Gary Alan Jacob, DC, LAc, MPH

Academic Training & Activities

BA: Philosophy Of Science

I obtained my BA in Philosophy of Science at SUNY Binghamton. My interest in the history and philosophy of science was due, in part, to my personal experience with being helped by alternative health care methods that, at the time, were deemed non-scientific by the medical establishment. Understanding the differences between science and pseudoscience served me well in my subsequent alternative health care studies as I encountered multiple approaches that were yet to be critically evaluated. The critical reasoning skills developed helped me to separate the “wheat from the chaff” of the myriad of alternative health care techniques that I was to encounter.

DC: Doctor Of Chiropractic

I graduated from the L.A. College of Chiropractic (now the Southern California University of Health Sciences) in 1978, skilled in spinal manipulation and other manual techniques. In 2016, I became clinical professor at SCUHS and, in that same year was invited to give the commencement speech.

LAc, OMD: Licensed Acupuncturist – Doctor of Oriental Medicine

I graduated from the California Acupuncture College in 1978 at which I served as an instructor (in orthopedics, nutrition, and point location) and as the Dean of Western Science.

MPH: Master of Public Health

In 2003 I graduated from UCLA with a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Community Health Education and Promotion. My Master's Thesis was The Biopsychosocial Model and Lower Back Pain. My professors nominated me for, and I was admitted as an “elected enrollee”, to the honorary public health Delta Omega Iota Chapter at Johns Hopkins University.

Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction

I was trained by Janet Travell, MD regarding the identification and treatment of myofascial pain (trigger points). Dr. Travell had been the White House physician for President John F. Kennedy and was the senior author of the Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction textbook.

McKenzie Method – Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy

I was the 12th individual and first chiropractor or acupuncturist, in the world, to receive the DipMDT (Diploma in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy) from the McKenzie Institute International.

Author & Podcasts

As one of the first chiropractors to promote exercise and self-care as a front-line approach, I authored multiple textbook chapters and articles concerned with the physical and psychological dimensions of rehabilitation.

Textbook chapters and articles written by Dr. Jacob

Podcasts

International Educator

An unexpected effect of my writings was invitations to teach internationally. I taught for multiple Chiropractic and Acupuncture postgraduate programs as well as presenting for multiple World Federation of Chiropractic conferences. My role as an educator took me all across the USA and Canada as well as to Japan, New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Brazil, South Korea and Greece.

RAND Corporation Research

From 2018 to 2019 I served as research adjunct, topic expert, and data abstractor at the RAND Corporation concerning the role of chiropractic care for chronic pain.

Guidelines Development: Delphi Panelist

I have been an invited contributor to multiple consensus committees for guidelines development regarding chiropractic care for:

• Adults with Musculoskeletal Pain
• Adult Patients With Mechanical Low Back Pain
• Cervicogenic and Tension-Type Headaches in Adults
• Older Adult Patients With Musculoskeletal Pain