FALL 2011
Publisher Jon Schwartzbauer, D.C. jschwartzbauer@sherman.edu
2. Work Your Outbox Shift your focus to projects that enrich your life so you can make a positive impact on what’s leaving your outbox.
Editor Karen Rhodes, M.B.A. krhodes@sherman.edu
3. Campus News Students named Intern of the Month; Share your Pride on October 24.
Assistant Editor Marggi Roldan mroldan@sherman.edu
4. Focus on Enrollment Career events help prospects decide to attend Sherman; supporters refer students and earn scholarship credit.
Contributing Writers Charlotte Babb Tim Guest, D.C. Beverly Knight Paul Polak, D.C. Missy Sandor Kristy Shepherd Daria Winnicka
5. Community Recognition Spartanburg Chamber honors Sherman with Landscape Beautification Award.
6. Research News IRAPS in October; Faculty publish scholarly work and present at conferences.
7. Three Join Board Carson, Kevorkian and Knowles join the Sherman Board of Trustees.
9. Perry Rush Retires After more than three decades as a faculty member, Rush focuses on private practice.
FALL 2011 ISSUE Sherman is published twice a year and is produced for and about the Sherman College community. For inquiries, call 800-849-8771, ext. 242, or e-mail the editor at krhodes@ sherman.edu. Located in the beautiful and affordable Upstate of South Carolina, Sherman College offers a comprehensive 14-quarter program leading to the doctor of chiropractic degree. Students graduate with the knowledge, skills and passion to enjoy success and make an impact on the health and lives of their future patients.
The Doctor of Chiropractic The doctor of chiropractic degree program of Sherman College of Chiropractic is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education, 8049 North 85th Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 852584321, Tel: (480) 443-8877. www.cce-usa.org. Sherman College of Chiropractic is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097: Telephone 404-679-4501) to award the doctor of chiropractic degree. www.sacscoc.org.
10. Focus on Alumni Alumni Association president Tim Guest discusses the importance of the journey; alumni share news; making sense of “meaningful use” in your practice.
14. Transitions in Practice Learning to cope with changes can be a challenge, but those who embrace change and look upon it as an opportunity for growth experience great success in life.
23. Make an Adjustment Support quality chiropractic education by sending the cash equivalent of your fee for an adjustment or two.
24. Alumni, Friends Honored Chiropractors of the Year Roeben, Rutecki and Wang; 2011 award recipients; Moore inducted into Gallery of Honor.
26. Hear Us Roar Sherman alumni, friends, students and supporters gather at Lyceum 2011.
28. Building the Profession See where we’re headed next; share your passion with Sherman’s ROAR program.
T A B L E of C O N T E N T S FALL 2011
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WORKING FROM YOUR OUTBOX — PRESIDENT JON SCHWARTZBAUER, D.C.
Think about the inbox that is sitting on your desk or hanging outside your office. Now think about your outbox. Which is fuller? Is your inbox overflowing with mundane to-dos and actions that need to be taken? Are you busy putting out fires? Wouldn’t you rather do your work based on a vision of what’s going out of your outbox rather than let the flow of your inbox define you and shape your future? We would, too. It’s an appealing and powerful thought: the concept of shifting your attention to projects and advancements that enrich your life and your office so that you can make a positive impact on what’s leaving your outbox. I enjoyed discussing this approach to workflow and many others with higher education colleagues at a twoweek intensive Harvard Institute for Educational Management I recently had the opportunity to attend. At Sherman College, one of the ways we work from our “outbox” is by committing to continuous improvement, looking for ways to improve our program and ourselves so that our graduates are better prepared for success in practice and enthusiastically ready to serve and change lives in our amazing health care profession. I’d love to share with you a few of the ways we’re improving the outbox at Sherman.
As part of ongoing and scheduled curriculum review, faculty members have found opportunities to make positive changes in the curriculum that improve the student learning experience and patient care. These changes are challenging and stretching both faculty and students, but they make notable improvements on our “outbox” and help us mature as an institution of higher education. We looked at internal and external data and surveys, spoke with faculty, held “town hall” meetings with students to get input on effective teaching methodologies, course content and class hours, and we compared our curriculum hours and content to those at other chiropractic colleges. When we were finished, we revised quite a few courses to make the program more efficient. Improvements in the technique curriculum abound. The technique department is working on substantial course content improvements to strengthen students’ knowledge in spinal biodynamics and their skills in locating, analyzing and correcting vertebral subluxations. We have resequenced courses so that students have continuous hands-on learning and practice throughout the curriculum, as they prepare for the clinical practice phase of the program. Students also participate in a radiology imaging “pre-test” in preparation for NBCE Parts I and II. Faculty are identifying appropriate clinical course content and using active teaching methods to better prepare students for success on national board exams – so they can quickly gain licensure and hit the ground running following graduation. The addition of 200 hours in clinical case management throughout the curriculum using casebased learning and problem solving is
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helping students demonstrate expected learning outcomes and clinical competency. For example, Dr. Jennifer York has implemented an interactive case history exercise into her Clinical Case Management course. Each student serves as a “mock patient,” presenting his/her assigned clinical presentation to a classmate who must conduct an appropriate history, develop a list of likely problems, choose appropriate exams, form a diagnosis and develop a patient-centric plan of care. The rest of the class gets involved by supporting the doctor, asking relevant questions and improving their appreciation of the importance of case history and clinical thinking. Classroom teaching strategies like this one have been supportive of student success
CAMPUS NEWS: INTERNS OF THE MONTH
Case doctors work closely with assigned interns while supervising all aspects of patient care. The program facilitates the development of continuous doctorintern-patient relationships and provides student interns with a challenging, guided clinical education experience. Clinic faculty members have also streamlined patient record-keeping to improve the patient experience and overall efficiency of our Health Center operations. Improving the student experience and graduating skilled, compassionate, successful and ethical doctors of chiropractic are central to our purpose as a chiropractic college. Committing to continuous improvement means we are working with our outbox in mind – and improving the future of our profession and the people we serve. What’s in your outbox?
Sansbury Turner
Annie Turner (June) is a 12th-quarter student from Augusta, GA. Following graduation in March 2012, she will return to Augusta to open her own practice.
Wong
Dansen Wong (May) of Petaling Jaya in Selangor, Malaysia, is a 12th-quarter student. Following his graduation in March 2012, he hopes to associate with a chiropractor in Malaysia.
Niemiec
Under this model, care is faculty-driven. Case doctors practice and supervise the provision of chiropractic care to patients in accordance with the doctor of chiropractic’s responsibilities as a primary care provider and required competency standards. Interns earn progressive responsibility for patient care through the demonstration of satisfactory knowledge, skill and attitude competencies.
Allie Sansbury (July) is a 12th-quarter student from Spartanburg, SC. Following graduation in March 2012, she plans to open her own practice.
Watkins
With classroom improvements that employ case-based learning, improvements in the clinic are a natural extension of the process. The Progressive Clinical Learning (PCL) program was implemented in 2010 to provide a guided chiropractic internship focused on the clinical needs of patients and the learning needs of student interns.
Students Named Intern of the Month at Sherman Health Center Holloway
and help build knowledge so students may excel in the classroom, on boards, in the clinic and, following graduation, in chiropractic practice.
Jonathan “Sem” Holloway (April) of Easley, SC, graduated in June. He is opening a solo practice in Easley.
Katelyn Niemiec (February) of Buffalo, NY, graduated in June 2011. She is joining Balanced Living Chiropractic Wellness in Amherst, NY, with Kevin Phalen, D.C., and her uncle, Steve Niemiec, D.C.
Vanessa Watkins (March) of Snellville, GA, graduated in June. She is opening a practice, 100% Chiropractic, in Gwinnett County, GA, with March 2011 Sherman graduate Steve Nutty, D.C.
Sherman PRide: Celebrating You on October 24 Get ready to show your Sherman PRrrride! October 24 is a day for Sherman to celebrate YOU. All day, we’ll celebrate the Sherman College Pride – alumni, students, employees. It’s also a day for you to reconnect with us and show the world how proud you are to be a Sherman graduate. Note the capital PR in PRide. This day will provide a great opportunity to bring positive PR to the college and its alumni. It is something everyone can participate in, no matter where they are. It doesn’t matter where you live or what you do, it is easy to participate in Sherman PRide Day. Here are some ways: Wear a Sherman College shirt Link to Sherman from your site Host a chiropractic career session Refer a potential student to us
Call an old classmate Send a donation to Sherman Invite a student to shadow you Talk about Sherman in the office
Mark your calendar now; look for details on Facebook and at www.sherman.edu/pride.
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CAMPUS NEWS: FOCUS ON ENROLLMENT
Welcoming Future Students: Career Events Help Prospects Decide to Attend Sherman by Director of Admission Kristy Shepherd Referrals from Sherman grads and supporters are the lifeblood of the college! We sincerely appreciate all of you who refer students to Sherman. Your referrals help Sherman College build the future of chiropractic education. The Enrollment Services Office hosts many on-campus events throughout the year, and we would love for you to share these opportunities with patients in your office who are considering a career in chiropractic. Here’s a look at some of our favorite events.
Pride of Sherman Tour The Enrollment Services Team is gearing up for its fall career event, The Pride of Sherman Tour, on November 4-5. This two-day event affords prospective students the opportunity to tour the college, meet current students, attend a class and explore Spartanburg. Registration for this event is available at www.sherman.edu/pridetour or by calling 800-849-8771, ext. 200. The college can help with accommodations for students attending from out of town.
Faculty member Ron Castellucci, D.C., leads a mock palpation class during Career Day.
Friday, as well as the opportunity to meet one-on-one with admission and financial aid representatives before enjoying the shows under the Big Top with hypnotist Gabriel Holmes and music by the Vitalistics. Saturday was the culmination of the weekend for our visitors. Career Day activities included a mock adjusting class led by Ron Castellucci, D.C., student guided tours of campus, a panel discussion with current Sherman students and special guest speaker at lunch, Trustee Liam Schubel, D.C.
Lyceum Career Day Career Day, held in conjunction with Lyceum, was a jam-packed weekend of chiropractic sessions, entertainment and interactions with students and alumni for our prospective students. Prospective students arriving on Thursday attended Lyceum seminars during the day and participated in a meet and greet Thursday evening featuring alumni and Reach Out And Recruit (ROAR) members Josh and Benna Click, D.C.s. Prospective students had more time for seminars on
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Lyceum Career Day is a great way for prospective students to network with current students and alumni. We strongly encourage alumni and Sherman supporters to refer potential students to explore Sherman College at Career Day. In fact, to help prospective students visit, the ROAR program gave doctors travel vouchers to pass on to prospective students in their offices. These vouchers were redeemable for up to $300 of travel expenses for the Career Day weekend. More than a
quarter of all participants for Career Day were referred by ROAR doctors!
