College offers laser course and internship opportunity.
Dynamic Chiropractic Staff
Parker College of Chiropractic and Erchonia Medical recently announced that all Parker students are now required to take a low-level laser class as part of their core curriculum. The course enables students to learn about laser technology and features an internship component whereby students can treat patients with low-level laser therapy at the Erchonia Laser Healthcare Center on the Parker campus. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the laser center took place on Nov. 2, 2009. The new facility offers the latest Erchonia laser technology in addition to a clinical setting for students to treat patients under the direction of qualified clinicians.
"We want our students to have the best education possible, and that includes being proficient with laser technologies," commented Dr. Ken Thomas, vice president of academics at Parker. "The Erchonia Laser Healthcare Center and the academic class on laser technology provide the environment to explore and master this increasingly important field of study."
Added Erchonia President Charlie Shanks: "Laser technology, more than ever before, has become indispensible for medical professionals. The academic training and the Erchonia Laser Healthcare Center will be significant resources for chiropractic students to get acquainted with our cutting-edge laser equipment and better serve their patients in the future."
Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, president of Parker College, Mr. Steve Shanks, CEO & president of Erchonia Medical (middle left and right, respectively) and others mark the opening of the Erchonia Laser Healthcare Center.
A historic meeting between chiropractic and Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) leadership took place on March 10th, 2026, in Washington, D.C., featuring representatives from chiropractic national organizations, professional associations and policy principals. The collective goal: advancing the role of chiropractic in improving the health of Americans. Meeting participants focused on long-standing issues that have affected the chiropractic profession for decades, including access to care, reimbursement parity, and ensuring DCs have an appropriate role in national health policy discussions.
Radicular-like pain of the upper and lower extremities is among the most common presentations in musculoskeletal and spine-related practice. Traditionally, these symptoms are interpreted through a disc-centric and dermatomal framework, often leading clinicians to attribute limb pain, paresthesia or perceived weakness to spinal nerve-root pathology. While this approach is appropriate in cases of true radiculopathy, it frequently falls short when symptoms fail to follow consistent dermatomal patterns or correlate poorly with imaging findings.
A 46-year-old male presented to our clinic with a seven-year history of recurrent low back pain with sciatica. He reported stiffness and discomfort that worsened with prolonged sitting both at his desk job and during evening television time. The patient had seen multiple chiropractors over the years. In every case, spinal manipulation and other passive treatments would bring gradual symptom relief over 2-3 months. However, within another 3-6 months, the symptoms would return. Frustrated – and now considering a spinal injection and possibly surgery if that failed, he came to our office seeking a different approach.
