Events at New York Chiropractic College

An era came to an end when New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) hosted the last state board practical exams know as Part I, II and III. The NYCC campus or clinic have been the site of these state board exams since 1977.

The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) began development of the Part IV exam following a request from the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards in 1989 to develop a national standardized practical exam. The Part IV practical exam, according to the NBCE, will eventually replace all state board practicals with a "uniformity of national standards in chiropractic licensure."

"We have put closure on an historic era in chiropractic annals," said Norman Cohen, executive secretary to the New York State Board for Chiropractic.

The NBCE's Part IV exams will be held Nov. 22-24, 1996 at several test locations across the country, including NYCC.

Dr. Ran Bulbulian, director of research at NYCC, has developed a new biodynamics research laboratory at the college. Projects will include studying the effects of various chiropractic manipulation techniques on flow-volume loops and pulmonary performance, and chiropractic's role in alleviating stress and hypertension. One of the goals is to increase student, clinician, and faculty involvement with research projects at NYCC.

"In a more global sense, I'd like to see a research culture initiated here at the college where we don't think about the research department, the pre-clinical faculty, and the clinical faculty as separate entities," said Dr. Bulbulian. "The more research the faculty do, the better teachers they can become."

At the 1996 New York State Chiropractic Association's annual convention Dr. Andrew Lacerenza, NYCC class of '79, was named "Chiropractor of the Year"; Scott Youngers, a 7th trimester NYCC student, was honored with "Student Chapter President of the Year."

Dr. Lacerenza has been a NYSCA member since 1980. He is one of the plaintiffs in the Solla anti-trust lawsuit against 11 Long Island HMOs.

Scott Youngers, who will graduate from NYCC in 1997, has been a NYSCA member since 1995. His efforts in organizing membership drives for the association have resulted in several hundred NYCC students jointing NYSCA.

To help students and alumni write resumes, find associate positions, or open solo practices, NYCC has launched a Career Development Center as a resource. The center offers: a computer database of jobs; doctor contacts; resume programs; state association newsletters; scopes of practice and practice management information; and business/marketing plans.

Using the benefits of a $25,000 grant from the Coleman Foundation, the center will offer group seminars and individual counseling. Other goals for the center include attracting prospective employers to the NYCC outpatient health centers to interview interns; maintaining files of intern resumes for review by prospective employers; and faculty training in entrepreneurial skills.

Fred Zuccala, the center's director, said he hoped that new graduates starting their practice or looking to become associates, would take advantage of the center's resources.

Drawing hundreds of spectators, NYCC's annual Natural Fitness Festival was bigger than ever with the inclusion of the 3rd Annual Atlantic Coast Natural Bodybuilding Championships. Other events included the 14th Annual 5K Run for Health/Fun Walk, Health Expo '96, and a volleyball tournament.

Dr. Jack Barnathan, a 1984 NYCC alumnus nationally known for his work in sports chiropractic, kicked off the festival with a seminar on chiropractic and weight training.

Participants at the Health Expo, where NYCC students and clinicians offered chiropractic assessments, included: the New York State Department of Health; the state police; the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports; Centers for Disease Control -- Injury Control Department; National Institute for Fitness and Sports; American Heart Association; American Lung Association; American College of Sports Medicine; ICA Council on Fitness and Sports Health Science; and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.