Life students will get a discount once it’s open for business. He is also in communication of starting a second Jewel Box Boutique in Louisiana and would like to see multiple stores open in the future.

Only One Brick in the Backpack – Jason Feltz, DC Student

Recapping Dr. James Chestnut’s Visit and Message

Students had been anticipating the arrival of Dr. James Chestnut from the moment Dr. Riekeman announced last fall he would be speaking at Life in different venues, including: Assembly, a dinner with students in PLI, and at Life Leadership Weekend. Many students were familiar with Chestnut’s popularity but most did not know the content of Chestnut’s speeches. The feedback following the events of that weekend demonstrated the quality and power behind his message.

The premise of Chestnut’s presentations came from his new book The Wellness & Prevention Paradigm. Through simple analogies and terms, Dr. Chestnut was able to present his viewpoint of health-care and the role of chiropractic to a crowd of prospective students along with their parents, current students, faculty members and field doctors.

On the Friday night of Life Leadership Weekend, Dr. Chestnut proclaimed on stage that health is our greatest asset, but then noted that humans are the sickest species on the planet. He continued by saying that humans are animals, and over the centuries we have disconnected from that reality and have developed an unconscious feeling of superiority over all other animal species. According to Dr. Chestnut, “We are all animal species, and the human species is very sick whereas other animal species don’t get sick unless their environments are dramatically altered. It is ridiculous to think that humans are getting sick from genetic problems. Our genes have really not changed at all in the last hundred years and yet disease and sickness rates are skyrocketing.” He explained that all animal species, including humans are genetically made to be perfect for adaptation and survival.“The two most important questions we should ask ourselves is: why are we sick and what do we need to do in order to stay well? Because humans have separated themselves from animals, they have fallen into a prevailing belief system that humans are sick because of bad luck, bad germs, or bad genes. That’s bad science. It is not those that cause us to be sick, but it is bad choices. We are marketed today to believe that our choices don’t have consequences to us.”

Dr. Chestnut explained the gravity of our healthcare situation. He stated that 80% of the workforce in the United States has been diagnosed with a chronic condition. When someone is diagnosed with a chronic condition, they are almost certainly prescribed medications for that condition. Chestnut asked the audience how often a chronic patient comes off medication, the response being “never.” He further mentioned that there is only one guarantee when a patient is prescribed medication that it is a precursor of more prescriptions to come. Those statistics are critical to insurance companies and the future of our current healthcare system.

Chestnut went on to explain that we need to awaken a wellness and prevention paradigm and bring awareness to our current belief systems. He iterated that there is no better profession to lead this revolution than chiropractic. He asserted that for years, we in the chiropractic community have been fighting the wrong fight. “The chiropractic world wants to fight the medical community with philosophy and the medical world wants to fight us with research and science. We should be fighting science with science, because the science is on our side.”

To Chestnut, what is determined to be successful in the management of a patient is different between chiropractic and the medical community. Success in the medical world is the creation or blockage of a chemical reaction, where the patient’s long-term progress is irrelevant. Chiropractic measures success in the short and long-term progression of a patient’s health and their ability to adapt to their environment. He continued to say the medical profession doesn’t care about patient outcomes when they are knowingly prescribing more and more drugs and surgeries that reduce health and vitality, and that chiropractic must serve their patients and monitor the progression of their outcomes, otherwise we become allopathic in our care. With the overload of the current healthcare system and the financial burden that insurance companies face, the system is doomed to collapse under its current paradigm. It will be up to the individual chiropractor in his/her community to bring about health and vitality to the patient.

