While graduating from chiropractic school at the age of 23 is not the norm, it is exactly what German-born tennis player Julia Mautner is doing thanks to Palmer’s 3+1 program. The program allows Julia to complete three years in her chosen undergraduate program – Aerospace Physiology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) – then earn her undergraduate degree after completing her first year of coursework at Palmer. This program allows Julia to shorten her time away from her family back in Bavaria while obtaining an education that isn’t available there. It also saves her one year of tuition.
“I have always wanted to become a chiropractor but, as of right now, there is no degree for it in my home country, Germany,” she said. “Being away from home for four years of undergrad, and an additional three and a half years for chiropractic school sounded like a long time away from my family. When I was told about the option to shorten this time a little bit while staying in my newfound community, it sounded like the perfect opportunity.”
The distance between ERAU to Palmer Florida is a mere 15 minutes. Typically having relocated once already, students participating in the 3 + 1 program find that they can keep their same friends while pursuing their degrees, which brings peace of mind.
For Julia, Palmer Florida was an easy choice not only due to its proximity to ERAU but also thanks to its reputation which was echoed by Julia’s anatomy and neuroscience professor.
“My professor and mentor, Alesha Fleming, D.C., is a Palmer Florida graduate so she told me about the 3+1 program and guided me through the whole process. She was a huge help and had a big impact on my decision!” said Julia.
As for the school’s reputation and history, Julia noted that even people back home in Germany know of D.D. Palmer. She was also impressed with Palmer Florida’s new building, cadaver labs, and clinics. She was eager to get involved on campus and joined the Sports Council early on. Now, her club of choice is MoPal due to its hands-on nature.
Julia still plays tennis which, not so ironically, is what introduced her to chiropractic care in the first place. Having experienced pain from playing a lifelong sport, a friend advised her to see a Doctor of Chiropractic after other methodologies weren’t helping. A rare find in Germany, Julia experienced immediate relief after her first adjustment. An unexpected perk was improved overall athletic performance.
“I enjoyed the adjustments and the sessions with my chiropractor at home so much that I knew that this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to help other people by finding the cause of the issue and especially help athletes increase and maximize their performance,” she recalled.
When she graduates in 2025, Julia plans to bring more awareness of chiropractic to her home country.