Shadow an Intern Day The college hosted its second Shadow an Intern Day for 2011 on July 28. Prospective students from four states spent the afternoon in Sherman’s Chiropractic Health Center to learn first hand what it’s like to be an intern. This event continues to be a favorite with our prospective students because of the one-on-one interactions with our interns. They observed patient visits, attended classes, toured the campus and enjoyed lunch with their interns. Faculty member Bill Fehl, D.C., was the featured speaker at lunch. The admission team is grateful to the faculty, staff and students who contributed to the success of this event, particularly interns Scott Baker, Elizabeth Balwah, Arthur Brennan, David Croxford, Jessica Howard, Rob LeZotte, Randall Lindstrom, Marshelene Ricks, Edward Robinson, Ashley Simpson, Brittany Toole and Dansen Wong.
CAMPUS NEWS: COMMUNITY RECOGNITION
Supporters Refer Students, Earn My Scholarship Credit In spring and summer 2011, college alumni and supporters continued to refer students to Sherman. Thanks to each of the following chiropractors who referred students, thereby earning My Scholarship credit: Lee Angle, D.C. / ROAR* Charles Berrington, D.C. Jaime Browning, D.C. / ROAR* Evan Cohen, D.C. John Degenhart, D.C. David Olree, D.C. Jason Phillips, D.C. Dwyer Scott, D.C Ron Sisk, D.C. Liam Schübel, D.C. / ROAR* The My Scholarship Program shows appreciation for the extraordinary support alumni and friends provide to Sherman by referring students. For each student referred, supporters earn $1,000 in scholarship credit upon enrollment. Once the scholarship fund reaches $5,000, supporters can award the scholarship to the next new student referral(s) of their choice. Each time the fund builds to $5,000, additional scholarships can be awarded. Find out more at www.sherman.edu/myscholarship. *ROAR denotes the college’s Reach Out and Recruit Program. Member D.C.s commit to help build enrollment at Sherman through referrals and support in the field. ROAR doctors help others fulfill their dreams by recruiting in their own communities, serving as career advisors, mentoring the students they recruit and feeling the pride as the students they mentor graduate from Sherman and enter the profession. For more information, visit the web site at www.sherman.edu/ROAR.
Chamber Honors Sherman College with Landscape Beautification Award
dedicated groundskeeping crew. “Monte Guffey and Luke Chomic have made tremendous efforts to keep the college beautiful,” he said.
Sherman College received a 2011 Landscape Beautification Award from the Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce. This program offers an opportunity for area businesses to have their landscapes evaluated and recognized; the evaluation is performed by members of the Spartanburg Men’s Garden Club. It was the first year the college entered.
“They are excellent at maintaining all of the grounds, mulching hundreds of trees and shrubs and just keeping the campus looking great in general! They really do care about the campus and take ownership in the grounds and how they look. We are blessed with a great crew.”
The panel of judges considered the following components: foundation plantings, lawns, perimeter and other plantings, trees. Points were assigned according to categories of design (20), execution (20), maintenance (30) and overall impression (20), for a possible total of 100. Sherman received a 95 and was thereby recognized with an Honorable Mention Award. Comments on the judging sheet indicated that the “overall campus landscaping [is] very well done and well maintained” and the areas near buildings made a “very good impression.” Vice President for Business and Finance Tim Revels praised the college’s small but
As far as the variety of the landscape, Revels said the college makes conscientious decisions when planning landscaping projects. “As we have constructed each element of campus — the Gordon and Helen Brown Student Plaza, Olsen Building, Brown House, memorial trees, parking lots and more — we have made efforts to emphasize the attractiveness, design and variety of the landscape,” he said. “We made a conscious effort to ensure there are many varieties of trees, plants and flowers so that different ones will bloom at various times throughout the year.” In the early days of the campus’ history, Revels said, Dr. Tony Duke placed many rare varieties of trees throughout the campus after the Scallon Building was built.
Bill Johnson, Monte Guffey, John Marro, Luke Chomic and Kenneth Gilbert with the award.
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CAMPUS NEWS: RESEARCH
Faculty Members Present at Conferences, Publish Studies Four submissions were presented at the 7th Annual South Carolina Upstate Research Symposium, held April 15 at Milliken & Company in Spartanburg:
8th Annual Symposium at Sherman on October 22-23 Sherman College will hold the 8th annual International Research and Philosophy Symposium October 22-23, 2011, on campus. Christopher Kent, D.C., will present the keynote address, “Winning the Debate on Vertebral Subluxation.” Kent, a chiropractor and attorney, is president of the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation, co-founder of the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance (CLA), and owner of On Purpose. He was named ICA’s Chiropractic Researcher of the Year in 1991 and Chiropractor of the Year in 1998. He received Life University’s first Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. Dr. Kent is former chair of the United Nations NGO Health Committee and was the first chiropractor elected to that office. Kent’s address will cover an overview of contemporary scientific literature supporting chiropractic. He’ll discuss and share examples of logical fallacies commonly employed by skeptics and other detractors, and he’ll explain popular models of vertebral subluxation in the context of clinical practice. His lecture will also include the role of epistemology in vitalistic practices. (continued on page 8)
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Delain R., McMasters K. L., Wang J., York J. and Hart J. Blood Pressure Changes in African American Patients Receiving Chiropractic Care from Chiropractic Interns: A Pilot Study (platform presentation).
Hart J. Temperature Readings of the Upper Neck and Health Perception (platform presentation).
Luo P. G., Sun Y.-P., Luo J., and Liu J.-H. Cytotoxicity Studies of Carbon Nanoparticles (poster presentation).
Rochelle Delain, D.C., John Hart, D.C., and Guangming Wu, Ph.D., at the South Carolina Upstate Research Symposium.
Fehl, W., Kuhta, P. & Hart, J. (2011, June 30). Inter-examiner Agreement for C1 and C2 Static Alignment Analysis Using Analog and Digital Radiographic Technologies: A Pilot Study. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research, pp. 45-49.
Hart J. Deadly radon in Montana? [Letter]. Dose Response 2011; 9(2): 293-295.
Hart J. Deadly radon in Montana? A Rebuttal. [Letter]. Dose Response 2011; 9(2):299-300.
Kuan, C.-Y., Walker, T., Luo, P. G., and Chen. C.-F. (2011). Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids promote paclitaxel cytotoxicity via inhibition of the MDR1 gene in the human colon cancer Caco-2 cell line. Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
Schwartzbauer, M. & Hart, J. (2011, July 11). Inter-Examiner Reliability of Leg Length Inequality Assessments. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, pp. 51-56.
Wu G., Hart, J., Loice, J. and Fleischer, S. Subcellular Localization of Ryanodine Receptor 3 in the Skeletal Muscle of the Mouse (platform presentation).
John Hart, D.C., presented at the Dose Response conference at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in April:
Cancer Mortality for a Single Race in Low versus High Land Elevation in the U.S.
Lack of Association between Lung Cancer, Smoking, and Radon in Oregon.
Peer-reviewed publications by Sherman faculty include the following:
Briggs L., (2011, April 6). Management of Post Traumatic Fibromyalgia in a Female Undergoing Subluxation Based Chiropractic Care for 15 Years. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, pp. 9-14.
CAMPUS NEWS: MEET THE TRUSTEES
Carson, Kevorkian and Knowles Join Sherman Board of Trustees The Board of Trustees at Sherman College of Chiropractic is a visionary group of professionals dedicated to carrying out the college’s mission, goals and objectives to educate chiropractors, conduct relevant research and serve humanity with high quality health care. Members are elected to serve a four-year term.
Warren J. Carson, Ph.D., M.A., A.B. Warren J. Carson, Ph.D., of Tryon, NC, is a professor of English and Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at USC-Upstate, where he has worked since 1984. He brings a wide range of leadership experience to Sherman College including elective office, a dozen years on a community college board of trustees with four years as chair, and a rich background in diversity advocacy. His Ph.D. is from the University of South Carolina; he also holds an M.A. from Clark Atlanta University and an A.B. from the University of North Carolina. “I am always happy to serve organizations that advance education in our society,” Carson says of joining the Sherman trustees. “As an academic administrator, I am especially interested in shared missions of our various local educational institutions.” Carson is the lead author of Transitions, and he has published many reviews in scholarly literary publications such as CLA Journal, MasterPlots, the Cylopedia of Literary Places, and The Oxford Review of American Literature. He has presented papers, lectures and workshops in many conventions and conferences. He has
received awards from USC-Upstate, the Town of Tryon, NC, and the College Language Association. He is listed in Who’s Who Among American Teachers and Who’s Who Among Black Americans.
Regent Peter J. Kevorkian, D.C., B.S. As a frequent speaker at Sherman College Lyceums, New Beginnings Philosophy weekends, Triune Seminars, Massachusetts Chiropractic Society conventions and recently at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic, Massachusetts D.C. Peter J. Kevorkian sees his service on the Sherman board as an extension of his passion for chiropractic. “I love Sherman College,” says Kevorkian. “I love its mission and the steadfast manner that it has held the traditional values of the chiropractic profession. My desire is to ensure that the unique service of chiropractic remains unsullied and at the forefront of chiropractic education, training, research and development.” A member and supporter of numerous local and national organizations, Kevorkian has been chairman of the board of the Chiropractic Basic Science Research Foundation and is president of the Massachusetts Alliance for Chiropractic Philosophy. He serves on the board of directors of the International Federation of Chiropractors and Organizations (IFCO) and is an instructor for the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. Kevorkian and his wife, Patricia A. Giuliano, D.C., have received numerous awards throughout their careers, including Sherman’s Chiropractors of the Year in 2009. They have practiced together
since 1983. They have two children, Katie, age 21 and Christopher, age 19.
Regent Daniel M. Knowles III, D.C., B.A. Chiropractor Daniel Knowles is a secondgeneration D.C. who has been taking care of patients and training doctors since his graduation from Sherman in 1996. He owns Network Family Wellness Center in Boulder, CO. “I am grateful to serve the advancement of chiropractic through the country’s leading chiropractic college and my alma mater, Sherman College,” Knowles said of his appointment to the board. “The world needs top-notch doctors of chiropractic to better serve the public’s health care needs, and by serving on the board, I aim to help fill that need.” Knowles is a member of the Colorado Chiropractic Association, the IFCO and the World Chiropractic Alliance. He is member, former chairman and member of the board of directors of the Colorado Chiropractic Wellness Alliance, and he has completed Network Spinal Analysis Certification Parts I, II and III. In addition to his D.C., Knowles holds a bachelor’s degree from New York University. He has been named Chiropractor of the Month by On Purpose in 2006, Best Practitioner of the Upstate (South Carolina) by Creative Loafing in 1998, and an Unsung Hero of Straight Chiropractic by the IFCO in 1995. He is a mentor coach for Madeira Success Strategies and also serves as a teaching assistant for Network Spinal Analysis Seminars. He and his wife, Richelle, also a doctor of chiropractic and Sherman College graduate, live in Boulder with their two children, Daniel Marshall Knowles IV and Anika Louise Knowles.
