Allie Foddrill, DC (’24), first considered becoming a chiropractor because of her experience as a patient. As a multi-sport high school athlete, she wanted to be at the top of her game so she started visiting the chiropractor to prevent injuries. Encouraged by her chiropractor, she visited several chiropractic schools and quickly realized it was her calling.
Dr. Foddrill chose Logan University’s Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) program for its balanced approach to education, blending traditional chiropractic principles with modern, evidence-based techniques.
“When visiting chiropractic schools, Logan stood out for its beautiful balance of older and newer philosophies and techniques,” Dr. Foddrill said. “I knew I wanted the best of both worlds.”
From the moment she arrived at Logan, she took advantage of every learning opportunity. Along with her coursework, she spent her lunch breaks attending various club meetings such as the Motion Palpation Institute club and the Rehab to Performance club. She credits them for building her confidence in adjustment skills and teaching her physical therapy techniques.
“The clubs didn’t feel like extra work,” she said. “They were fun and gave me a chance to improve each day.”
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Foddrill gained extensive hands-on experience. She worked with collegiate athletes from University of Missouri-St. Louis and Harris-Stowe State University, as well as with professional athletes from the United Football League’s (UFL) St. Louis Battlehawks. She treated the Battlehawks players both on the sidelines and in the locker room.
“I felt 100% included in their medical staff,” she said. “I loved seeing the difference chiropractic care made in these athletes’ lives. I also got to know them as people, beyond just football.”
Another valuable experience came from her internship at MVMT STL, a health and wellness clinic owned by Devon Ackroyd, DC, MS-SSR, DACBSP, Cert. MDT, assistant professor at Logan University. There, Dr. Foddrill gained more experience treating professional athletes.
“Dr. Ackroyd took me under his wing and gave me an incredible opportunity to work with high-level athletes,” she said. “Treating these types of people can be nerve-racking and not many of my classmates had that kind of experience so early on in their careers.”
Since graduating, Dr. Foddrill has been pursuing her Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) certification, which opens doors to working with Olympic teams and improves her skills in on-field care and emergency procedures. She is also preparing to open her own chiropractic practice, The Well Yard, in St. Louis.
For those looking to follow a similar path, Dr. Foddrill offers a piece of advice.
“Dive in head first!” she said. “You might feel like you’re drinking from a fire hose at times, but if you keep at it, you’ll get there.”