PARKER UNIVERSITY

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Parker University Drives Natural Health Movement

by Sheila Julson

Dr. Jayne Moschella Because the holistic is a chiropractor health care realm is broad, with who has worked in regulation and licensing varycareer education for most of ing by state, Moschella believes her adult life. As executive that obtaining degrees and vice president and provost certifications from reputable of Parker University, she schools in disciplines such as and the faculty prepare stufunctional nutrition or massage dents for certification and litherapy helps drive the natural censure through the Doctor health movement forward. “We of Chiropractic program. very much believe in credibility, Parker’s Health Science and that credibility is supported program, which explores through evidence-based results disciplines from massage and collaboration among other therapy to functional nutriDr. Jayne Moschella health care professionals,” she tion, was added in 2007 and says. “Reputable schools will has experienced exponential growth. provide paths to degrees, state licensure and

Through therapeutic exercise and accertification, as well as training experiences tivities designed to retrain muscle and joint and learning opportunities. We’re focused coordination, chiropractors manually restore on the future expansion of holistic care that and reactivate joint mobility and function complements mainstream health care.” without the use of medicine. To serve growBecause working in health care ing interest in chiropractic, Dr. James Wilrequires compassion and drive, as well as a liam Parker founded the school in 1982. In comprehensive education, Parker Univer2011, Parker College of Chiropractic became sity readies students for impactful careers Parker University to reflect new health care through innovative classroom experiences. degree programs designed to expand stu“Our health science programs help prepare dents’ scope of knowledge and provide more future chiropractors, among other student opportunities for graduates to practice in programs, to work independently or in a integrative care. The school added programs collaborative health care environment,” Mosin functional nutrition, strength and human chella explains. “We really try to think of the performance, integrative health and more. patient and how to work in multidisciplinary All courses are designed to ultimately allow practices, using different modalities to care patients to heal themselves. for that patient in their specific needs.”

Moschella notes that from an academic standpoint, Parker’s functional nutrition, strength and human performance, and psychology programs have a similar curriculum to state universities, because the programs are developed with certain requirements and standards determined by specialty. “Our functional nutrition and strength and human performance programs were created to adhere to industry standards that allow graduates to apply for licensure and to be accepted into advanced degree programs,” she says. “Many of our programs are online, so students from anywhere in the U.S. and abroad can earn their degrees. It allows flexibility for working adults.”

Students have the option of completing one course at a time rather than adhering to the traditional academic schedule that requires students to take four or more classes over a 16-week period. “At Parker, students can concentrate and focus on one course at a time, one mid-term at a time and one final at a time. In the master’s degree program, students complete one or two courses at a time, but they are seven weeks long and allow for more breadth for research and mastery,” she adds. The chiropractic program uses a trimester approach so students can study year-round and obtain their doctor of chiropractic degree sooner.

Parker University’s Office of Career Services provides placement assistance to students and alumni. “You never outgrow our ability to place you. If you have graduated from Parker, you can utilize our placement office,” Moschella affirms. “We have career assistance such as online career management tools so students can use databases, services and communication. We help students with practical applications like developing resumés and honing interview skills. We sponsor career preparation workshops. We do a lot of career fairs that work with alumni and potential employers.”

Parker University is located at 2540 Walnut Hill Ln., Dallas. For more information, call 1-800-637-8337 or 214-902-2429, or visit Parker.edu. See ad, page 3.