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CAMPUS NEWS: SHERMAN REP TALKS THE TIC
International Research & Philosophy Symposium
Sherman Represented at Talk the TIC Competition
(continued from page 6) Additional speakers at the 2011 International Research and Philosophy Symposium include the following: Joel Alcantara, D.C. Brigette Bowler, D.C. Michael T. Burcon, B.Ph., D.C. J. Richard Burns D.C., D.Ph.C.S. Kathryn Conlen, B.A., M.T., C.S.T. Bill Decken, D.C., L.C.P. Alexandra Gerdel, Life student Harvey Getzoff, D.C. Donald Glassey, M.S.W., D.C., L.M.T. Veronica Gutierrez, D.C. John Hart, DC, M.H.Sc Alexandria Jenkins, Life student Christie Kwon MS, D.C. Jonathan Leusden D.C. Matthew McCoy, D.C., M.PH. Christopher Passalacqua, D.C. Erin Rosen, Life student Martin G. Rosen, D.C., C.S.P., C.S.C.P., C.S.P.P. Jennifer Santos, Sherman student Matt Santos, Sherman student Michael B. Schmidt, Life student Guthrie Schroeder, Sherman student Rob Scott, D.C., Ph.D. Rob Sinnott, DC, F.Ph.C. Gregory A. Stetzel, D.C. Charles Vaden, Life student Jack Vandervort, D.C., D.Ph.C. Kate Wetterlin, B.S, D.C. Eric L. Zielinski, B.A. Sponsors for the event include the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation, the International Federation of Chiropractors and Organizations, On Pointe Chiropractic & Beyond, Seattle Upper Cervical Research Institute and The Best Mission Trip Ever. Learn more and download your registration form at www.sherman.edu/iraps.
Student Jonathan Orvis represented Sherman College in the 2011 Talk the TIC Finals on July 6, at Parker University. Talk the TIC is a worldwide annual chiropractic health talk competition between chiropractic students effectively delivering a chiropractic message to others. The purpose is to refine the skill of communicating the principle, science, and knowledge of chiropractic in order to share it with the public. It allows students to practice overcoming their fear of public speaking as well as perfect their explanation of what chiropractic is and what the benefits of chiropractic care are to a lay audience. Orvis won the preliminary competition at Sherman and traveled to Parker in July to compete internationally. Philosophy Department Chair Bill Decken, D.C., LCP, says Orvis represented the college well. “Jonathan has shown an interest and ability to think critically during his time at Sherman and has taken that and shared it his peers through World Chiropractic of Chiropractic Students and through Talk the TIC. His Talk the TIC presentation was focused, informative and passionate.” This year, nine institutions participated: Life Chiropractic College West, Life University, New Zealand College of
Chiropractic, Northwestern Health Sciences University, Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida, Palmer College of Chiropractic Iowa, Parker University College of Chiropractic, Sherman College of Chiropractic and Southern California University of Health Sciences. The event judges declared Derrell Pratt-Blackburn, student of Parker, as the 2011 champion. He was also awarded a $2,000 check. “All of these tremendously talented participants are a testament to the future of chiropractic, which is in great hands,” said Gilles Lamarche, vice president of Parker Chiropractic Wellness Clinics.
Why Support Sherman College? “Sherman prepares its students in every way to succeed through college as well as after graduation. From providing a mentor to monitor your progress through the courses and the many clubs available, to private tutors to help in classes, and even to the many seminars held for its students, Sherman College has the complete package.” – Dansen Wong, Malaysia, Class of March 2012
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CAMPUS NEWS: RUSH RETIRES
Perry Rush, D.C., Retires After more than three decades as a fulltime faculty member, Sherman College Associate Professor Perry O. Rush, D.C., announced his retirement at the end of the spring quarter. A 1976 pioneer Sherman graduate, Rush joined the college in 1980 as a faculty member and has dedicated his many years at the college to teaching upper cervical courses, particularly in the Blair technique. “After much consideration, Vicki and I have decided that it is time for us to begin a new chapter,” Rush says. “The decision to leave has not been easy. We will miss our Sherman family but look forward to that new chapter. I will still be close by, putting my energy into my practice and supporting my career-long interest in the upper cervical subluxation and the Blair work for which I was recruited many years ago. What a great thing to have been associated with so many good people all these years.” Sherman President Jon Schwartzbauer, D.C., a former student of Rush, said, “Dr. Rush has been an inspiration to so many Sherman students, including me. He has turned many students and doctors on to specific chiropractic, particularly Blair work. He will be missed greatly, and we wish him the best as he focuses on his family and his practice.”
Rush with 2011 graduate Michael Knecht.
Rush said working at Sherman has given him the opportunity “to promote the power of a specific adjustment of the vertebral subluxation unknown to so many.” I will miss teaching the upper cervical rationale and Blair classes. Those courses kept my fire going.” He also shared thanks for his family for their support through the years: “To my wife and children, I give special thanks for giving up so much for me to take this important journey.” Colleague and Dean of Clinical Sciences Joe Donofrio, D.C., describes Rush as steady, reliable and consistent. “His philosophy and appreciation of the upper cervical spine has not swerved one inch since he began here,” Donofrio said. After Rush announced his retirement, colleagues, alumni and friends shared their good wishes via Facebook: “You have been a great role model and mentor to countless numbers of chiropractors. You have impacted our profession in so many ways, some of which you may never know. God bless you and your family.” — Ron Castellucci, D.C., Sherman faculty “You made Sherman the place it is. Best of luck to you — you have earned it.” — Brian Dooley, D.C., ’05 “Congratulations, Dr. Rush, and enjoy! Taking your Blair Class was definitely one the highlights for me at Sherman. You have sent so many Sherman students onto successful practices... changing the lives of thousands and thousands of people!” — Matthew Stralka, D.C., ’97 “I am sad to see you leave but know that you will be happy in your next chapter. It was because of you and your classes that I chose to become an upper cervical chiropractor. I want to thank you for everything you have done for the profession and me personally!” — Michael Knecht, D.C., ’11
“Congratulations, Perry, and much happiness in your retirement! You’ll have plenty more time for turning on the power!” — Gwen Gardner, D.C., ’88, Penn College “I was looking so forward to having you as a professor soon. You made a tremendous difference on my outlook toward chiropractic while I was under your care.” — Gabriela Baumgartner, future chiropractic student “Perry, I am so happy for you. My personal time in your practice and learning Blair from you has been a blessing for me and the people I serve. I utilize your teachings every day and will never forget your great dried bananas! I am grateful that you were still at Sherman while I was there!” — David Serio, D.C., ’99 “You will be missed on campus. You have inspired us all to be better chiropractors.” — Arthur Brennan, Sherman student “Thank you for your many years of service to the school. I can’t even imagine the number of students whose lives you’ve changed, impacting the lives of their patients as well!” — Christine Theodossis, D.C., ’10 “You have such a heart and dedication to the profession of chiropractic that I know in whatever capacity you commit yourself, the world will be a better place!” — Jackie McKool, D.C., ’02
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MESSAGE FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
“Doc, why do I feel worse since you started adjusting me?” A Message from Alumni Association President Tim Guest, D.C., ’86
How many times have we heard that question or a variation of it from our patients? As chiropractors we aren’t offended by it because we know that the door has been opened for us to bring the patient on board for the concept of the “health journey,” and in many instances, it is also an opportunity to educate any family or friends who may be with them. We explain how healing is a process that can be both time-consuming and uncomfortable in the early stages as the person transitions from dis-ease into health. We also prepare the patient for the possibility that the wonderful journey towards health, as beneficial as it is, may have rough patches and even a few setbacks. Health, we explain, is a series of transitions and changes from the status quo. In many ways our life journey can be viewed the same as a health journey. Just as a person goes through transitions to reach a higher expression of health, we also travel through many transitions to reach a higher, more fulfilling expression of life. Sometimes we experience rough patches and setbacks, and other times we must, for lack of a better expression, change tracks completely in order to have that higher expression of vitality. Our beloved Sherman College of Chiropractic has experienced many
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transitions through the years since the doors first opened in October of 1973. The college experienced the physical (body) transitions from a former telephone building where students had to go outside when the fire marshal came to inspect, to an abandoned shopping center that required many volunteer hours of weekend and evening labor from students and employees to create classrooms to, ultimately, the beautiful campus we now call our chiropractic home, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Next we can look at the transitions of leadership (mind) over the years, beginning with the vision of Thom Gelardi who (like nature, which will always fill a vacuum if not interfered with) saw a void within the process of educating future chiropractors and sought to fill it, all the while being supported by such unsung heroes of our profession as Leroy Moore (see page 25), Earl Taylor and Chuck Everett to name a few. We then transitioned to David Koch, who brought a balance to the philosophical tenets of chiropractic and the requirements of academic growth and accreditation and whose vision was supported and continued by Brian McAulay. Jerry Hardee, though not a chiropractor himself, helped Sherman transition into an a institution of higher learning that is recognized and well-received within academic circles both in and out of the
chiropractic profession. We are in the midst of the Jon Schwartzbauer transition of leadership and, while this chapter is still being written, I believe it will be just as positive and formative for the future of Sherman College. Last but not least are the faculty and staff (what I’d call the heart) of Sherman, who over the years have been key players and heartfelt supporters of the mission and vision as well as primary influencers in the process of developing, mentoring and producing chiropractors who I am proud to call colleagues. Who could forget the stories of toggle class with Bill Garren, setting up on an atlas with Lyle Sherman observing or the “shoot from the hip” guidance of Mike Westbrook? Yes, Sherman has gone through changes and transitions of growth over the years, but after spending time on campus at Lyceum, interacting with young alumni, talking to students and catching up with former classmates — all of whom support the philosophy and purpose of both Sherman and chiropractic in their own way — I am convinced that Sherman, much like the patient, is well and making progress towards a higher expression of TIC. And I’m glad to be part of the journey. Yours in TIC,
CLASSMATE UPDATES
Classmate Updates Send news to Director of Development and Alumni Relations Marggi Roldan at Sherman College of Chiropractic, P.O. Box 1452, Spartanburg, SC 29304; mroldan@sherman.edu; or via the alumni pages at www.sherman.edu. More news at sherman.blogs.com/alumni/.