Dr. Chestnut introduced his Wellness & Prevention Paradigm by stating that reforming the current paradigm will not lead individuals to get well and stay well. Offering drugs and surgery as a solution for chronic disease is illogical, unsupported by science and hopeless for the patients. The only logical solution that is evidence-based is lifestyle intervention. This places the responsibility of the patient’s health outcomes on them. He indicated that “Chiropractic care with lifestyle is better than lifestyle alone. Medical care and lifestyle is worse than lifestyle alone. In the world we live in now, it is a distinct possibility that maybe getting adjusted with no other advice about lifestyle might not cut it. What determines if you are going to be sick or be well is how you eat, move and think. When people are dying from the way they eat, move and think they are committing suicide by their life choices. Until those bad choices are changed, a person has no chance of being well.”

In addressing chiropractic’s role in the wellness and prevention paradigm, Dr. Chestnut defined “Wellness in practice is the removal of the toxic interferences to and the provision of the necessary materials for the genetic expression of homeostasis.” In Chestnut’s viewpoint, if chiropractic is not leading the wellness paradigm to return people to health, there is no other field going to do it right. He proclaimed, “Wellness is a responsibility, not an opportunity. A wellness practice isn’t a marketing tool to generate more income, but rather an opportunity to produce the highest of health outcomes.”

He continued to stress the importance of chiropractors living the wellness they would be preaching as many chiropractors today are hypocritical in lifestyle choices, some of which don’t get adjusted themselves. He said that some chiropractors are focused only on the subluxation and are denying the patient an opportunity to increase their vitality that they won’t find anywhere else. He made the analogy that humans are treading in deep water today with a backpack strapped upon their backs. Each stress they incur is a rock dumped into the backpack, and unless that stress is removed, the patient is sinking lower into the water. He stated, “The subluxation is only one of the bricks that is weighing down that backpack.”

After concluding his speech Dr. Chestnut received a standing ovation. His materials, including his new book The Wellness & Prevention Paradigm sold quickly. For many of the prospective students and their families accompanying them it was a transformational experience.

Dr. Chestnut had mentioned to the students of PLI that he had never found an institution or chiropractic setting in which he could call his home, and to him Life University has become that home. He has become a LifeForce doctor and will be directing prospective students to Life because he believes the mission, principles and philosophy of the institution will align with his paradigm. He also has designed a wellness certification program for students and doctors.

For more information on Dr. Chestnut and his materials, visit www.thewellnesspractice.com. Look for updates on Dr. Chestnut’s modules and influence coming to Life University.

 

Winter Storm Hits Hotlanta – Carley Edwards, DC Student

City shuts down, flights cancelled

When news of the potential snowfall began airing, southerners lined up at grocery stores all over metro Atlanta. Hardware stores ran out of supplies on Saturday January 8^th while grocery stores couldn’t keep their shelves stocked. However, most people took the warning lightly, even up until the snow began falling Sunday evening. Vehicles were abandoned on interstates as people underestimated the effects of the storm.

The Atlanta area got two to three inches of snow on the Sunday evening before the first day of the quarter, while some areas in the Georgia Mountains got five to six inches. Add to the snow a layer of ice and Georgia was placed in a state of emergency by Governor Sonny Perdue in coordination with Governor-elect, Nathan Deal. With only ten pieces of snow removal equipment in the entire metro Atlanta area, chaos was inevitable. Fifty-eight pieces of equipment were on the roads by Tuesday evening to clear snow. In the end 115 trucks were needed. In some areas mail delivery completely ceased and parts of interstate 285 had to be completely shut down. Temperatures didn’t rise above freezing until Friday afternoon.

Over a thousand flights were cancelled at Hartsfield-Jackson airport. Airlines didn’t hesitate to cancel flights as early as 8 pm Sunday night. Delta cancelled 330 flights Sunday and another 1400 on Monday. Airtran Airways cancelled flights in and out of Atlanta with flights still limited by Wednesday as the storm made its way to New England. Several students couldn’t get flights back to Atlanta until the end of the week.

