Sherman Shares - February 2011
Meet the Trustees: Alan Brewster, D.C.
During
his second visit to his chiropractor, the premise behind chiropractic care was
explained to Alan Brewster in such a way that he understood that removing irritation
from the spinal cord and nerves was the best way to keep people healthy. He thought
the concept was remarkable.
At 12 years old he stood at the front desk of chiropractor Gabe Ricciardi’s
office and told Dr. Ricciardi and his wife, Arlene, who managed the office, “One
day I’m going to be a chiropractor, and if you need me I’ll come home and run
the office.” Today Dr Ricciardi’s office is Brewster’s office, and he continues
a 50-year tradition of providing chiropractic care in Passaic Park, NJ.
Brewster’s association with Sherman started when the seventh grader wrote for information to apply. It was years later that he finally matriculated. He earned the doctor of chiropractic degree in 1989, summa cum laude. He was the valedictorian of his class, and the first in the history of the school to be awarded all four distinguished honors at graduation: Clinical Excellence Award, Milton W. Garfunkel Award, B.J. Palmer Philosophy Distinction Award, and the Academic Achievement Award.
He has been a member and a leader in the Sherman College Alumni Association having served in every office on the board except treasurer.
In addition to his leadership at Sherman, Brewster is an officer and past president
of the Rotary Club of Passaic, a service and charitable organization of local
business people providing college scholarships, leadership programs for teenagers,
funding for community organizations and many other community services. He is
a trustee of the public library system, and he sponsors a little league team
– girls, since he says they have a harder time getting sponsors.
Education has been important to Brewster. He is a 1986 magna cum laude graduate of Cook College at Rutgers University, earning a bachelor of science degree in biological sciences with a concentration in human physiology. He completed the George H. Cook Honors Scholar Program, conducting a year of biochemistry research with thesis defense. He was president of the Beta-Beta-Beta Biology Honor Society chapter at the school.
Brewster says he wants students to know that being in practice is more rewarding and exhilarating than they might ever imagine. “Every time a patient thanks you for improving his or her life,” he says, “or tells you that you’re a role model, or that you’re their hero, or that you have helped them in ways no one else ever has, or that you inspired them, or that they understand health better... it gives meaning and satisfaction (and even a little ego boost!) to your life.”
Brewster believes that enhancing our science will contribute to our art and create a better understanding of the effectiveness of an adjustment. One of his goals is to enhance the research he has conducted to help join chiropractic theory with research and science.
Sherman Trustee Alan Brewster, D.C. '89, right,
presents a picture he bought on eBay of the Browns as a young couple,
which was originally given to BJ Palmer.
Alan's wife, Maryann, is to the left
of Dr. Gordon Brown and Helen McPike Brown.
Read More about Dr. Gordon and Helen Brown in Chiropractic Mavericks
Sherman College of Chiropractic
P.O. Box 1452,
Spartanburg, SC 29304
www.sherman.edu -
800-849-8771
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