Dr. Allan Terrett is FCER's "Researcher of the Year"

At a ceremony held in the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., attended by over 250 chiropractic dignitaries, the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER) named Allan G.J. Terrett, M.App.Sc(chiropractic) its 1995 "Researcher of the Year." The award was co-sponsored by FCER staff members and by Data Trace, Inc.

A senior lecturer at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Bundoora, Australia, Dr. Terrett is conducting research in conjunction with the Melbourne University School of Optometry on the effect of chiropractic on peripheral and central vision. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Terrett also maintains a private practice.

Dr. Terrett drew international attention when JMPT published (May 1995) his article that contended that a number of published studies linking chiropractors with complications arising from cervical spinal manipulation were misrepresentations. The article concluded: "The words chiropractic and chiropractor have been incorrectly used in numerous publications dealing with SMT [spinal manipulative therapy] injury, by medical authors, respected medical journals, and medical organizations. In many cases this is not accidental, as the authors had access to original reports, which identified the practitioner involved as other than a chiropractor."

A sought-after speaker, Dr. Terrett has lectured to multidisciplinary audiences in his native Australia, and in England, Canada, and the U.S., and has published in a variety of refereed journals. He is the Australasian College of Chiropractic Science's representative to the Australasian Council on Chiropractic and Osteopathic Education Ltd.; is chairman of the board of examiners (Australasian College of Chiropractic Science); is a fellow of the International College of Chiropractors; and is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Chiropractic Technique, and the Chiropractic Journal of Australia.

Dr. Terrett has received recognition from the editorial board of the Journal of the Australian Chiropractors Association on two occasions for outstanding contributions, and first place honors for scientific papers in the American Chiropractic Association's Journal of Chiropractic.

Research Fellowships

Each year, in an effort to build the profession's research capacity, FCER gives financial support to individuals who are dedicated to careers in chiropractic research. This year the board of trustees has awarded $46,700 in fellowships.

Below are the fellowship recipients and the postgraduate degrees and research they're pursuing:

• Jacqueline Bougie, DC: MS, kinesiology, with major emphasis on wellness and aging, Calif. State University, Fullerton. She has the opportunity to interact with the multidisciplinary research teams at the University of Southern California Wellness Center.

   

• James DeVocht, DC, MS: PhD, biomechanical engineering, University of Iowa. Dr. Devocht presented papers at the International Conference on Spinal Manipulation, and the American Assoc. of Oral and Maxillofascial Surgeons. He has also addressed graduate students on the chiropractic view of spinal mechanics.

   

• David Eliot, BS: PhD, anatomical science, State University of New York, Stony Brook. His emphasis is on joint dysfunction, myofascial pain, and EMG.

   

• Alan Jordan, DC: PhD, rheumatology/physiology, University of Copenhagen. He is the first DC to be actively involved with research in the hospital sector in Denmark. With his assistance, two other DCs have been accepted in PhD programs at two university hospitals.

   

• Frank Kohlbeck, DC: MS, public health, University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Kohlbeck is working with Scott Haldeman, DC, MD, PhD, on a research project concerning manipulation and vertebrobasilar insufficiency, which was presented at the centennial celebration in Washington, D.C.

   

• Jennifer Langworthy, MS: PhD, back pain classification, Southampton University, United Kingdom. Ms. Langworthy has spent the past year on research in the epidemiology of musculoskeletal pain. She has participated in a major study that categorized back pain patients taking into account physiological, social, and mechanical variables.

   

• David Lenihan, DC: PhD, neuroanatomy, University of Edinburg. He is studying the effects of freeze thawed muscle grafting on nerve regeneration of the peripheral nervous system.

   

• Bernadette Murphy, DC: PhD, human neurophysiology, University of Auckland, New Zealand. The emphasis of Dr. Murphy's research has been on assessing intramuscular discrimination and its relation to repetitive strain injuries.

   

• Keld Ostergaard, DC, MD: PhD, osteoarthritis, National University Hospital, Denmark. Dr. Ostergaard holds a research position at the National University Hospital, Copenhagen. The main emphasis of his research will be mechanisms of cartilage destruction.

   

• David Reichel, DC: MS/PhD, statistics, Texas A & M University. Statistical analysis can be applied to the development and management of chiropractic research projects.

Residency Program

The FCER's Peter Bommarito Research Residency program was created to increase the number of full-time researchers dedicated to chiropractic research. The program provides a maximum of $20,000 in annual salary support for a three-year period. A total of $60,000 was awarded.

The researchers and their field of study are:

• Roni Evans, DC, Northwestern College of Chiropractic: field based research and clinical trials to further define chiropractic diagnostic methods, and evaluation of chiropractic procedures.

   

• Greg Kawchuck, DC, MS, University of Calgary: spinal stiffness investigations to determine if parameter of tissue stiffness can be used in screening diagnosis, treatment, and outcome prediction of spinal pain.

   

• Partap Khalsa, DC, PhD, Yale University: basic research in the general areas of soft tissue biomechanics and neurophysiology.

   

• Andrei Pikalov, MD, PhD, Cleveland Chiropractic College, KC: somatovisceral disorders.

FCER is currently funding 23 research studies totaling $3,396,142 on a broad spectrum of subjects: otitis media; cervical pain; scoliosis; infantile colic; low-back pain; asthma, and primary care.