In conjunction with other schools in the area, Life University cancelled classes and all activities for the entire first week of school. Most students felt having the week off from classes was bliss, while some were infuriated by the end of the week. Students who didn’t receive direct deposit were stressed about not having access to their living expense checks while bills were piling up. Luckily some generous staff members came in Friday to hand out checks from 1-3 pm. Dr. Sheres was available on the Martin Luther King JR holiday for a few hours to help students with registration. Club day was cancelled altogether and students could just feel the pounds accumulating as the Wellness Center remained closed until Tuesday January 18.

The academic schedule for the winter quarter had to be revised without shortening the material to be covered. Details for each college is available on the Life website. Many students were concerned about OSCE testing not being pushed back. This meant less time to prepare. DC classes were scheduled after 1 pm on both OSCE days instead of being cancelled altogether. Clinic hours have been extended until 3 pm every Saturday for the remainder of the quarter and interns are given until the first day of spring quarter to finish requirements.

How did the winter storm affect you? Vital Source wants to know. Share experiences here or on the Vital Source Facebook page.

 

Over-Load Responsibly – Alexandra Gerdel, DC Student

New curriculum changes revoke student rights to determine how much they can handle

Beginning next quarter there will be a new GPA requirement in order to take an “overload” of classes. The new policy dictates that a student must have a GPA of at least 3.0 to take beyond 26.5 credit hours.  The announcement of this newest curriculum change was made in the Fall Quarterly, however it has gone unnoticed by many students who don’t typically make it to the last pages of the quarterly.

The issue became a hot topic during the First Tuesday sit down with the Administration earlier this quarter. Matt Griswold, a 10^th quarter DC student, mentioned the change and voiced his frustration that it meant the plan he had created for his final year of school was suddenly completely altered. Griswold needs to take 27 credit hours per quarter from now until PEAK in order to go PEAK in the office he has had an agreement with for the past year.  The new curriculum change means that he will be required to stay on campus another quarter because of two credit hours he now can’t fit in to his schedule before he gets to PEAK.

Griswold gave voice to concerns of a large number of upper quarter students, all of whom have suddenly found their plan for their last year of school altered. Several other students are faced with the problem of not being able to take a full 11^th quarter load, (26 hours,) and the Physical Therapy courses, (both a three credit hour class,) necessary to take PT boards next year before they graduate.  This puts students behind even further if they are already behind, or for those who have never failed anything but don’t have a 3.0 GPA, suddenly forces them into either being mixed quarter in their final year of school or not being able to take some portion of National Boards until after they graduate.

10^th quarter DC student Rob Edwards says, “I understand the school is trying to save students from failing classes, but ultimately it keeps us here longer and costs us more money.” He continues, “It’s frustrating because every time a change is made it means I will be here an extra quarter.”

Dr. Leslie King, the Dean of Instruction, states that the reason for the change is not to get more money out of the students or to keep them here longer. “We want students to graduate and be successful,” she says. So what is the reason for the change? As Dr. King puts it, “we want students to graduate, but we also want them to be competent.”

The reason for the GPA increase in order to take a course overload comes from data and statistical analysis done over the last few quarters. Information was collected on those students who have been maxing out on the number of credit hours they can take each quarter. Included in the analysis were the students’ overall GPA, performance, retention of information, National Boards scores and over all competency in several key courses throughout the DC program. From that data, it was determined that the majority of students with an overall GPA below a 3.0 who were taking an overload of classes were doing so unsuccessfully. Either they weren’t getting through courses or were not retaining the information deemed necessary to graduate as competent Doctors of Chiropractic.

In addition to the need for competency and information retention in graduates, students in the past have not taken responsibility for themselves. “In trying to rush through the program or catch up to their original quarter they have gotten in over their heads,” says Dr. King. This has left them with no degree, no ability to get financial aid, and a large looming debt with nothing to show for it. Dr. King has had meetings with several of these students who point a finger at the school for allowing them to get into this position, and yet at that point there is really nothing she can do to help them.

