North American College of Naprapathic Medicine - info needed

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Alex Amith, Jan 8, 2018.

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  1. Alex Amith

    Alex Amith New Member

    I need help finding information on a school Gary Axley supposedly owned from approximately 1993-1998. I am familiar with the ordeal with Southern College. . . however, I’m looking for “North American College of Naprapathic Medicine” not to be confused with Naturopathic and/or National College of Naturopathic Medicine.

    Google searches bring very few results and I’m not sure where to turn. If necessary I have a photo of the diploma in question.
     
  2. Chip

    Chip Administrator

    The first thought I have is to check a copy of Bears Guide. We did a pretty major update to the section on holistic/naturopathic schools in the 14th edition, so the school in question may be listed there. Also, if you haven't, search our archives, as there may be some threads here about it as well.

    Finally, as I remember, "naprapathic medicine" is completely different from naturopathic medicine. Naprapathic practice is closer to massage therapy than it is to any form of medical practice, as it is focused on connective tissue disorders and such. You might check with the massage therapy licensing or certification board in the state where the school existed to see if anyone there knows anything.
     
  3. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    New Mexico is one of the (few?) states that license naprapaths. The scope of practice looks a lot like chiropractic meaning no drugs or surgery but the emphasis is on connective tissue manipulation. See NMSA 1978, Sec. 61-12F-4 for more information.
     
  4. Alex Amith

    Alex Amith New Member

    Thanks for the responses. The diploma has Marietta, Ga on it which is where this person lived around the time they claim to have attended. I know the diploma say’s 1998 and this person claims they attended from ‘93-‘97 which is right before Axley’s Southern College of Naturopathy pops up. I contacted Ga Higher Education and they do not have record of any variation of North American College of Naprapathic Medicine. Since this diploma has Gary Axley’s signature I can only assume he tried the same thing with Naprapathy. Interesting... this person is a legitimate licensed massage therapist, now residing in Tn, but the state doesn’t recognize Naturopathy or Naprapathy. There are high velocity manipulations like a chiropractic doctor being performed and I’m very concerned someone will get injured. Just bc someone has you call them Doctor doesn’t make it legitimate. This story goes much deeper. I’m at a loss on what to do. Who do I reach out to that can verify my suspicions as well as put a stop to the fraud? Keep in mind this person holds positions of power on state and national massage boards. With diploma mills do “institutions” put the city where the “student” resides since it’s actually a distance program?
     
  5. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Perhaps the program was done by distance or somewhere other than Georgia. Just guessing, here. Looks like it's possible that Mexico might have been involved.

    From Google, I did get a couple of old ads in Magazines for distance doctorates from this school. Like this one: https://books.google.ca/books?id=fekDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA169&lpg=PA169&dq="North+American+College+of+Naprapathic+Medicine"&source=bl&ots=6ZoK8lvhJB&sig=K9rU3f0EE9cvsfknue3gHuu6yu0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjxhe6F0cnYAhXBZCYKHTlMAbsQ6AEIPzAE#v=onepage&q="North American College of Naprapathic Medicine"&f=false

    On Google, there were a couple of people reporting they were grads of this school, including one who claimed to have gone to North American College of Naprapathic Medicine and also to Southern College of Naturopathy. He claimed to have done a 2-year internship in Manzanillo, Jalisco, Mexico. Just google "North American College of Naprapathic Medicine" (in quotes). You'll find him and the others, easily.

    Alex wrote: "Just bc someone has you call them Doctor doesn’t make it legitimate."
    Darn right. It sure doesn't.
     
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  6. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

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  7. Alex Amith

    Alex Amith New Member


    Thank you so much for the link to Yoga Journal! I have been looking for this proof for a long time!
     
  8. Chip

    Chip Administrator

    State and national? I'm surprised that the NCTMB (the only widely recognized national certification agency for massage therapists) would knowingly support this, as they are pretty cautious about scope of practice. If it is indeed NCTMB, I might be able to help as I think I still have some contacts there.
     
  9. Alex Amith

    Alex Amith New Member

    Yes, Tn Board of Massage and recently elected as president of the Federation (FSMTB). He owns a massage school which is the real kicker. The school has a professional clinic on location (Knoxville). This is where he sees his Naprapathy patients. The Schedulicity app they use has him offering 30 minute “Consult” sessions and they are not massage. People don’t typically go for a 30 minute massage. He sees the same people week after week. $$$$$

    He is currently only listed as an approved CE provider with NCBTMB. The school is no longer listed as an assigned school. TN Higher Education Commission doesn’t require accreditation, but they recommend it. They just require yearly approval to continue operating as a school. It just burns me up bc he has so many people fooled. He is not a doctor and everyone calls him Dr. It’s just not right! He stands in front of his students and puts the fear of God in them that they better not break any laws and they must be ethical! Unbelievable. AND he adjusts his students during class to show them what he does for a living!
     
