January 2004

Students look for unity at Parker Seminars

A “Student Summit and Unity Conference” was led by the executive board of the Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA) at the 2004 Parker Seminars in Las Vegas.

Organizers were Andrew Cohen (Palmer College of Chiropractic- West), Marc Persson (New York Chiropractic College), David Haas (Northwestern College of Chiropractic) and Brianne Hanson (Northwestern College of Chiropractic). Speakers included Dr. Michael Flynn (ACA liaison to the student ACA), Dr. Glenn D. Manceaux (President of the ACA Council Delegates), and Dr. Lt. Col. Mark Losack, USMC.

“This meeting was put together to encourage students to see our similarities rather than the differences between schools, associations, and philosophies,” commented Andrew Cohen, National Chair of the Student ACA. “And we also pushed them to get more involved with our profession wherever they feel that they fit.”

All of the speakers relayed this significant message to the student audience. Flynn recounted the struggles of the chiropractic profession and the battles that the profession currently faces. “If we stand together, we will see even more of the wonderful advances which we have seen within the last five years within the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, National Health Service Corps, and Medicare.”

Manceaux pointed out the similarities between the different philosophies and associations and encouraged the students to get involved. “Don’t be a no-CA,” he explained. “It does not matter if you become involved in the ACA or ICA, just be a ‘something CA.’”

The keynote speaker was Losack. He recounted his heroic story as a member of the armed forces who delivered chiropractic care in Iraq under Operation Iraqi Freedom. Called by his country to duty in October 2002, Losack recalled bringing just two items with him as he shipped out: a duffle bag full of clothes and equipment and a chiropractic portable adjusting table.

At times against the wishes of higher officials, Losack provided many with the chiropractic care that they desperately needed. In one instance, he was photographed providing a soldier with a lumbar adjustment on the steps of one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces.

Losack joined many of the chiropractic profession’s finest on the main stage in unity to support the “Save Our Subluxation” campaign, raising money for the National Chiropractic Legal Action Fund.

“We were proud that the majority of the chiropractic schools, along with a large group of prospective students, were represented for the 90 minute presentation,” commented Andrew Cohen. “Because SACA represents 50 percent of the students, we felt that it was fitting for us to call students together to help them see some amazing speakers and recognize how much we all have in common. We are tired of throwing rocks at each other; it’s time to supersede that approach and move towards working together.”

The SACA leadership hopes to involve the support of executive boards from other student associations for the 2005 Parker Seminars 3rd annual Student Summit and Unity Conference to be held once again in Las Vegas. SACA’s leadership, under Andrew Cohen (adjustinghours@yahoo.com), also hopes that student chiropractic leaders will continue, or in some cases begin, to promote unity.

Source: American Chiropractic Association

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