Chiropractic
Regulations
Yes. All states and Canadian provinces require licensing for chiropractors. To be licensed, a chiropractor must:
- earn a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree from an accredited institution
- pass a four-part national board examination.
Individual states have their own additional requirements and licensure limitations, and in most cases, a state board of chiropractic examiners oversees practitioners. Some states do not allow chiropractors to perform certain diagnostic tests in their offices. Some states allow chiropractors to offer additional therapies, such as homeopathy or acupuncture or the distribution of nutritional supplements, and some don't.
Most states require chiropractors to earn continuing education credits to maintain their licenses. This typically requires about 20-25 hours of continuing medical education each year in areas such as diagnostic imaging, professional boundaries, and clinical skills development.
What do chiropractors study to get their degree?
Students must complete at least three years of preparatory college work with an emphasis in the life sciences to be admitted into chiropractic schools.
Chiropractic coursework for the degree program of Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) typically includes:
- Anatomy, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry, pathology, nutrition, public health, and many other subjects
- The principles and practice of chiropractic
- Research methods and procedures
- Direct patient care
Chiropractic training is a rigorous four-year academic program consisting of both classroom and clinical instruction. This is followed by state licensure board examinations, which chiropractors must pass in order to practice.
Some chiropractic colleges also offer postgraduate courses, including two- to three-year residency programs in subspecialty areas such as nutrition, orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics, rehabilitation, and imaging.
The Association of Chiropractic Colleges. http://www.chirocolleges.org/
The Council on Chiropractic Education. http://www.cce-usa.org/
The Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards. http://www.fclb.org/
