CHIROPRACTIC SCHOOLS

Chiropractic schools can now be found in all the continents (except Antartica!).

Chiropractic is a great career choice. Here’s how the book “Best Jobs for the 21st Century” rates Chiropractic as a career:

#4 for “best jobs requiring a graduate or professional degree”
#3 for “best scientific jobs”
#5 for “best-paying jobs for self-employed people”
#8 for “Fastest growing jobs for self-employed people”
#10 for best paying jobs

Those who earn a D.C. degree (doctor of chiropractic) can start their own practice, work for hospitals, group medical clinics, athletic teams, or work in research and education. A DC can also specialize in radiology, sports medicine, acupuncture, orthopedics, rehabilitation, and more. They can choose to work in a variety of geographical locations world-wide and often enjoy flexible working hours.

Chiropractic Schools falls into two broad categories:

A pre-chiropractic education in specific sciences at a university or college is required for admission to an accredited chiropractic college, (the best schools require a bachelor's degree) followed by a professional education of 4-5 years, OR
A single (longer) post-school chiropractic education.

Either way, most programs require a minimum of six years post high school education. While studying for your DC, you’ll take courses in basic sciences such as anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. The highlight for many is the year in the anatomy dissection lab. You’ll also have extensive coursework in medical sciences such as diagnosis, pathology, orthopaedics and neurology, and public health. This will be accompanied by full training in chiropractic adjustment and technique, and of course the host of conditions that a chiropractor would be called upon to diagnose and treat. In addition there will be courses in other treatment modalities. If you wish to take advantage of all the new opportunities in today’s health care world, look for a chiropractic school that teaches “broad-scope” or “primary care” chiropractic medicine.

Usually this would include a full research dissertation to prepare the young graduate for the modern world where the doctor of chiropractic has to be fully conversant with modern research concepts.

The two part course, followed in the Americas, has the advantage of less fall out. Having completed an initial degree, the young graduate is in a much stronger position to make the correct decision of a life's career. It has the disadvantage of taking slightly longer but proponents would claim it makes for more rounded doctors.

Model I

Graduates of education chiropractic schools receive the degree Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), and are referred to as "doctor". The Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) sets minimum guidelines for chiropractic colleges, but additional requirements may be needed for a license depending on the country where a chiropractor chooses to practise. All 19 chiropractic institutions in the United States are accredited by the CCE. Several universities in the USA have established a College of Chiropractic, becoming full affiliates within the university. Students often enter chiropractic school with a Bachelor's degree, but, in 2005, only one chiropractic institute, (The National University of Health Sciences in Chicago) required this as an admission requirement. The minimum prerequisite for enrollment in a chiropractic college set forth by the CCE is 90 semester hours, and the minimum cumulative GPA for a student entering is 2.50. Commonly required classes include: psychology, biology, organic and inorganic chemistry, and physics. Other common medical classes are: anatomy or embryology, physiology, microbiology, diagnosis, neurology, x-ray, orthopedics, obstetrics/gynecology, histology, and pathology. Chiropractic programs require at least 4,200 hours of combined classroom, laboratory, and clinical experience. The last 2 years stress courses in manipulation and spinal adjustment and provide clinical experience in physical and laboratory diagnosis, orthopedics, neurology, geriatrics, physiotherapy, rehabilitation and nutrition.

Model II

CCE sets the standard for chiropractic education around the world. Many countries outside the USA and Canada, such as Britain, France and South Africa allow for an all-inclusive chiropractic education that begins immediately post school, and generally has a duration of about six years.

The chiropractic educational requirements in both models are not dissimilar.

Chiropractic Colleges

Chiropractic Colleges can now be found in the United States, Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Spain, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. (there may be others).

This list is out of date, we are working at it. For a partial list, click here.

New colleges are currently being established in Spain and Switzerland.

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