Florida State University News

April 4, 2003
www.fsunews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/04/14/3e9a268fc7b4e


by Kristen Bolles

	
Chiropractics is increasing in popularity. Some administrations are considering creating a 
chiropractic school at FSU

Administrators push for FSU chiropractic school 
University aims to have first class of chiropractic students in 2004 

 Plans to start a chiropractic school at FSU may become a reality in the near future.

Despite problems with the budget, university officials are persuing state money to start the 
school. According to the report crafted two years ago by MGT of America (a local 
consulting firm), the total construction cost for a chiropractic school at FSU would be 
nearly $84 million. 

"Some money has been appropriated by the legislature to start the chiropractic school," said 
Allan Adams, FSU academic administrator and chiropractic physician. "We hope to start 
the first class in 2004." 

Currently, there are only 17 chiropractic colleges in the United States, all of which are at 
private institutions. Florida State would be the first accredited public university to have a 
chiropractic school. 

"FSU has a history of starting new and innovative programs," Adams said. "The 
chiropractic school would follow this pattern."

The low number of chiropractic schools is largely due to the controversy over the 
legitimacy of the profession. 

"Until fairly recently, chiropractic had been attacked by allopathic medicine as an 
unscientific cult with no research to support its claims of efficacy," according to 
www.chiroweb.com.

According to www.aecc.ac.uk, chiropractic is a non-invasive and drug free therapy. 
Chiropractors do not perform surgery or prescribe drugs. They treat people with skeletal 
and muscular pain by using a variety of manipulation, adjustment and supportive 
techniques.

Chiropractic is a medical profession, although it would not be affiliated with our newly 
accredited medical school.

"No chiropractic school in the country is affiliated with a medical school," Provost and 
Executive Vice President of the College of Medicine Dr. Lawrence Abele said. "It's much 
closer to a nutrition and movement science than to medicine. The curricula is different 
enough that it's just not a close fit." 

Although chiropractic is a relatively new profession (beginning just over 100 years ago), it 
is now a recognized profession that is licensed in all 50 states. Millions of people utilize 
chiropractic services. According to www.aecc.ac.uk, chiropractic is now the third largest 
primary health care profession in the world. 

Due to the questions surrounding the legitimacy of the profession, starting a chiropractic 
school at FSU could potentially affect the University and its academic reputation. 
However, it has been made clear that Florida State's chiropractic school would be top-
notch.

"We told the Florida Legislature that if we are going to do this, we are only going to do it 
as a first-class, quality program that will have a science and evidence based curricula," 
Abele said. "It won't be cheap, but we won't do it any other way; that wouldn't be fair."