Palmer College of Chiropractic is the founding college of chiropractic and is located in Davenport, Iowa. It was established in 1897 by Daniel David Palmer and is considered "The Fountainhead," as it was the first school of chiropractic in the world. The college's name was originally the Palmer School and Cure and later became the Palmer School of Chiropractic. Most early chiropractic schools were founded by Palmer alumni.
History
The Palmer School of Chiropractic was begun by D. D. Palmer, who is the Founder of Chiropractic. D.D.'s son Dr. B.J. Palmer is the Developer of Chiropractic because he greatly expanded the scope of the school and laid the foundation for the campus and profession that exists today. He assumed responsibility of the Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1904. According to the Palmer College website, B.J.'s "contributions included extensive research, improved methods of spinal adjusting and analysis, higher standards for chiropractic education, and increased appreciation for chiropractic worldwide."
After B.J.'s death in 1961, his son Dr. David D. Palmer became president of the school and changed its name to Palmer College of Chiropractic, which was one of the steps leading to the school's accreditation. Dr. Dave, as he was known, modernized the campus, established non-profit status for the college and organized the Palmer College of Chiropractic International Alumni Association. The College received accreditation from the Council on Chiropractic Education and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools largely through his leadership, but not until after his death in 1978.
Mission statement
The mission statement of Palmer College of Chiropractic is to promote learning and educate students to prepare them to become qualified Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.) to serve as direct primary health care providers and clinicians, promote wellness, and deliver health assessment to diagnosis and manage patient's health care needs.
The college opened campuses in San Jose, California in 1980 and in Port Orange, Florida in 2002. The College was once encompassed by the Palmer Chiropractic University System. While it is no longer a university system, Palmer is one college with three campuses, with the main campus located in Davenport, Iowa, and branch campuses (the San Jose, Calif. campus and the Port Orange, Fla. campus). The College is a non-profit organization governed by a single Board of Trustees.
Davenport, Iowa campus
The main campus of Palmer College of Chiropractic is located at 1000 Brady Street in Davenport, Iowa. This is the original school founded by Daniel David Palmer in 1897. The campus is located on a bluff in the Mississippi Valley area overlooking the Mississippi River. It is only blocks away from the location of the first chiropractic adjustment performed by D.D. Palmer in 1895.
The College is currently led by Chancellor Dennis Marchiori, D.C., Ph.D., whose office is located on campus.
The Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research was established in 1995 and is also located on the Davenport, Iowa campus in the William and Jo Harris Building. The Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research is the largest and most highly funded research effort in the chiropractic educational community. The Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research encompasses all three Palmer campuses and employs a Vice Chancellor of Research and Health Policy, a research director, 10 full-time dedicated faculty, 8 associate faculty and 23 administrative and professional staff with a total annual budget of approximately $5 million per year, much of which is supported by grants and contracts.
The campus consists of new as well as historic buildings. The Palmer College of Chiropractic Academic Health Center (opened in 2007), which contains the College's outpatient clinic, welcome center, Clinical Radiology Department (featuring digital radiology), Chiropractic Rehabilitation and Sports Injury Department, and the Clinical Learning Resource Center. Other buildings include the David D. Palmer Health Sciences Library, the Memorial Building (the oldest building on campus), Campus Center, B.J. and Mabel Palmer Residence, Vickie Anne Palmer Hall, among others.
Port Orange, Fla. campus
The Port Orange, Fla. campus is the newest branch of Palmer College of Chiropractic. It was opened in 2002 at 4777 City Center Parkway, in Port Orange, Florida. The campus is currently led by President Peter Martin, D.C. Enrollment is 741. The campus in Port Orange was founded in 2002 by James E. Hether, DC.
The campus features two major buildings housing lecture halls, a library, technique labs, physical examination labs, and an X-ray view room, as well as ample study and common networks and consortia to expand student access to resources and cooperative services.
San Jose, Calif. campus
The San Jose, Calif. campus houses laboratory learning facilities and related technologies, including a gross anatomy lab with a ceiling-mounted camera. The adjustive technique lab, physical diagnosis lab and X-ray positioning labs support a wide variety of hands-on learning. The Library/Resource Center holds more than 35,000 volumes and has an extensive collection of 9,000 journals. It also serves as the centralized learning center for X-ray film reading, histology and computerized learning, and houses more than 40 personal computers for student use.
Accreditation
The Doctor of Chiropractic Degree Program of Palmer College of Chiropractic’s campuses are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE).
Palmer College of Chiropractic’s campuses are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Athletics
Palmer College Dragons Hockey
Palmer College of Chiropractic men’s hockey team, known as the Palmer Dragons, are part of the Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA) and American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division II.
Palmer College Rugby Football Club
Palmer College Rugby Football Club (RFC) was established in 1960. Palmer College RFC offers both partial and full Rugby scholarships for tuition.
Men’s Rugby Team
Palmer College of Chiropractic men's rugby team, known as Palmer College Dragons, plays in the competitive Midwest Division I conference.
- National Titles: 1972, 1973, 1978, and 1979
- Final Four USA Rugby Championships : Fourth place in 1995, 2001, 2010 and third place in 2011 and 2012
Women's Rugby Team
Palmer College of Chiropractic women's rugby team, also known as Palmer College Dragons, plays in the competitive Midwest Division II conference.
Intramurals
Intramurals sports, available to the Palmer Community, include flag football, softball, basketball, bowling, pickle ball, and volleyball.
Outreach clinics
Palmer College of Chiropractic has Palmer Community Outreach Clinics, at all campus locations, to serve economically and socially disadvantaged community members at reduced or no cost expenses (who meet financial need requirements). The Quad Cities (IA/IL) area has two outreach clinics located in Davenport, IA and Moline, IL. The Daytona Beach area has one outreach clinic located in South Daytona, FL. The South Bay area has five satellite outreach clinics. These outreach clinics improve opportunities for student interns and provide chiropractic services for patients visiting the facilities.
Notable alumni
- Charles R. Herring (Class of 1968, Davenport campus), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Alexandria from 1988 to 1992; a chiropractor in Baton Rouge since 1998.
William Winfield Hunter Sr.-A member of one of the first Palmer graduating classes at the turn of the 20th century. Dr. Hunter was a prominent Chiropractic Doctor in Pittsburgh in the early 20th century and previously raised his tuition to attend Palmer by making steel in Pittsburgh as did his famous Professional Engineer son William Winfield Hunter Jr (to attend Carnegie Technical Institute).
References
External links
- Official website