Since 1979 Dr. Robert Leach, who has been called a scientist - practitioner by his peers, has offered Starkville unique expertise in chiropractic care and in musculoskeletal pain management.
As a postgraduate faculty member of National College of Chiropractic since 1986, he teaches other chiropractors appropriate outcome assessments for patient care based on current biomedical research. In addition to teaching weekend continuing education programs, he maintains a thriving full-time practice in Starkville.
Dr. Leach has authored dozens of professional journal articles, abstracts, reviews, and scientific presentations, and written a major chiropractic textbook, The Chiropractic Theories, which is published by the medical publisher Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, of Baltimore. The textbook has been used by more than 20,000 chiropractors around the world. Chairman of the Mississippi Chiropractic Association's (MCA) Committee on Research, he often serves as an expert panelist on electromyography and on chiropractic research at chiropractic scientific symposia, and has been called as a consultant on electromyography to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi.
In 1981, at the age of 26, he was one of the youngest chiropractors ever inducted as a Fellow of the International College of Chiropractors, an honorary society of chiropractic researchers, academics and leaders. In 1986, Dr. Leach was given the Research Award by the Mississippi Associated Chiropractors (now the MCA) for his work with scientists at Mississippi State University on chiropractic treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity. In 1992, he was awarded the Clinician of the Year award by his peers, and in 1995 the Mississippi Associated Chiropractors presented him with the Pioneer Award, "For dedicating a lifetime to pioneering and preserving chiropractic in Mississippi."
Dr. Leach is involved in the community and has served as President of Starkville Youth Soccer Organization. He has been a member of Starkville Rotary Club since 1996. Dr. Leach has recently been involved with health education and public health initiatives in Mississippi. He has published articles on fitness and health and in November of 2007 was awarded the "Health Educator of the Year" award by the Mississippi Alliance of Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance. He is currently developing health promotion campaigns for use by industry in the Golden Triangle, and his first health promotion research may be viewed online.