1980s Bob Berkowitz, D.C., ’81, of Highland Park, NJ, was awarded a Fellowship in the College of Straight Chiropractic by the International Federation of Chiropractors and Organizations. Lawrence O’Connor, D.C., ’83, of Westwood, NJ, was elected president of the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards in May 2011, having previously served as vice president, treasurer and district III regional director. As president he is responsible for leading the FCLB in maintaining high, uniform standards in areas related to chiropractic licensure, regulation, discipline and education.
Alex Kassalias, D.C., ’94, of Greenville, SC, was elected 2011-12 District 10 Director of the South Carolina Chiropractic Association (SCCA). District 10 comprises Greenville, Pickens, Oconee and Anderson counties. Evan S. Fiedler, D.C., ’95, of Virginia Beach, VA, wrote and published a book called Come Run With Me to share his knowledge of running with runners at all levels. It is available at Amazon.com. Kevin Kita, D.C., ’98, of Morrisville, PA, was featured in a Channel 6 Action News (WPVI Philadelphia) health segment about the Koren Specific Technique which he uses in his practice. Daniel Greener, D.C., ’99, and his wife, Erin, of Monroe, MI, announce the birth of daughter Hadley Lane on December 15, 2010. Richelle Laurich Knowles, D.C., ’99, of Boulder, CO, was appointed to serve on the Colorado Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
1990s
2000s
Valerie Pennacchio, D.C., ’90, formerly of Auckland, New Zealand, became vice principal of McTimoney College of Chiropractic in Oxfordshire, England, on June 1, 2011.
Jason Haralambous, D.C., ’01, opened Lowcountry Chiropractic in the Habersham Marketplace in Beaufort, SC, on September 2, 2011, after nearly 10 years of practicing in Bluffton, SC.
Beth Roraback, D.C., ’90, of Greenville, SC, and Cindy Gibbon, D.C., ‘91, of Boiling Springs, SC, opened BrainCore Therapy of Spartanburg on Pine Street in Spartanburg. Both are certified BrainCore Therapy Trainers.
Kemp and Rachelle Kirk, D.C.s, ’01, of Back in Action Chiropractic in Flagler Beach, FL, were named Best Chiropractors in Flagler County by Coastal Connections.
George Auger, D.C., ’93, of Greenville, SC, joined the Sherman adjunct faculty and is teaching Spinal Biodynamics II. Joe Donofrio, D.C., ’94, and his wife, Amy, of Inman, SC, announce the birth of daughter Mya Lou on March 27, 2011.
Gabe O’Sullivan, D.C., ’01, of Moore, SC, was elected as the 2011-2012 District 9 Director of the South Carolina Chiropractic Association (SCCA). District 9 comprises Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties. Wendy Schwartz Stabile, D.C., ’01, and her husband, Nicholas, of Wayne, NJ,
announce the birth of their third child, Liliana, on July 19, 2011. Frank Hahn, D.C., ’04, of Franklin Park, NJ, wrote and published 47 Reasons to Visit a Chiropractor, a book for patients and future patients. It is available through Amazon.com. Katie Aita Houpt, D.C., ’04, and her husband, John, of Bluffton, SC, announce the birth of son Paxton Jeffrey on June 16, 2011. Ken and Lauren Kadrich, D.C.s, ’04, of Alpena, MI, announce the birth of their second son, Brady Samuel, on May 18, 2011. Luke Henry, D.C., ’05, of Greenville, SC, recently had a research paper accepted for publication. “Resolution of Hemifacial Spasm Following Specific Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care” was published in the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research, August 15, 2011. Traci Donnelly, D.C., ’06, of Rock Hill, SC, celebrated two years in private practice with a grand re-opening in March 2011 under a new practice name of Holistic Healthcare of Rock Hill and with Dr. Donnelly returning to her maiden name. Chris Hawkins, D.C., ’07, and his wife, Jodie, welcomed son Leland Joseph on February 18, 2011. Mary K. Bennett, D.C., ’08, married Hunter Browning on September 3, 2011, in Mankin-Sabot, VA. Todd Riddle, D.C., ’09, of Spartanburg, SC, opened Southeast Sports Chiropractic on Southport Road on September 19, 2011. Jean Exume, D.C., ’09, and Teresa Williams, D.C., ’10, of Fredericksburg, VA, announce the birth of daughter Amelia Rose on May 16, 2011. (continued on page 13)
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MAKING YOUR PRACTICE WORK FOR YOU
Making Sense of Meaningful Use and Other Changes to Your Practice by Tim Guest, D.C., ’86 Chiropractors today have had to make survival decisions in light of the many transitions taking place in the health care environment. In February 2009, President Obama signed into effect the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). One of the components of this legislation which has had the most significant effect on providers was the Health Information Technology for Economical and Clinical Health Act (HITECH). The HITECH act, while making significant improvements to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in the area of improving the confidentiality and security of an individual’s records,
also authorized Medicare and Medicaid to offer incentive payments to encourage doctors and hospitals to become “meaningful users” of certified Electronic Health Records (EHR). These incentives will only be paid to those who adopt certified Electronic Health Records and meet the government’s “meaningful use” objectives. Incentives begin this year and will continue to be available through 2014, in lesser amounts each year of the program. Medicare payment penalties for not achieving meaningful use of certified Electronic Health Records begin in 2015.1 Health care reform has certainly been a confusing and overwhelming topic for
Paper is out: the use of Electronic Health Records aims to reduce paperwork in health care.
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quite a few years, and even though most providers are resistant to change, there are some positive aspects to be considered. The hope is that Electronic Health Records will not only reduce paperwork in health care, but that “meaningful use” could lead to: Improved access to patient health records Facilitated sharing of patient medical records Improved ability to track trends in health care Reductions in the cost of care Improvements in quality of healthcare delivery
The Health Information Technology for Economical and Clinical Health legislation did not define “meaningful use” of Electronic Health Records but instead tasked the Department of Health and Human Services with drafting regulations to establish what would constitute meaningful use. Within that department, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have been the primary agencies responsible for drafting the regulations. The final regulations were released in July 2010. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also commonly referred to as the Health Care Reform Act, was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.
MAKING YOUR PRACTICE WORK FOR YOU
How will this affect chiropractic, which is to say, “Will I have to change the way I practice?” The “short” title of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is Quality, Affordable Health Care for All Americans and its purpose statement is “to provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending and for other purposes.” The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act adopted the meaningful use of EHR rule found in HITECH. It requires that an Eligible Provider be a meaningful Electronic Health Records user in the delivery of care and in improving the quality of the health of the community and the individuals that he/she serves.2 For chiropractors who have promoted the health care concept instead of disease care for more than a century, this looks like an acceptable goal, though time will tell how much of the devil is in the details. What does all this mean for the practicing clinician who is considering the purchase of an EHR system? Unless the clinician is adept at building or evaluating system interfaces, the selection and purchase of a number of standalone modules meeting the meaningful use requirement for certified technology (via the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology) may be problematic.3 At the end of this article you will find links to internet sites to help guide in the decision about EHRs and the Meaningful Use Rule. The PPACA also contains a list of definitions and goals that should be of benefit to the chiropractor. Health Profession lists specific providers, among which chiropractors are specifically named. This means that chiropractors who practice within their professional scope, keep accurate documentation and bill third
party payers appropriately will have the same rights and legal avenues as medical providers when faced with post-payment audits or reviews by insurance companies.
Classmate Updates
Health Promotion includes some of the following goals:
Meghan Luttrell Palmer, D.C., ‘10, and her husband, Michael, of Rutledge, TN, announce the birth of son, Fletcher Lee, on June 6, 2011.
Fostering social, economic, environmental, and personal factors conducive to health Raising public awareness about health matters Enabling people to cope with health problems by increasing their knowledge and providing them with valid information Promoting personal health and wellness practices Engaging patients and their families in improving patient care and outcomes
While the PPACA gives the chiropractor a more solid ground in the insurance arena, and supports the concept of a healthier world, it also places more responsibility on the provider to stay current with billing and documentation guidelines and to implement a compliance program for their practice. Online resources: http://www.cms.gov/ EHRIncentivePrograms/ http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/ server.pt/community/ healthit_hhs_gov__home/1204 http://ehrdecisions.com http://www.cchit.org References 1. http://healthit.hhs.gov 2. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act- sec. 1848(o)(2) 3. Bell, K. EHR Decisions, Electronic Health Record Information and News, Aug. 2, 2011.
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2000s
Jamielee Brown Shanahan, D.C., ’10, and her husband, Andy, of North Attleboro, MA, announce the birth of daughter Summer Leigh on September 6, 2011. Brandy McSwain, D.C., ’11, and her husband, Anthony, of Spartanburg, SC, announce the birth of son Colton Westbrook McSwain on March 7, 2011.
Deaths Michael P. Gold, D.C., ’77, of Chester, NJ, died on May 16, 2011. He is survived by his ex-wife and friend, Gail Sigman Gold, and children, Jonathan T. and Taylor E. Gold. Ronald Van Der Meulen, D.C., ’78, of Port St. Lucie, FL, died May 7, 2011, at age 61. He is survived by his wife of two years, Susan Columbo, and his mother, Frederika van der Meulen, of Toms River, NJ. James D. Mayes Jr., D.C. ’80, died on September 2, 2011. He is survived by his wife, Susan. Dean Brunot, D.C., ’87, of Greer, SC, died March 27, 2011. He is survived by his parents, his two children and his fiancée, Sue Randall. Carmen Gelardi, D.C., ’90, of Gaffney, SC., died on May 1, 2011, at the home of her parents, Thom and Betty (’76) Gelardi, D.C.s.
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L
ife consists of a series of transitions. It seems that change is an unavoidable constant. Learning to cope with these changes can be a challenge, but those who embrace change and look upon it as an opportunity for growth experience the greatest success in life.
Traveling around the world and back again Kelvin Ng Say Koon, D.C., is one of those people who has fully embraced the transitions in his life and is now reaping the benefits. A native of Singapore, Ng was a CPA working as a tax consultant when he began to think about a career change. Realizing that he had always had a strong interest in health issues, he considered taking a scholarship with a local hospital to train to be a podiatrist. But then in 2005, after his wife Joanne suggested that he consider becoming a “back doctor” instead of working on people’s feet, he had his first encounter with chiropractic while doing online research. What he found, Ng says, “resonated with me.” He then shadowed Janet Sosna, D.C., president of the Singapore Chiropractic Association, and she helped him weigh his options.
