Melodie Hammer-Wakefield
Instructor, Basic Sciences, NUHS – Florida
Melodie Hammer, DC, CFMP, has been teaching anatomy courses at the NUHS Florida-site since 2021. Previously, she taught at St. Petersburg College, Everglades University, and Galen College of Nursing.
Dr. Hammer earned her Doctor of Chiropractic from National University of Health Sciences and her Bachelor of Science in physics from Colorado State University.
In addition to teaching, Dr. Hammer has been in private practice for eight years, helping a variety of patients with routine musculoskeletal wellness, digestive issues, hormonal balancing, functional medicine, nutritional counseling, etc. She decided to join the field of chiropractic medicine after a career in business.
“What I observed as a senior vice president of a Fortune 500 company was the negative effects of stress taking a toll on the human body,” she said. “I wanted to be part of the solution to mitigate these effects so that quality of life is improved.”
While pursuing her Doctor of Chiropractic, anatomy was one of Dr. Hammer’s strengths.
“Although patient history is considered the key to understanding the mechanism of the patient’s issues and the basis of diagnosis, anatomy provides the explanation of the problem so that a solution can be found,” she said.
Teaching has long been a passion for Dr. Hammer. One of her first jobs was teaching elementary school musicians to play the flute. Throughout her corporate career she was involved in various aspects of training including a temporary assignment to train colleagues in England.
“I also learn from students,” she said. “Every day is a surprise, and every new student is like a present to be discovered. What is their background; what are their goals? How I impact their life will then amplify to impact so many others during their career as a chiropractic physician. It is so exciting!”
She particularly enjoys teaching at NUHS because the quality of education is above and beyond excellent.
“The standards set by the university, as well as the knowledge and integrity of the teaching staff, creates a learning experience that sets the stage for success,” she said.