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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Revised July 11, 2002:
STATEMENT OF THE GEORGIA BOARD OF CHIROPRACTIC EXAMINERS
The Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners is charged with the responsibility
to protect the public health and safety of the citizens of Georgia, particularly
as it pertains to the practice of chiropractic. In light of this responsibility,
we support the efforts of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) whose
mission is to insure that chiropractors are adequately trained primary health
care practitioners.
Chiropractors are expected, both by the public and by the health care system, to
function as highly trained members of the healthcare team. As such,
chiropractors must be trained in the diagnosis and appropriate management of
human illnesses and injuries. Chiropractors must be trained to understand the
role their unique skills offer the patient, and must also understand the
limitations of those skills. In order to make sound decisions regarding the
appropriateness of chiropractic care and necessity of medical referral,
chiropractors should be given access to the common tools of modern human
diagnosis including laboratory testing and analysis, MRI, and other common tools
of medical decision making.
The Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners wants to assure the public that all
licensed chiropractors in this state have passed rigorous state and national
examinations and have demonstrated clinical competency prior to licensure. The
loss of accreditation status for Life University College of Chiropractic (LUCC)
only affects the ability of future LUCC graduates to meet the licensing
requirements in Georgia, and in no way affects Life University graduates now
licensed in this state.
It is the understanding of our board that LUCC will maintain a
"probationary" accreditation status with CCE until the appeals process
is completed. Until such time as the appeals process with CCE is exhausted, LUCC
graduates will remain eligible for licensure in Georgia.
However, the public and students should be aware that Georgia law, O.C.G.A. §43-9-7
(d) requires that all applicants for chiropractic licensure in Georgia shall be
a graduate of a chiropractic school or college accredited by the Council on
Chiropractic Education or a Board approved successor. Should LUCC be
unsuccessful with the appeal process, from the date of revocation forward
graduates from LUCC will not be eligible for licensure consideration in Georgia.
Until such time as the appeals process with CCE is exhausted, LUCC Continuing
Education (CE) programs, which comply with Board Rule 100-5-.03, will be
approved for meeting the biennial renewal CE requirement.
For Information please contact:
Mollie L. Fleeman, Division Director
Professional Licensing Boards Division
(478) 207-1300
Fax (478) 207-1363
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Federation
of Chiropractic Licensing Boards
FAX 970.356.3599