“My grandfather, who was a traditional Chinese medicine doctor and a businessman, was an inspiration,” Ng says of his decision to give up his successful six-year career as a tax consultant. “I grew up watching him help people from all walks of life, regardless of their financial status. There was no one in the family to continue his legacy, so I thought I should step up to the plate, but in the chiropractic way.” As with most transitions, the process was neither simple nor easy. Ng looks back, remembering that most of his friends thought he was crazy to give up a prestigious career for something unknown and uncertain. But his family supported his decision, even though he was the eldest child and the only breadwinner in the family. His siblings were still in school and his wife would have to give up her teaching job if they left Singapore for him to attend college. The decision was complicated by the fact that he and Joanne had exhausted their savings paying for IVF (in-vitro fertilization) in their five-year attempt to have a child. For that reason, when he found Sherman College, he was first attracted to South Carolina’s low cost of living. However, what ultimately convinced him to attend was the college’s
commitment to personal attention and its low student-teacher ratio. With his wife “morally obliged” to finish out the year teaching her high school graduating class, Ng spent his first six months alone in Spartanburg. Home was just a phone call away, but the 12-hour time difference made it difficult to talk to someone when he felt lonely or needed encouragement. “I could only bury myself in books,” Ng says of his struggle to cope with the curriculum, since his accounting degree had not included the science courses that many Sherman students had taken. Once his wife was able to join him, everything became easier emotionally, but finances became even tighter. Study loans were unavailable because he was not a U.S. citizen, but a scholarship from Sherman made it possible for him to continue. He persevered and graduated summa cum laude, maintaining the highest grade point average in his class. Then it was time for yet another transition. Ng returned to Singapore to open his own chiropractic office, Family Health Chiropractic Clinic, where his patients’ ages range from four days old to 91 years.
CH-CH-CHANGES The key to success and happiness in any career is the ability to adapt to change, to navigate life transitions smoothly.
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“There is a strong need for native Singaporean chiropractors in Singapore,” Ng says of his decision to return to his home country. “I saw a need to come back to do my part for my people.” The initial challenge of building his practice, he admits, was learning to explain chiropractic in many languages. Singapore is a multi-racial and multilingual society where someone might speak four or five languages. “Conversing chiropractic in these languages was a challenge,” Ng says of expanding his vocabulary over time so that he could “speak chiropractic” fluently with all of his patients. And at the same time, he and his wife also faced the most important transition in their lives. He and Joanne, who works as his office manager, are now the parents of three-year-old Jay Ler, the son they had long hoped for and who Ng calls “a chiropractic miracle” because Joanne overcame her infertility naturally after she received regular chiropractic care. The struggle to have their own child is one of the reasons that Ng specializes in treating babies, young children and pregnant women in Singapore.
Joanne and Kelvin Ng’s son, Jay Ler, is the reason he specializes in treating pregnant women.
IN PRACTICE LIFE by freelance writer Beverly Knight
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Adapting to changes, expected and unexpected Like Ng, Nylsa Correa, D.C., began her road to chiropractic far from Spartanburg, SC. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Correa always knew that she wanted a career in health care, leaning toward an emphasis in pediatric medicine. It was not until she was 16 and first experienced chiropractic as a patient that she became aware of the benefits of chiropractic care. “Everything just made sense, the philosophy, the science behind it,” she says of the attraction that she felt instantly and which led to her decision to pursue a career in chiropractic. “I wanted to help kids and families, and I wanted to help them be healthy, not just avoid getting sick.” Her first step was to attend Universidad de Puerto Rico where she earned a bachelor of arts in biology. After she graduated, the aspiring chiropractor knew that she wanted to study in the United States to complete her chiropractic training.
“I have the freedom to take my kids with me to the office, something that has made my patients more comfortable about bringing their own children when they come for an adjustment.” – Nylsa Correa, D.C., ’99
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Correa had spent a year at the University of Massachusetts as an exchange student and had also had the opportunity to visit both Life University’s College of Chiropractic and Sherman. Though she was attracted to Sherman’s smaller size and “sense of community,” her parents were reluctant to let their oldest daughter study that far away from home without a support system. They convinced her to enroll at Life because the family had friends in Atlanta who could help her make the transition. But after one year, although she admits that having friends in Atlanta helped her meet the challenges of living on her own so far from her family, she convinced her parents to let her transfer to Sherman. Correa was getting used to transitions by that time, but she found that she had more in store. Atlanta was a metropolitan area, much like San Juan, with a large Hispanic population. Adjusting to life in a smaller town was a little harder than she anticipated, and she felt handicapped by the fact that English was not her first language, making it necessary for her to work harder than others to succeed in classes. When she graduated from Sherman in 1999, the newly minted D.C. returned to Puerto Rico where she opened her first practice in a small space in her father’s dentist office. Her practice focused on families and particularly children. Then she faced her next transition. In 2001, she met and married her husband, Jean-Andre Figarella. Figarella wanted to relocate to Virginia, where his family already lived, to attend Strayer University, headquartered in Arlington. They moved to Virginia in 2002 and she opened an office there in 2003. “He tricked me,” Correa says of her “computer geek” husband and their “temporary” move to Virginia. “The plan was to go back to Puerto Rico as soon as he was finished with school, but in his line of work, the opportunities were better here than in Puerto Rico so we have stayed here.” That meant Correa’s transition to life in the United States had become more perma-
Correa says having children helped her focus her practice in a way she had always wanted.
nent. And she had to start her practice, Naturally Chiropractic in Stafford, Virginia, without the family support she’d had in her home country. Then the births of their children, Shanti (8) and Gian Carlo (5), made it necessary for her to adjust her career plans once again to accommodate “mom time.” But in many ways, she says, that transition has focused her practice in a way that she had always wanted. She still has a family practice, and she’s completing her certification in pediatrics. Knowing the demands that a family makes on her own life has made it easier for her to treat the babies and pregnant moms that make up much of her practice. And since she lives near Quantico, she says, “I might see a twoto three-week-old baby and then a 300pound Marine.” One of the things she loves best about her career is that it gives her the freedom to adapt her hours and days in the office so that she can spend quality time with her children. “During summer I can come home and have lunch with them,” Correa says of her practice, which she limits to three days a week. “And I have the freedom to take my kids with me to the office,
something that has even made my patients more comfortable about bringing their own children when they come for an adjustment.” She laughs that her place sometimes looks more like a daycare center than a chiropractic office, but she’s happy she can bring that part of her life to her work. “When my daughter was in first grade, she made a drawing of what she wanted to be when she grew up,” Correa says. “She drew herself as a chiropractor. That drawing is the first thing people see when they come to my office.” There have been so many changes in her life that she has become accustomed to them, so much so that when people comment on all she’s done, it always surprises her. “One thing I’ve learned is that with every transition, it’s good to have a plan, but you have to be able to adapt to changes, expected and unexpected,” the accomplished adapter says. “I did have a plan to have a career in chiropractic. But it’s also good to recognize that things change, that you have to find what works for you and for your family situation. “Finding that balance is the key.”
Philosophically transitioning a practice Some transitions, like Ng’s and Correa’s, are physical ones; others are philosophical. When Michael Stratton, D.C., graduated from Sherman in June of 2005, he began working for a chiropractor in his home state of Florida as soon as he was licensed. After several years, he made a decision that he wanted to be his own boss, to establish a practice based on his personal beliefs about chiropractic care. That decision has resulted in more than one relocation for Stratton and his family. He and his wife Camille have two children, a son, Takeo, who is three and a half, and a daughter, Mika, who is not yet a year old. Within three months of moving to a new office, they also packed up and moved to a new house. “My wife is pulling her hair out,” Stratton says of the stress of making those two moves with two small children. But after he purchased the satellite clinic, Lakelands Family Chiropractic, and proceeded to set up his own practice there, he knew that the move was the right one
for him. Going out on his own gave him the opportunity to structure the practice in a way that fit his own philosophy. “The office philosophy for the practice I bought was primarily pain-based,” Stratton says. “I knew that a wellness practice was a better fit for my philosophical beliefs. I have a firm belief that chiropractic should be based on removing interference from the nervous system rather than treating pain symptoms, and I wanted to incorporate that into my practice.” Making a transition in philosophy in an existing practice required a great deal of preparation and education. Before he bought the practice, he spent time there, seeing patients and getting familiar with how the office worked. Then in June of this year, he completed the transition, hiring his own office manager and two massage therapists. The doctor who had established the practice had been there for more than 25 years. Most of the patients were unfamiliar with the wellness philosophy and were accustomed to seeking care only when they were in pain. But Stratton is pleased that 60 to 70 percent of the patients were receptive to the changes he implemented, though some continued to see him only when they were in pain and others who could not accept the change in philosophy moved to other clinics. “The first step my staff had to take was to help me educate the patients,” Stratton says of the patients who remained with the practice. He also had more than 40 patients who followed him from his previous office, so that the practice now totals 400 office visits a month. A key to making the transition a successful one, Stratton says, is that he sought advice from others.
Stratton says making a transition in practice philosophy requires both preparation and education.
“Absolutely the biggest thing I’ve done is get help. Everyone needs a coach who can guide him through the process. Someone looking from the outside in has a different perspective than you have yourself.”
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A key to transitioning a practice philosophy, Stratton says, is seeking advice from others. “Absolutely the biggest thing I’ve done is get help. Everyone needs a coach who can guide him through the process. Someone looking from the outside in has a different perspective than you have yourself.” A few months into the new practice, the primary emphasis shifted to patient education. “We want to teach them not to focus on pain,” he says. “We ask them, ‘Why hasn’t your body been able to heal this?’ If we can get them to the point that they understand that the nervous system controls and heals the body, they’ll understand that eliminating the interference is the key.”
From private practice to consulting and teaching Michael Lenarz, D.C., knew from the beginning of his career that he wanted to find outlets for his message – that he wanted more than to work as a chiropractor in an office. The Pennsylvania native and graduate of Sherman established a practice in Washington State in 1987, when as he says, his wife Susan “dragged me out here.” That practice grew and prospered, but as it did, he looked for ways to expand his reach beyond the office. “I’ve always striven to take chiropractic to a larger audience, to affect more lives, to play a bigger game,” Lenarz says of the turn that his career has taken in the past few years. The successful author, consultant and teacher found that he had less and less time to devote to his active practice. Because of his career outside the practice, he has been slowly transitioning for the past several years from a private practice taking the chiropractic message global. “On one level I thought I’d pretty much mastered the day-to-day operation of one practice. After 20 years, I wanted a new direction and adventure in my life,” Lenarz says of his desire to move beyond his general family practice with a focus on upper cervical.
