Rate My Professor Joseph Stiefel

Dr. Joseph P.D. Stiefel, MS, EdD, DC, serves as President of National University of Health Sciences and Professor in the Clinical Sciences department. He was inaugurated as the university's sixth president on June 22, 2013. Stiefel earned his first BS in biology and pre-med with double minors in chemistry and classic cultures from Ball State University in 1995. Subsequently, he worked as an engineering analyst at a General Motors facility in Kokomo, Indiana, analyzing mechanical and chemical operations. He then served as a researcher for a private biotech firm in Milwaukee, designing screening tests for organ compatibility and assisting with the firm's product submission to the FDA. In 2001, he chose a career in chiropractic medicine for its emphasis on primary care and residency training in diagnostic imaging. He graduated from National University of Health Sciences with a second BS in 2002, Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in 2004, and MS in diagnostic imaging in 2007 as the program's first graduate. During his time at NUHS, he was vice president of his class, editor of the school yearbook, and recipient of the Joseph Janse Award for excellence upon graduation. He completed a three-year residency in diagnostic imaging, taught evening classes for the NUHS College of Allied Health Sciences, and served as an adjunct lecturer in the advanced nursing program at Rush University College of Nursing.

Recognized for his managerial skills, Stiefel was appointed assistant to the vice presidents at NUHS, where he evaluated all existing university policies and recommended revisions. In 2008, he became the first dean of the College of Professional Studies for NUHS's Florida Doctor of Chiropractic program, overseeing its expansion with new facilities, faculty recruitment, and negotiation of the university's role in the University Partnership Center at St. Petersburg College. Concurrently, he earned his EdD in higher educational leadership from Argosy University in 2013, authoring a dissertation that developed an analytical database for assessing applicants to DC programs and predicting their academic success. In 2012, the NUHS Board of Trustees selected him to succeed President James F. Winterstein. Under his leadership, National University of Health Sciences advances integrative medicine, evidence-based health care, and interdisciplinary training to prepare graduates as leaders in evolving health care systems.