As a result, a good portion of the student body has lost the right to determine for themselves whether or not they are capable of handling a heavier course load. This determination is now based on statistics. 10^th quarter DC student Anthony DeMaria asks, “Why should someone who has never failed something, or maybe failed one class one time 6 quarters ago but has since been doing very well in school, now be penalized and not be able to take the electives they need to graduate and stay on schedule with their quarter?”

This is not to say that there is not a possibility for exceptions to this rule. When asked about those students who may not have a 3.0 overall GPA, but who have never failed a class, Dr. King admitted that situation was never discussed when creating the new policy. She made a note to bring that point to discussion and should have a determination on whether or not the new policy applies only to students who have failed courses, or to any student with a GPA below a 3.0 soon.

Dr. King stressed that she has an open door policy for students and would love emails and/or meetings with individual students about this or any other issues falling within her realm of expertise. Any student wishing to discuss this matter, or who feel they qualify as an ”outlier” in the statistical data collected to make this new policy are more than welcome to schedule a time to meet with her.

This change was made for the benefit of the students, however, a good portion of students feel exactly the opposite. Change comes from the voice of students.  Let your voice be heard!

Celebration of a Bright Star – Pedro Leon, DC Student

Remembering Dr. Turnbull

The Nutrition Department and Life University have lost a tremendously bright, shining light, a true luminary in his field, with the recent passing of Dr. Wilfred Henry Turnbull. Dr. Turnbull was one of the original pillars of the Nutrition Department. He and Jaleh Dehpahlevan, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, took their facility from a collection of small dingy offices with an outdated instructional kitchen to the masterpiece department we currently enjoy. I feel blessed to have had the distinct pleasure of being mentored by him. He was invaluable to our education, to which he brought not only his vast “book knowledge,” but also a worldly perspective that enabled us to look at life with a widened viewpoint. Wil Turnbull was taken from us too early and I feel sad for the incoming nutrition/dietetic students whose lives he will never touch.

There were many things that made him great. When I think of Dr. Turnbull, a smile automatically comes to my face. Those around him have all born witness to his reaction upon hearing of someone’s illness. (He was a bit of a germophobe.) He would automatically make the sign of cross at you with his finger, then run to the nearest jumbo, economy-sized hand sanitizer dispenser (which he himself had provided) to shield himself, or retreat back to his office. Wil had such a vibrant, loving, joyous spirit, which caused people to gravitate to him. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. Although my fellow classmates, his colleagues and I will all remember him individually, as we reminisce, we realize that we share very similar memories. That is a true testimonial of how genuine he was to all and how he treated everyone equally. He never made you feel like you were “just” a student or “just” anyone; you were a VIP and deserved to be treated as such.

One thing that everyone on campus could have learned from him was his high regard for Life University. He boasted about us all the time to his colleagues, friends and family, and always grouped us with other universities around the globe as a top notch school. We would often catch him saying things like, “Life University has one of the best nutrition programs in the whole world.” Dr. Turnbull loved working here, and he wanted the campus and the program to reach the greatness he envisioned for it. He never wanted us to think we got our education from Life University; he wanted us to realize we got our education from LIFE UNIVERSITY, and if we dedicated ourselves, we could rival anyone from any institution!

I’m sure I am not the only one who shares this sentiment, but personally I was a bit envious of his brain, and would often catch myself reverting back to a childhood “When I grow up…” moment.  Well, here it is…when I grow up, I want to be like Dr. Turnbull. Funny thing is that if he caught me saying that, he would tell me that he expected me to become better than he was, because I could be! If I really wanted to, I could do anything. He was right; he was always right, even up to his last wishes. He always prided himself on doing what he loved and loving what he did. He loved “his students” and colleagues at Life. He was happy here. He always said that he never wanted to retire, and that he would keep teaching until his passing, and he was a man who did what he said he would.

May you rest in peace, Dr. Turnbull. You will always be remembered, and celebrated. We will continue to strive to make you proud and give you many reasons to smile down on us!