Health care classes are now conducted every other week for new patients. And since the office focus is on family practice, there are midwives who rent space there as well. Stratton is pleased with the transition and has as his immediate goal to grow the practice by 20 percent, with a long range goal of reaching 200 office visits a week. “It’s important to do what you’re comfortable with,” Stratton says of his decision to take an existing patient group and educate them until they “get” your practice philosophy. “Patients will sense if you aren’t comfortable with your own practice. You must stay congruent with your message, and that is perhaps the hardest part of the transition,” he says.
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With the recent opening of a new office in Seattle, he now has seven offices in Washington and Michigan that he owns or manages, while his schedule of teaching seminars on chiropractic technique, upper cervical and office management continues to consume more and more of his time. “It was clear that if I continued to create consulting and teaching seminars that I didn’t have time to see patients,” Lenarz concludes. “I just couldn’t do both.” Although he keeps his hand in the practice by doing relief work for the five chiropractors and, as he says, he has “a few VIP clients that I travel around the world to see,” his main focus moving forward is to generate a core team of chiropractors that will develop a nationwide and international chain of offices. He feels confident that he’s ready for the change in focus because of his vast experience. But he cautions others who are considering that type of transition that it is critical for them to become truly successful in their private practice before they try to translate their skills into other areas. “Just from a logistics standpoint, many people try to transition into something other than practice before they find success,” he says. “As they continue to mature, more opportunities to develop their careers in areas such as research and education are possible. But it’s important to understand that success is the launching point.” Lenarz speaks from experience. He was named Blair Chiropractic Society Chiropractor of the Year in 2003, is the author of The Chiropractic Way, the first introductory book published on chiropractic by a major publisher, and has been a consultant with Five Star Management, working throughout North America as a business management consultant. He also serves on the Sherman College Board of Trustees. His credentials in his profession attest to his success.
Lenarz has always looked for ways to expand his reach beyond the office.
Those accomplishments uniquely suit him for the role he’s moved into. Lenarz
knows that at this stage in his career, he is most interested in helping others build on what he has created. “I’m willing to move into the background, be a mentor, let them develop. I want to help develop continuity and success for others.” The most important aspect of preparing for this type of transition, Lenarz says, is establishing a firm financial foundation from which to launch. “Typically you don’t want your income and lifestyle to go down. Managing that transition so that you can develop professionally and economically is the key,” he says. A second key is that those who are beginning to transition must be willing to be coached and to learn from others. Lenarz spent years with mentors who helped him to advance and be successful. “It’s never easy,” he says. “Nothing made it easy for me. One of the things I brought to the table was a strong work ethic. No one should have the expectation that the transition will be easy. You need to be willing to work hard to achieve goals.”
Knowing when to cut back Conventional wisdom tends toward the “bigger is better” philosophy, something that Lenarz embraced from the beginning of his career. But for Josh Pulver, D.C., the opposite has proved true. When he graduated from Sherman in 2004 and returned to his home state of Michigan, he opened Pulver Family Chiropractic in a 2,200-square-foot existing office. As soon as the lease was up on the office space, he moved to a 1,400-square-foot space. Then in June of this year, he downsized yet again to a 600-square-foot office in Petoskey, Michigan. He likens the magnitude of the transition to that of someone moving from a 2,000square-foot house to a 1,000-square-foot apartment. It takes some organizing and eliminating to make the move work smoothly. “A move is always going to take longer than you think,” Pulver remarks, adding
Conventional wisdom tends toward the “bigger is better” philosophy, but Pulver has found the opposite has proved true for his practice. He has downsized to a 600-square-foot office.
that the first time he moved, he allowed himself six weeks to get everything ready. “But this time the deadline I set for myself was shorter and proved to be difficult to meet. I totally underestimated how long it would take to get everything ready.” Still, he was determined to re-open on his July 6 deadline, even if he hadn’t yet put the final polish on the carpentry and painting in the new space. The one thing he learned, he says, is that “just because you’re moving into a smaller space doesn’t mean it will take you less time to get it ready.” Pulver had an advantage that many young chiropractors do not. He never considered a career other than chiropractic, learning early from his father, Brian (also a Sherman graduate), the value of chiropractic care. “I was born into chiropractic. It was ingrained into our psyches,” Pulver says of what seemed to him a common sense approach to health care. “I learned that
chiropractic was what you sought if you wanted to be healthy. If we were happy and doing well, we went across the street and got adjusted. If we were run down, we got adjusted. If I was getting ready to pitch a Little League game, I got adjusted. If I needed to run a mile, I got adjusted.” And that lesson was not only conveyed to him, but to his brother, Levi, who also graduated from Sherman, and to his younger brother who is currently enrolled at Parker in Texas. His father is now retired from practice, but Levi has an office in southern Michigan, only four hours away. Now Josh and his wife, Robyn, who is the office manager, have learned the value of contracting their work space. Instead of two examining rooms, Pulver put both tables in one. He also decided to eliminate two things that had consumed much of his time and space: processing insurance claims and in-office x-rays.
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Making the office a cash-only operation was the key to other changes necessary to make the smaller office work efficiently. “The cash practice makes everything easier,” Pulver says of the decision he made based on the fact that more than half of his patients didn’t have insurance and others couldn’t meet their large deductibles. After analyzing his office procedures, he says, “It was clear that we were structuring everything based on a minority of our practice.” When I got rid of the x-ray machines, I got rid of 300 square feet of space requirements,” Pulver says of his decision to refer his patients to a nearby radiology facility when x-rays are warranted. “I not only saved space, but I also made the office more efficient.” And, he’s found, with a radiology center less than a mile away, his patients can walk in, get an x-ray and have it posted to his server by the time they can get back to his office. “If a patient is concerned, before I lay my hands on him, I send him down the street and get the visual confirmation,” Pulver says. “Not only am I saving space and making my office procedure more efficient, but someone else is paying the expense of owning and operating the equipment.” The solution, he says, to making the smaller space work is careful planning. He worked over the floor plan before he made any decisions about how to utilize the new space. That planning has paid dividends in time saved. “Because everything is in one room now, I’m able to see people more efficiently. So when I get congested with walk-ins, it works much better than it did in the bigger office,” Pulver says, noting that surprisingly, he sees the same number of patients in the smaller space that he did in his larger one. “Now the office is much easier to navigate and the flow of traffic is better.” And he can now focus on his goal for the future. The father of a toddler wants to become certified in chiropractic pediatrics. “There is a need for more pediatric chiro-
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practors as many more people are embracing the wellness lifestyle,” Pulver says, remembering his own early introduction to chiropractic. “I believe that chiropractic can have an even greater impact on a young child than on a fully grown adult.” As he grows his practice and seeks further certification, there is one thing he plans to keep in mind: “You don’t need as much space as you think you need.”
Life after chiropractic Leslie Wise, D.C., is in the process of making the final transition of his long career in chiropractic. He has worked at Sherman College for 38 years as both a teacher and administrator. During his career, he balanced a personal chiropractic practice at Wise Chiropractic, his work as an expert witness defending other chiropractors in court, and his numerous job titles and duty assignments at Sherman. Though his tenure at Sherman has been continuous since 1974, his life before he arrived at the newly-established college had gone through several transitions. After he graduated from the University of CaliforniaSan Francisco in 1966 with a bachelor of arts and a specialty in Latin and Greek, he began a career teaching English. Then he entered the Army and was stationed in South Carolina, where a chance meeting with Sherman’s founder, Thom Gelardi, D.C., led him to consider chiropractic as a career. He had heard about chiropractic but had never had a personal experience with chiropractic care. For years he had suffered from migraine headaches. None of the treatments that he received in the Army health system had any effect in reducing their severity. After he sought chiropractic care and recovered from the debilitating headaches, he began to consider chiropractic as a career. Gelardi believed in him so much that he even paid Wise’s first quarter tuition at Palmer College in Iowa to encourage him to enter the profession. While Wise was a student at Palmer and Gelardi was estab-
lishing Sherman College, the two kept in touch. Once Wise graduated, Gelardi offered his protégé a job as dean of students and faculty member. Over the years, Wise has held five different administrative positions at the college and taught a number of courses, all while building his own practice. He also established a reputation as an expert witness. Then a dozen years ago he made the transition to a faculty position as a professor of clinical sciences. Now he limits his teaching to two classes, joking that “the next step is out the door.” He also limits his work in his private practice. Now it’s that final transition, the one leading to full retirement, that has become his main focus. He admits that it’s not easy to back away from two full-time jobs and embrace retirement. His personal experience has led him to recommend to others that they make that transition in stages, what he calls “a seven- or eight-year ease out.” In his Practice Management class at Sherman, Wise focuses on teaching students how to start, how to run and how to buy a practice. He sees all those transitions from different viewpoints. His advice to young chiropractors purchasing an established practice is to keep the “old doctor” around for as long as they can to effect a transition that assures the best patient retention and satisfaction. “It’s important to shift the mantle of authority,” Wise says, “to assure patients that ‘this young fellow is my choice to take over.’” But that advice also takes into account that the “old doctor” might need the time to make his own transition. Wise put a similar transition plan in place in his own practice, training his son Nick, a 2000 Sherman graduate, to take over Wise Chiropractic when the time came. That time came more quickly than Wise had hoped when he needed heart surgery, which sidelined him for a while. “Because transition planning was in effect, my son knew all my patients and the result was an excellent retention rate,” Wise says. “It was important for his success that the transition
Wise’s personal experience has led him to recommend to others that they make the retirement transition in stages, what he calls “a seven- or eight-year ease out.”
period had been a long one and not abrupt.” But Wise knows that the long transition period benefited him as well. It allowed him to adjust slowly to the changes associated with that final shift, giving him a chance to develop interests beyond work to fill the void that retiring creates, to decide what to do with his life “after chiropractic.” “Recognizing that your life is going to be different and accepting that is important,” Wise counsels. “You have to realize that things are going to change. The degree to which you can accept that affects how happy you can be in retirement.” Wise likens the process to Alcoholic Anonymous’ 12 Steps Program. “You need to take a fearless inventory of yourself,” he says. “For instance, you will need to recognize that you’re stepping out of the limelight. If you need applause, be a volunteer, do church work, get that applause through
something other than your career. It is a transition. You will not be the headliner any more.” Planning is the key, Wise says, pointing to one of the most dangerous pitfalls, what he calls “Chiro Macho,” the idea that “I’ll never retire, never wear out.” That’s a dangerous myth, Wise says, “Everyone needs to face reality, face that macho mentality. Everyone is human.” The key to success and happiness in any career is the ability to adapt to change, to navigate life transitions smoothly. And it’s clear that a career in chiropractic requires the ability to adapt to both planned and unplanned transitions.
