Upper Cervical Student Passion: An Interview With Moses Bernard

Out of about 110 students in our class at Parker, only four of us are hardcore Upper Cervical guys. Moses Bernard just happens to be one of them.

I’ve gotten the chance to know Moses pretty well over the past few trimesters since I’ve been back at Parker. We both share a common ground in Upper Cervical Chiropractic, and we have had some really interesting conversations about it.

He is very confident in his ability as a future Upper Cervical Chiropractor, and he has the smarts to back it up. In fact he is routinely calling out the professors here at Parker on some of the ridiculous things they say. Makes me proud to call him a colleague.

I’m grateful Moses could take some time away from class and clinic to do an interview for The Atlas of Life.

Brandon: Why did you decide to become a chiropractor?

Moses: “Well this is probably the most loaded question of the interview Brandon!

In January of 2003, I was running track with the University of British Columbia, and tore my hamstring.  Being a college athlete, naturally I opted for the (free) physio and massage route.  The PT said what PTs say: my hips were out of balance because of a weak core (‘weak core’ being the the ultimate PT catch-all).

Things improved very slowly over the next four months or so, but not the way I thought they should.  I tried acupuncture as well with limited results.  At that time I moved back to my hometown in Saskatchewan, and couldn’t afford $75 a visit, 5 times a week for PT.  So I needed another option.

There happened to be a chiropractor literally two blocks from where I lived in Saskatoon, and I figured I was running out of options so I gave it a try. (Injured hamstring = no scholarship money).  At this point in my academic career I’d had 3 years of exercise physiology under my belt, so I felt like I understood how the body worked pretty well.  Apparently I used an anatomical term on my intake paperwork (that the average person wouldn’t have used), so the Dr. knew he could ‘talk shop’ with me on the anatomy/physiology of what was going on.  I explained to him my past treatment, and how I thought they were kind of on the right track, but were taking the wrong approach.

Then he asked me the $64,000 question: “Why did your sciatic nerve tell your hamstring to contract during a part of your stride when it was supposed to be relaxed?”

Physiologically, this seemed like the most obvious question in the world, and I was quite frankly upset that no one had ever addressed such a simple concept. He said the way I looked at the dynamics of the body as a whole, and not just an injured muscle was a very ‘chiropractic’ way of looking at the body.

He also enlightened me that my current route towards personal or team training would be a waste of talent.  By time that visit was over, I left his office with DD’s “The Science of Chiropractic”.  He also PROMISED me that under chiropractic care, my athletic performances would be greatly improved.

When I showed up for my second visit, he had brochures waiting for me from Palmer, Life, and Parker.

So from there I started looking into the profession and told my family about it.  “If you’re going to do that, why don’t you be a REAL doctor?”  was the general theme.  I’m embarrassed to say it, but I thought the same thing, so I went to my University’s Medical school and started looking into that as well.  I had no idea at the time, but I had the grades for medical school as well.  So I started comparing the two professions side by side and it was EASILY a no-brainer to go with the good guys!  I guess the rest is history.

And for the record, I won a national championship my first year under chiropractic care.

Brandon: How did you get into Upper Cervical Chiropractic?

Moses: “In my first trimester here, our philosophy professor (who we will call a ‘retired’ UC doc), ‘bribed’ the class into going to the upper cervical club’s guest speakers for bonus marks in the class.  My impression of the speaker at the start of the tri was that he was a VERY arrogant local AO doc, which presented upper cervical care as an elitist part of chiropractic, only fit for the upper echelon of society.  Needless to say, this really turned me off from upper cervical.

There was another bribe/guest speaker for the club near the end of the tri, and despite being so turned off the first time I went anyways.  It was an orthospinology Dr. from Austin, and most of the presentation was research from Kirk Erickson’s “Upper Cervical Subluxation Complex”.  In my mind, (at the time) it was easy to connect UC care to headaches or brainstem related systemic  issues (blood pressure, chronic pain, etc.), but it was a resorbed L4 disc herniation that really sold me.

