President's Page
Dear Visitor,
Welcome to the National University of Health Sciences website! It has been my privilege to serve this institution as its president since 1986. Within the university there are three separate colleges:
The College of Professional Studies offers "first professional doctoral degrees" in chiropractic medicine and naturopathic medicine, and first professional master of science degrees in acupuncture and oriental medicine.
The Lincoln College of Postprofessional, Graduate and Continuing Education offers residency programs for first professional degree graduates, diplomate educational programs for practicing chiropractic physicians and others, and continuing education for many health care providers. Graduate programs currently include the master of science degree in diagnostic imaging and the master of science degree in advanced clinical practice.
The College of Allied Health Sciences offers massage therapy and chiropractic assistant certificate programs, a baccalaureate completion program, prerequisite courses for those who already have the baccalaureate, and an associate of applied science in massage therapy.
Of particular importance to National University is the concept of providing an educational place wherein people with different interests, e.g., chiropractic medicine, naturopathic medicine, oriental medicine, and acupuncture can receive their education in shared classes. Within the university structure, it is our purpose to provide an academic home for different complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, so that they can become true colleagues and so that integrated medicine can truly become a reality. We believe our university accomplishes that goal.
The university grew out of The National School of Chiropractic, which was founded in Davenport, Iowa, in 1906 by John Fitz Alan Howard, DC, who served as its president from 1906 through 1919. The doctor of chiropractic degree program is the longest standing program of the university and is known for its basis in science and its academic rigor and excellence.
The practice of chiropractic medicine, as taught by our College of Professional Studies, is "the treatment of human ailments without the use of prescription drugs or operative surgery," which is how the Illinois Medical Practice Act defines our profession. National University has always promoted a broad-scope education and practice for its students and graduates, and it has always emphasized the importance of considering the patient as an integrated being: body, mind, and spirit.
In the same way, we envision naturopathic medicine and acupuncture/oriental medicine as educationally broad-based forms of conservative health care that emphasize certain aspects of healing while sharing others with their colleagues. A naturopathic physician would, for example, emphasize the use of botanical medicine and utilize less in the way of physical medicine, while the chiropractic physician will emphasize physical medicine while using less botanical medicine. While both of them learn about, and are often legally allowed to utilize acupuncture in some form, they also recognize that the experts in this field will be those who have the master's degrees in oriental medicine and/or acupuncture.
In all first professional degree programs, the university, as a matter of academic policy, requires the baccalaureate as a prerequisite to entrance into the first professional degree program, whether master or doctoral level.
In the College of Allied Health Sciences, the concept of high quality education is also carried through, providing our massage therapy students with the highest possible education, one that includes, for example, human dissection, so that they will be as well, or better qualified, than any in their field.
I hope you enjoy your visit to our website. Remember that there are people behind this information site who can assist you with the details of whatever questions you might have.
Sincerely,