What’s your story? Want to share YOUR story? Write to us at Sherman Alumni Magazine, PO Box 1452, Spartanburg, SC 29304; e-mail krhodes@sherman.edu.
“Recognizing that your life is going to be different and accepting that is important,” Wise counsels. “You have to realize that things are going to change. The degree to which you can accept that affects how happy you can be in retirement.”
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SAVE THE DATE: LYCEUM 2012
Alumni Insurance Program Supports at Any Age, Stage Whether you’ve just graduated, are established with a family and career, or are getting ready to enjoy a well-earned retirement, The Alumni Insurance Program, sponsored by Sherman College, can help you at every stage of your life. The Alumni Insurance Program is a convenient source for life, health and travel insurance for alumni and their family members. There are a variety of plans available to meet your needs, including GradMed short-term health insurance, great for new grads and other alumni seeking temporary coverage and ProtectorMed for Catastrophe Major Medical coverage. Check out all the options at www.sherman.edu.
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You can also get more information on these insurance plans by visiting www.alumniinsuranceprogram.com/ sherman or calling American Insurance Administrators at 800-922-1245 weekdays, 8 a.m. -6 p.m., Eastern Time.
Sherman Shares E-Newsletter brings News to Your E-mail Inbox If you enjoy receiving regular printed publications from Sherman but would like more frequent updates on the latest news, sign up for the college’s e-mail newsletter, Sherman Shares. Sherman Shares delivers news, photos and features each month in an easy-to-read format — right to your e-mail inbox. To sign up, visit www.sherman.edu/enews and fill out our quick and easy form. From there, you can also take a look at archived issues and other college news like the Recognition Through Research newsletter.
Lyceum 2012, May 24-26 — Why should you be here? This year’s attendees give you their reasons: “I would love for alumni to come back to the college and get reacquainted with its spirit. There are a lot that alumni don’t know about the new Sherman College.” “The staff, the students, the faculty – they’re all remarkably helpful and caring.” “I love that Lyceum recharges my Spizz. I always come back to my practice and am on fire for chiropractic. Sometimes I find it hard to keep people focused on health. Lyceum always brings me back to where I need to be.”
“If you were not at Lyceum, apologize to every person under your care and pledge to be there from now on.” “Best Lyceum banquet EVER. The live band made the night amazing! This is a must-do for every year.”
Save the date The Alumni Reunion Party for graduation class years ’77, ’82, ’87, ’92, ’97, ’02 and ’07 (Penn. College classes of ’82, ’87 and ’92 ) will be held Thursday, May 24, 2012.
Ask the new grad: Why did you become a chiropractor? “I always had intentions of working in health care. As a child I dreamed of wearing a stethoscope and white coat and carrying a big bag around. As I became an adult and had the opportunity to experience the daily tasks of different health care professionals, I knew that chiropractic was for me. It is one of the few professions where I can have a true ‘hands-on’ experience with my patients daily.” – Holly Clarke, South Carolina, June 2011 graduate
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HELP SHERMAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS
Make an Adjustment for the ADJUST Fund At Sherman we give students the skills and knowledge they need to become licensed doctors of chiropractic and world-class adjusters.
Annual Donations Joining to Underwrite Scholarships & Teaching
Your donations help shape the future of Sherman College as we continue to improve and enhance the chiropractic learning experience for our students. We welcome your donations so that we can further enhance teaching strategies increase scholarship awards provide real-world clinic experiences educate competent, compassionate, ethical and successful doctors
Join us in supporting quality chiropractic education at Sherman by sending the cash equivalent of your fee for an adjustment or two.
Yes! I want to support the ADJUST fund at Sherman. Enclosed is my donation for the ADJUST Fund: $__________ Enclosed is the first of monthly donations I pledge to make to Sherman’s ADJUST Fund: Amount $_______ x _____ months for a total pledge of $_______ I would like you to charge my credit card monthly on the ______ day of each month until the pledge is paid in full. Payment Options:
check
money order
credit card
Credit card #_______________________________ Exp. Date ___________ Signature __________________________________ Date ______________
Visa
MC
AmEx
Discover
Name____________________________________________ E-mail ________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________________ Phone __________________________________ City/State/Zip_________________________________ Country ____________ Fax ____________________________________ Mail this form to ADJUST Fund, Sherman College of Chiropractic, P.O. Box 1452, Spartanburg, SC 29304. We would happily set up monthly credit card donations for you.
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SHERMAN COLLEGE AWARD RECIPIENTS
Chiropractors of the Year: Drs. Gary Roeben, Brian Rutecki & Sam Wang
Schwartzbauer with Wang, Roeben and Rutecki
Gary Roeben, Brian Rutecki and Sam Wang, D.C.s, were named Sherman College Chiropractors of the Year during Lyceum 2011. Roeben, Rutecki and Wang were classmates at Sherman and graduated together in 2001 with a vision to find a way to help other doctors manage the business aspect of a practice so they could focus on patient care and education. They co-founded Naperville Institute in 2001 and began a rapid expansion in 2002 which continues today. The three chiropractors, whom Sherman affectionately calls “The Chicago Three,” distinguished themselves early on and received the Rising Star Awards from Sherman in 2003 and the Spirit of Sherman College Award in 2008. Roeben, Rutecki and Wang are cofounders of Chiro One Wellness Centers which has grown to 64 offices: 50 in Illinois, 12 in Kentucky and two in Texas. The doctors expect to have 75 wellness centers by the end of this year. Together, with their other partners, they manage a team of 480 employees nationwide. They have created a model that standardizes the Chiro One office experience so that a patient who seeks chiropractic care in any of their offices has the same quality experience. They work with their doctors to develop relationships that help everyone succeed.
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Regents of the Year: Gary & Cathleen Padden, D.C.s
ROAR Career Advisor of the Year: Erik Beauvais, D.C.
Lakeview, MI, chiropractors Gary and Cathleen Padden, D.C.s, are both alumni, Gary graduating in 1983 and Cathie in 1985. Members of the Alumni Association since graduation, the couple have been actively engaged with the college as members of the Board of Regents for nearly 25 years, and have also become leaders in the Reach Out And Recruit (ROAR) program. They were named Career Advisors of the Year in 2010 for their great success in Mahipat sending students to Sherman College. They currently have eight referred students enrolled at Sherman, with a ninth student planning to enroll in October.
Erik Beauvais, D.C., of Boiling Springs, SC, is a 2009 Sherman graduate and an inaugural member of the Reach Out and Recruit program. In addition to talking with future chiropractors about a career in chiropractic, Beauvais opened his office to the prospective students attending a Sherman open house event and spoke about setting up a practice. He has been active in helping the college build enrollment, speaking at community and college events. Beauvais has mentored students in his office, and he has referred a student who plans to enroll in October.
Distinguished Service Award: Beauvais Marlene Mahipat, D.C.
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Lay Person of the Year: Greg Buchanan
Chiropractic advocate Greg Buchanan has contributed to the advancement of Sherman Marlene Mahipat, D.C., of RanCollege and the profession by dallstown, MD, is a 2001 Sherman referring thousands of people graduate and native of Trinidad. She to upper cervical chiropracmoved to Maryland in 2002 to protors. Buchanan credits the vide patients with cost-effective chihelp of upper cervical chiroropractic care that meets the needs practors for returning him to of the general public as well as those full health following an injury with special needs, including pregBuchanan sustained in a rugby match. nant women and infants. In 2006, He is writing a book about his research into she founded Helping Orphans Prosper the possible conditions resulting from injuries Everywhere (HOPE), a non-profit chilto the upper cervical spine and the results of dren’s foundation which focuses on proupper cervical care. Buchanan founded the viding food, clothing, vitamins and eduUpper Cervical Patient Advocates Association cational supplies to underprivileged and with James and Rhonda Tomasi. He has displaced children. She created a non-profit degrees in electrical engineering, finance and pet foundation that focuses on preventing business administration. In addition to his healthy animals from being put to sleep telecommunications work and his career and supports on-going projects to help with Microsoft, Buchanan has worked for elderly with food and vet bills for their Texas Instruments and Apple. He continues pets. She also volunteers to make weekly to consult in business development. deliveries for Meals On Wheels.
SHERMAN COLLEGE AWARD RECIPIENTS
Service to the Profession: Liam P. Schubel, D.C.
Rising Star: Stephen Dotson, D.C.
Liam Schübel, D.C., of Freehold, NJ, is Kentucky chiropractor Steve Dotson, D.C., a 1995 graduate of Life University and a is a December 2009 Sherman graduate. member of the Sherman Board of Trustees. In January 2010, he opened Chiro One He is founder and past president of the Wellness Center in Winchester, KY, and Peruvian Chiropractic Alliance and is the quickly built his practice to 200 visits per Peru representative on the International week. He received the Rookie of the Year Board of Governors of the World ChiroAward from Chiro One Wellness Centers practic Alliance. Schübel, who speaks fluent in his first year in practice. Dotson is an Spanish, is owner of Centro Quiropractico active member of Sherman’s Reach Out and Schübel, with 16 offices in Peru and two Recruit (ROAR) program and attends comin the Dominican Republic. He also owns munity events and school fairs to promote Schubel Chiropractic in New Jersey. chiropractic, health and Sherman College. Schübel now spends most of his time Dotson performed 12 informacoaching, traveling and speaking to tive workshops last quarter, all promote chiropractic. He is co-founstressing the importance of a der of The Best Mission Trip Ever, an properly aligned spine. organization that provides chiropractic care to isolated communities of the Spirit of Sherman College: world. In addition, he is co-founder Jared Sargent, D.C. and executive director of On Pointe Schübel Jared Sargent, D.C., of Seminars, helping doctors increase Mauldin, SC, is a 2005 Sherman personal and professional successes. graduate. Once in practice, he says, he immediately realized the value Service to Sherman College: of the education he received at Alan Brewster, D.C. Sherman and wanted to give back Alan Brewster, D.C., of Passaic to the college. He eagerly accepted Park, NJ, is a 1989 summa cum the invitation to become a member laude Sherman graduate and serves Brewster of the college’s Reach Out and on the Board of Trustees. From the Recruit (ROAR) program time he enrolled as a student, to this to build enrollment and served day, Brewster has been a reliable and as a motivational speaker for enthusiastic Sherman supporter. He the Clinic Challenge, a confihas served on the Board of Regents dence-building program on since 1995 and has been a member campus. Since opening Sargent and a leader in the Alumni Association, Chiropractic Clinic, he has having served in every office except been active in his community treasurer. Brewster has been a presenter Dotson by hosting blood drives and at many Infinite Principles proparticipating in local grams at Lyceum. He has promoted events. He is team chiroSherman through Facebook and at practor for the Greenville conferences such as New Beginnings. Road Warriors profesIn his com-munity, Brewster is an sional hockey team and officer and past president of the is active in promoting Rotary Club of Passaic and a trustee chiropractic in his comof the public library system and munity, both to patients sponsors a little league team. Sargent (left) and future chiropractors.
