Chiropractic families are dedicated to serving humankind

The chiropractic legacy in families is a proud tradition and something that lends a unique strength to this profession. I am privileged to be part of a five-generation chiropractic family, one that includes chiropractic practice and also teaching.

It is my good fortune to have been able to combine these two passions throughout my 45-year career as an administrator and faculty member at Palmer College of Chiropractic.

Chiropractic and Education
My grandfather, Clyde G. Kern, DC, was the first Kern family member to graduate from Palmer College. Dr Clyde began his professional career as an educator and superintendent of schools in Zanesville, Ohio. After my grandmother responded well to a chiropractor’s care, Dr Clyde decided to give up his career as a superintendent to attend Palmer. He graduated in 1921, having taught English at Davenport High School while attending Palmer College. He eventually joined the Palmer faculty and became head of the chemistry department.

My father, Donald O. Kern, DC, graduated from Palmer in 1923. He and Dr Clyde practiced in Columbus, Ohio, before returning to Davenport in 1946 to join the Palmer faculty. Dad taught anatomy and technique, and served as assistant to the chair of the x-ray department for 17 years.

The third generation of Palmer graduates included my brothers, Raymond T. Kern, DC, and James O. Kern, DC, who graduated in 1950 and 1952, respectively. I graduated from Palmer in 1958. Following in the previous generation’s footsteps, I joined the BJ Palmer Chiropractic Research Clinic in 1960 and the faculty in 1962.

Two of my children make up the fourth generation of Kerns in chiropractic—my son, Gregory V., and daughter, Karen. Presently in private practice, Greg Kern, DC, was formerly a member of the Palmer faculty in the technique department and clinics for 12 years.

Karen Onken, DC, practiced in the Quad Cities for several years and is now a science teacher at North Scott High School. The fifth-generation chiropractor in my family is my grandson Zachary A., Dr Greg’s son. He is a fifth-trimester student at Palmer College.

I believe that so many members of my family were inspired to become chiropractors because they all grew up under chiropractic care and had a shared love for the profession.

For those of us who became chiropractors, chiropractic is more than a profession. It’s a way of life.

Teaching also has been a way of life, and it has played an important role throughout my career at Palmer. No matter what administrative position I’ve held at Palmer, I’ve always been part of the faculty as well.

I’ve seen something like 25,000 students graduate in my 45 years at The Fountainhead. Remaining on the faculty throughout those years has allowed me to have a part in the development of students’ careers. That’s what we’re doing here at Palmer.

Service to Humankind
As for the importance of the chiropractic legacy among families, I think that generations of families who have become chiropractors are a continuing testimony of the attraction of service to humankind. A person must embrace a specific value system before considering the healing arts as a career choice. Then, in many cases, that same value system is passed on to their children. The question the children must answer is, “What greater thing could I do with my life that would bring me greater satisfaction?” The same could be said of the teaching profession.

The profession benefits by the generations of service to chiropractic, which symbolizes a continuity of that service. In other words, Palmer and the profession were here yesterday, are here today, and will be here tomorrow. This legacy has improved the resilience of the profession in the past and present, and will continue to strengthen chiropractic in the future. CP

Donald P. Kern, DC, is president of Palmer College of Chiropractic. Contact him at kern_d@palmer.edu.