Southeast Missouri State University enters into agreement for chiropractic studies

Southeast Missouri State University is joining forces with a St. Louis college to offer chiropractic training.

In the first step of an effort to expand professional offerings, university officials signed an articulation agreement Wednesday at Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield, Mo. Southeast already has similar agreements with community colleges and overseas universities, but this is the first for a professional program, said university president Dr. Ken Dobbins.

"We should be doing that with more professional schools," he said.

The university is working to develop similar arrangements with other universities to add professional programs, Dobbins said.

The six-year chiropractic program, which will start in the fall, will be split between both schools. Southeast students will start their chiropractic training at Logan during their fourth year. They will receive a bachelor's degree in biology from Southeast after the fourth year and a doctor of chiropractic after completing three years at Logan.

"It saves them on debt," Dobbins said. "It saves them on paying an extra year at Southeast."

He said 60 percent of students in Southeast's prechiropractic program go to Logan and that 20 Southeast alumni currently attend the college.

Students will complete both degrees more quickly, said Dr. John Kraemer, professor of biology and prechiropractic adviser at Southeast.

"It's an excellent opportunity for students to realize early acceptance into their career choice so they can concentrate on their academic success rather than worrying about acceptance into a professional program and trying to graduate from a regular curriculum," he said in a news release. "This will facilitate our students getting in through an early admissions program."

Students with a 3.5 grade point average automatically earn a spot at Logan.

Logan, which has 1,100 students, has similar agreements with about 50 universities across the country. Seven Missouri universities have the agreement, including University of Missouri-St. Louis, Northwest Missouri State University and Truman State University.

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