Gallery of Honor Inductee: Leroy G. Moore, D.C. Leroy G. Moore, D.C., has been inducted into the Gallery of Honor, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated significant and longstanding support for Sherman College and have contributed to the advancement of chiropractic. Inductees are honored by the inclusion of their framed photograph and biography in the gallery, displayed in the Scallon Building on campus. Moore graduated from Sherman with the Pioneer Class of 1976 and immediately joined the faculty. He served the college in many capacities from 1976 until his retirement in 2008, including assistant to the president, dean of chiropractic services, vice president, interim president, senior vice president, vice president for academic affairs, provost and senior vice president for institutional advancement and director of ambassador relations. Moore has had a distinguished career in chiropractic. He served as president and executive director of the Straight Chiropractic Academic Standards Association, chairman of the Chiropractic Foundation of America, president of the Sherman Alumni Association and chairman of the Council for Chief Academic Officers of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges. He was named Chiropractor of the Year by the FSCO in 1987 and by Sherman College in 1993. His other awards include Spirit of Sherman College (1982), Distinguished Service (1984, 1987 and 2001), Leadership and Service (1986), Distinguished Alumnus (1989) and Pillar of the College (2003). Moore has been a member of the Sherman College Board of Regents since 1983.
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LYCEUM 2011: HEAR US ROAR
1. Big Top speaker retired Brigadier General Rebecca Halstead joins Sherman student and veteran Al Coston Jr.
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2. The Vitalistics play to an enthusiastic Friday evening crowd. 3. Steve Sinclair and Lewis Leaseburge catch up between CE sessions. 4. Tedd Koren presents his Koren Specific Technique. 5. Banquet-goers dance to live music from The American Flyers.
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6. Pioneer Class graduates and spouses share memories during the alumni reunions.
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7. President Jon Schwartzbauer shares the college’s long-term plans with Reach Out and Recruit (ROAR) doctors. 8. ROAR members at the Tailgate and Training event on Friday. 9. The Vitalistics draw a large crowd under the tent on Friday.
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10. President Schwartzbauer welcomes prospective students for Career Day on Saturday. 11. Hypnotist Gabriel Holmes entertains under the Big Top.
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12. Kevin Phalen, Katelyn Niemiec, Brian Rutecki and Steve Niemiec chat in the café. 13. Neurology expert Dan Murphy’s seminar was well-attended.
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14. Susan Newlin is honored as she retires after 37 years of service to the college. 15. Maxine McMullen and her pediatrics program were among Lyceum program favorites. 16. Students Nico Rocco and Bethaney Allison arrive for the retro-themed banquet. 17. World Congress of Chiropractic Students’ 5K walk/run kicked off Saturday morning at Lyceum. 18. Irene Gold reminisces as she looks through the scrapbooks at the alumni reunions.
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FOCUS ON BUILDING THE PROFESSION
Spotted on Facebook “To everyone at Sherman, thank you for an amazing [Lyceum] weekend. The speakers were great, the hospitality was phenomenal and that retro dance party was crazy fun. Me and my Life University friends thank you and look forward to coming back next year. You have a great school down there.” – Michael Hollerbach, chiropractic student
Get Social with Sherman! With social networking, it’s easy to stay connected to Sherman College. Here are a few ways to keep in touch with us: Become a fan of Sherman College and join the Sherman College group. Just search for Sherman College at www.facebook.com/. Find us on MySpace at www.myspace.com/shermancollege. Connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/shermanchiropractic and www.linkedin.com/groups? gid=1680507 (the Alumni group). Follow Sherman at www.twitter. com/shermanchiro; follow the alumni office @ShermanAlumDir; and read up on news and public relations activities @shermanPRgirl. Check out our blogs for the latest news. Follow student and college adventures at www.sherman.edu/blogs.
Working Together to Grow Sherman College by Admission Representative Daria Winnicka The fall travel season tends to be Admissions’ busiest, and this fall will be no exception. After such a wonderful Lyceum this past Memorial Day weekend, I am eager to get back on the road and back in touch with everyone. Meeting more prospective students and reconnecting with alumni means growing the Sherman family, and that’s exciting!
This semester, we are also encouraging and welcoming more current Sherman students to give back to the college by visiting their alma maters or doing health talks in the community. This not only helps develop their communication and networking skills, but it ensures that Sherman students understand the importance of educating the community and the future of our profession. After all, they were once in those shoes. I am looking forward to doing more local South and North Carolina events with our current students. Two events I’m particularly anticipating are the North Carolina Chiropractic Convention and the New Beginnings conference in New Jersey because we will have current Sherman students at both.
With the help of Dr. Jaime Browning and the elite group of ROAR (Reach Out And Recruit) chiropractors she’s helped build, the Sherman Admission Office will be participating in events from South Carolina to Michigan and Louisiana to Kentucky. We will be attending more chiropractic conventions than in the past, so be sure to check your local convention for a Sherman representative and stop by to reconnect.
I will be inviting a few select students to attend the North Carolina Convention with me. We will have prospective student mixers at both events, so current students can mingle with prospective students, as well as with alumni and chiropractors in the field. Our New Beginnings Philosophy Club on campus has plans to bus a group of people up to Long Branch to participate in the weekend.
Though we are one of the smaller chiropractic institutions, our voices are loud and we are proud to represent – that’s why we’re the Sherman Pride!
For a complete list of events scheduled and to find out how you can help us grow, contact me at dwinnicka@sherman.edu. I look forward to hearing from you!
Kind words from June 2011 graduate Jonathan Holloway, D.C. “I must praise my family at Sherman for continued support after graduation and into practice. I am in continued contact with my case doctor, Dr. Stephanie Johnson, the entire admissions staff, and even the registrar Melody Sabin. I don't think any school or program can anticipate all challenges you may face in opening a practice, but I feel very prepared thanks to my education at Sherman. Even though I am going into business for myself, I don't feel like I am doing it alone.” — Follow Dr. Holloway on his blog at sherman.blogs.com/sem.
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ROARING WITH SHERMAN COLLEGE
Being a Sherman Grad: That’s Something to ROAR About by ROAR Member Paul Polak, D.C., ’10 When I was young, I knew nothing about chiropractic. I believed every scary report and commercial that was thrown at us. And when I got “sick,” my family and I believed everything our doctors and health care professionals told us without question. Fast forward to today... I’ve been practicing just less than a year now. And I encourage every patient I see to question not only me, but anyone and everyone who gives him or her health advice. I do this because I believe it is important for each of us to understand what is going on with our health, even at a basic level. So far being in practice has been fantastic. As those of us who have graduated know, and those students who will graduate will find out, it takes some time to get your practice rolling. I was very fortunate to have an office with an amazing business manager, Laura Emricko, and an established and successful Sherman chiropractor, Dr. W. Sean Gillott willing to let me use their office in Charleroi, PA, to run my own practice. When I was considering chiropractic school, Dr. Gillott told me, “If you want to learn how to make an adjustment, go to Sherman.” At the time I had no idea that chiropractic schools had different philosophies, but
when it came to focusing on adjustments, boy was he right. As a student, I tried to pick the brains of the phenomenal doctors at Sherman, most notably Dr. Kevin Power and Dr. Ron Castellucci as much as I could (and by the way Dr. Ron, Go Steelers!). My appreciation for teachers like these is the reason I joined ROAR. If someone I send to Sherman could learn half of what I learned from them, then I would be thrilled. Some of the best years of my life were spent as a student at Sherman, and giving someone else that opportunity is a privilege. So, as I run my practice on a day-to-day basis, I am learning more and more about what it takes to be a chiropractor. From the business aspects to making a connection with the awesome people we call patients, I am thrilled to put to work the skills I learned while at Sherman. Even though I’ve been in practice since January, I’ve been in what casinos refer to as a “soft opening.” I will be having a grand opening week before the end of the year and I will start making speaking appearances to educate more people about this wonderful profession we have. I look at it this way: I was introduced to chiropractic by a speaker while at Penn State, and I will do whatever I can to introduce this gift to as many other people as I can. Hopefully some of them will make their way to Sherman through the ROAR program, and you will be reading a write up in this magazine about them. December 2010 graduate Paul Polak of Charleroi, PA, became the college’s 100th ROAR member during Lyceum 2011.
Sherman College: Coming to a Town Near You This fall, recruiter travel will target specific territories from which we receive the majority of our students. Those states include: Kentucky Michigan North Carolina Pennsylvania South Carolina Virginia
Louisiana New Jersey Ohio Rhode Island Tennessee West Virginia
Sherman recruiters, as well as our alumni and supporters, will be attending the following state and organizational conventions: Chiropractic Association of Louisiana, Tennessee Chiropractic Association, Michigan Association of Chiropractors, North Carolina Chiropractic Convention, Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association Convention, New Beginnings Weekend, Blair Annual Conference and Connecticut Chiropractic Council Convention. If you are interested in hosting a career session for prospective students and their families in your office or representing Sherman College in your community, please e-mail admissions@ sherman.edu or call 800-849-8771, ext. 221.
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NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #160 SPARTANBURG, SC
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Showing Our Pride Sherman PRrrride Day — Monday, October 24, 2011 Sherman PRrrride Day is a day for Sherman College to honor and celebrate its alumni and their positive impact on the world. It’s also a day for YOU to honor and celebrate your affiliation with Sherman College. This is a global event. No matter where you are or what you do for a living, we’ve made it easy for you to participate. Here are some ways: Wear a Sherman College shirt on Monday, October 24 Talk about Sherman to family, friends and patients Shout out on Facebook with photos/memories/status updates regarding Sherman College (I love Sherman College!) Change your profile photo to something Sherman related Tell a student about the Pride of Sherman Tour on campus November 4-5 Tweet about your Sherman Pride (Proud to be a Sherman alum, student, employee, regent) Call a classmate (find him/her at www.sherman.edu/alumnidirectory/) Send a PRrrride donation to Sherman Invite a prospective student to shadow you at work
To learn more or share an idea, go to www.sherman.edu/pride.