  10. Chip

    Chip Administrator

    Your best bet might be to look up the scope of practice for chiropractors and/or osteopathic physicians in TN. My guess is that those associations have limited the ability to do spinal adjustments to those with one of those licensure a. In which case, someone could make a complaint for practicing a protectededocal practice without the proper licensure.
     
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  11. Alex Amith

    Alex Amith New Member

    I think I’ll call the Chiro board and see what they say. Would you know how to look up disciplinary actions? I know he’s gotten in trouble before for doing this, so I don’t understand how he’s getting away with continuing.
     
  12. Alex Amith

    Alex Amith New Member

    Found the disciplinary action against him from 2004. Civil fine of $1,000 for practicing medicine without a license
     
  13. Chip

    Chip Administrator

    Perhaps check with chiropractic board, then take their response, the 2004 action, along with the fact he’s still doing this to whatever local news station has a taste for drama and doing exposè type stories.
     
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  14. Alex Amith

    Alex Amith New Member

    I think it’s time to contact NCBTMB and fsmtb (he’s currently president of federation) and alert them that this guy is losing control of his Massage school. There have been about 8 former and current students submit complaint letters to the Tn Higher Education Commission regarding his reckless behaviors. The latest being that he’s bringing current students into his office one by one and intimidating them to sign a new enrollment agreement (contract) even though some of them are about to graduate. Advice on how to best contact NCBTMB and FSMTB and what to say??
     
  15. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Most professional boards have specified means of filing formal complaints, ethics violations, etc. These will likely be described on the respective websites. Formal complaints deserve formal language. Choose your words carefully. Names and dates should be provided when available. Vague allegations are more likely to be dismissed.
     
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  16. Chip

    Chip Administrator

    If his only credential with NCBTMB is board certified massage therapist and CEU provider, all they are going to do, at worst, is yank his credential. Since the credential isn’t required or exclusive to any state, it won’t really stop him. If the goal is to stop him, then you want to show he is practicing something that requires licensure without a license. That can be a felony. Getting interest from the chiropractor or medical or physical therapy board would likely be more successful.
     
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  17. Alex Amith

    Alex Amith New Member

    You are absolutely right. I’ll be sending a formal complaint to the state this week with evidence proving what he’s doing.
     
  18. Dayne Whitehouse

    Dayne Whitehouse New Member

    I need HELP regarding this feed. I attended this very school in Knoxville owned by this individual you speak of, and I was the only individual in my night class group to have graduated(June 2018), taken the MBLEX, and pass it (August 2018). The school was advertising the Clinical Massage Therapy Program with a variety of classes, many of which were smoke and mirrors for trying to get you to sign up with them. The biggest issue I have currently is that I signed an Enrollment Contract stating I would receive 657 hours credit for this Clinical Massage Therapy program, however other students who graduated the same time as I did received a transcript for only 620 hours. I was one of the 8 students last year to file a formal complaint to THEC stating what lunacy was occurring at the school, only to be shrugged by the state (who seemed to mildly let on to some collusion that was occurring between my school owner and the TN board & THEC). We did finally get a verdict of him being in violation of 12 different rules/laws/codes, for which he received a $500 fine for each demerit ($6000 in total). However this is where the road ended for us students as there was no resolution gained regarding all the discrepancies, such as the hours owed to us students contractually. Nevertheless, I quit paying my tuition about 2/3rds through my total schooling after I was singled out and asked to his office where he tried to get me to sign a new student contract with different hours listed. Once I knew there was an anticipatory repudiation of my original student contract, I was weary of paying the man more. Now over a year later, I'm still trying to get my license. My first
     
  19. Dayne Whitehouse

    Dayne Whitehouse New Member

    ... attempt to right the wrong was to offer a final balance based on the actual hours I was receiving, but I was only met with a response email from the school director/owner stating should I pay more than I initially offered AND stating that I WOULD NOT attend my own graduation, then I would be given my diploma and transcripts would be sent to the corresponding states where I wished to pursue a license. I refused to accept his offer and I still attended my graduation. My first massage license application (along with application fee of $280) was magically "lost" by the TN Massage Board, and i had to send in a second round of paperwork AND money. I sent my second set certified and requiring a signature upon delivery. Since they could not deny receipt of the second packet, I received a letter stating all these additional requirements that I should complete, including a redo of my fingerprinting process, and writing letters verifying my employment and association with those who wrote me letters of recommendation (fellow former students of the same massage school). Now my inclination is to pursue a breach of contract suit since the school will not release my transcript to the state for processing of my license until the balance of my original agreed upon tuition is paid (even though I am not receiving the original agreed upon hours). The state is deep in his pocket, as is FSMTB, and so now I am at a loss as to what I should do in order to get my transcript sent to the state by October 8th (within 65 days of the corrections/revisions notice from the TN massage board) without getting a lawyer involved. Any ideas/ suggestions?
     
  20. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

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