I ordered Erickson’s text book the next day, and when it came in, I read it from cover to cover.  Here I was thinking there was no research in chiropractic, turns out we have textbooks worth!  The way I see it, you can’t read Erickson’s book and NOT want to be a UC doctor!”

Brandon: What technique do you plan on utilizing in practice and why?

Moses: “My first exposure to UC care came from the Grostic based camp, so I’m heavily influenced in that direction.  As much as we want to create altruistic healing centers, we are first and foremost running a business, and business has to be marketable.

That being said, I like not only the precision of AO work, but also the high-tech nature of the procedure.  The current society (the ipod generation), expects the most modern technology available to perform a task, and should expect nothing less from their doctor.  I think BJ was always using the most advanced technology available at the time, and in my personal interpretation, AO follows this trend.

I hope I don’t make TOO many enemies with this answer!”

Brandon: What are your plans after graduation?

Moses: “They’re still up in the air right now, but there is an AO doc here in Dallas that I believe I can learn a lot from.  He has been in practice for 10 years, and might be the most OCD person I’ve ever met about the precision of his work.  He’s also offered me a decent position, so I’ll probably run with that.”

Brandon: What do you think could be done differently in the way of Upper Cervical Chiropractic education at Parker?

Moses: “Everything.  Right now it is taught as the last two weeks of our Thompson class (By an Activator doctor).  We learn a VERY basic toggle, pretty much nothing on X-ray analysis, and nothing on how UC care gets better results than full spine.  We also don’t get this until near the end of tri 5, so most students not only don’t want to learn the material, but don’t care, because it’s taught so poorly.

We need an actual upper cervical class, and it needs to stress the why over the how.  Get the big idea, and all else follows, right?”

Brandon: You went to Upper Cervical Evolution last year. Can you give us your thoughts on that experience?

Moses: “It was one of the most amazing experiences of my chiropractic life.

I had been to a few Parker seminars, so that’s kind of what I expected.  For those who have been to PSPS, they know that it’s mostly a blend of pep rally, motivational speaking, how to make more money, and generally how to be better at being the average medipractor.

But to go to Evolution and see a juggernaught of UC heavyweights all talking about CHIROPRACTIC was truly inspiring.

I’d say at PCC, I’m one of the most philosophically sound people on campus.  But at Evolution, I’d have to say I was one of the least by comparison, and that really fired me up and opened my eyes to how much growing I still have to do!”

Brandon: What is your vision for the future of Upper Cervical Chiropractic?

Moses: “I recently read your post on this very question, and some of my answers are borrowed from there.

I was recently talking to a fellow student, and here in Dallas there are mega-hospitals and health centers EVERYWHERE.  It sickens me that the largest buildings in this city (and most North American cities) are hospitals.

I see a future where UC care is not only accessible, but it is also the number one choice.  I want everyone on the planet’s first thought when they get even the most minor ache or pain to be “I need to get my atlas checked”.

I want UC doctors to become the most respected profession on the planet, as there is no health care procedure on the planet more valuable.  If neurosurgeons had access to this procedure, they’d charge $20,000 a treatment!

I agree with Dr. Drury and would like to see the ‘brand’ of UCHC a national icon.  I’d like to see UC taught as the primary technique in every school.  I see UC doctors through a united purpose, changing the world by making them realize health comes from Innate and within.

It seems to me that the upper cervical world has done more to promote chiropractic in the last 3 years, than the cumulative effort of the entire full spine profession has in 100 years.  We are literally on the cusp of blowing up, and as it stands right now, schools will be EMBARASSED that they have nothing to offer when the consumer demand presents itself.  I truly believe that within very few years, no UC doc on the planet will be able to keep up with demand.”

Very inspiring words if I do say so myself. Thanks again to Moses for his time. I really enjoyed the interview. I’m sure others did as well.

Recommended Reading

• What Does a Specific Upper Cervical Adjustment Look Like?
• Interest In Upper Cervical Chiropractic: How Did It Begin?
• The Atlas of Life April Interviews
• Upper Cervical Internet Marketer: An Interview With Dr. Paul Hambrick
• Balancing the Spine Through Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care