When the Unexpected Happens – Kelly Milano, DC Student

A Case Study of a Herniated Disc in a 31 year old female

At the end of April, Michele Zebrowitz, DC student, was suffering from low back pains. Assuming it was just normal pains and due to the life stresses she’d been going through at the time, she continued to go about her life, competing in several cycling races, (and winning two of them.) On May 1st, Michele competed in a 12 hour cycling race in Ft. Yargo, GA, a ride she’d taken many times on her bike in the past. After finishing, she realized she was having bilateral sciatica to her knees. After a few days, the pain had isolated to her left side and within a few more days, she’d lost all feeling and function in her leg. She had difficulty walking and was unable to both heel and toe walk. This was an incredibly scary time, and one that took her a long time to talk about.

After seeking out medical care, Michele found out the worst. For someone who is incredibly active participating in bike races at least once a month and riding her bike daily, to hear that she was going to be off her bike for months was scary! On the MRI, a disc protrusion was seen at L2/L3 as well as disc extrusion at L3/L4, but no nerve roots were being displaced or compressed at that time. The disc material was displaced slightly posterior into the spinal canal. The discs were showing some desiccation all the way from L2-S1 but the biggest concern was at L4/L5 where there was a large disc extrusion displacing and pushing on the nerves.

Michele states, “I’m healthy and 31 years old….didn’t have any crazy bike crash….just many things that eventually led up to them finally giving out.” She continues, “Everything happens for a reason right? But, I have yet to find the reason a healthy, athletic, car-accident-free woman would have three discs blow out.”

For many months Michele didn’t talk too much about her situation. She was scared that she would never walk normal nor be able to ride her bike. She decided there were a lot students could learn from her story and has decided to share it with Vital Source so we can all learn from her experience. Through this living case study, we may better understand our role as doctors in a case such as this; see better what we are looking for and how to treat it, as well as see an insight into the life of a patient.

Her journey to recovery has not been an easy one. In the early weeks after her MRI, she survived with Prednisone, Advil and other pain meds. She states, “Drugs are for emergencies, and it helped get the inflammation down so I could walk again.” Every day for the next three and a half weeks she was doing traction and decompression at the Center for Optimum Health & Performance, (or as we refer to it, the Outpatient Clinic.) She was getting adjusted, having fascia work done and seeing a Physical Therapist who did McKenzie Method, which she highly recommends we look into. As we learn in classes, with an injury as severe as this, Michele should have been scheduled for immediate surgery, but she didn’t take that route and battled hard to get her life back. She states, “Any other person with my MRI would have been sent immediately for surgery – or at least an epidural, but I took the conservative road and gave Chiropractic, PT, and massage a try. I was definitely miserable for a few months due to the pain, but I am happy with my decision. I still have plenty of rehabilitation to do, but I am pretty much back to normal.”

For those just starting their chiropractic schooling and journey and wondering how you would handle a patient like this one, Michele says you don’t need to be afraid of acute disc patients. She says there are many ways to approach it and in her opinion PT is absolutely necessary in order to help the patient fully recover and get out of pain as quickly as possible.

As of the writing of this article, Michele states, “I am still in a little bit of pain, but it’s mostly tightness in the fascia. I can touch my toes, and I can ride my bike.” She currently is receiving low force adjustments, cold laser treatments, massage and myofascial release. She’s using a foam roller on her legs and back every day and working on her core strength. She is still unable to carry her backpack but all the numbness and tingling is gone and she is able to again touch her toes.

One of Michele’s biggest questions was “When will I be able to ride again?” Some doctors didn’t know if she would ever ride again and tried to prepare her for that, while others told her to give it a year, but those who know Michele know she is determined and was going to fight through this. One friend told her, “You will ride when you can ride.” She started swimming laps to get strength and movement back to her legs, although at first she was unable to kick her legs. Her therapy continued and today, Michele is seeing great improvements. In fact, she just finished 4^th place in her first Cyclocross race, which she was also instrumental in developing and setting up here on campus October 31. We look forward to more great cycling events and race in her future.