How long does a doctor of chiropractic go to school?

Answer 1

A student in North America should expect to complete at least 7-8 years of post-secondary education in order to become a doctor of chiropractic.

Before a student can attend a chiropractic college he/she must complete a minimum of 90 semester hours, or three full-time years, of undergraduate courses. Most students (> 80%) entering chiropractic college in North America have completed an undergraduate degree (1).

The Doctor of Chiropractic programs in North American are four years of full-time study, but many schools provide three-year 'intensive' curricula. The World Health Organization has stated that to become a doctor of chiropractic a student must attend no less than 4200 hours of schooling in a chiropractic college (2).

Before a chiropractor can recieve a license to practice they must pass regional and/or National board exams to prove their competency. Successful graduation from an accredited chiropractic college and passing the appropriate board exams (state and/or national) will satisfy the eligibility requirements for a chiropractor to obtain a license to practice in most areas.

There is some variability between chiropractic colleges with regard to admission requirements; students are encouraged to research the specific requirements for the institution they wish to attend.

In Australia: To become a chiropractor in Australia, a student must complete an undergraduate degree in chiropractic science, followed by a two-year masters degree in chiropractic.

References:

(1) McDonald et al.,How chiropractors think and practice: The survey of North American chiropractors.Seminars in Integrative Medicine;2004;2(3):92-98.

(2) WHO Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Chiropractic (2005). See related links.

Answer 2

Prospective chiropractors are required to have a Doctor of Chiropractic degree which is a postgraduate professional degree that takes 4-5 academic years to complete. Admission to D.C. programs requires at least 90 credits of undergraduate education with pre-requisite courses of basic science including physics, inorganic and organic chemistry, psychology and Biology. Most chiropractic students earn a bachelor's degree before going onto a chiropractic school.

The average classroom and clinical study hours prior to graduation is about 4800hrs compared to the medical curriculum being 4600hrs. The curriculum includes neuroscience/anatomy, gross anatomy (dissection of human cadaver), physiology, pathology, microbiology, diagnostic imaging (x-ray and MRI), patient assessment, clinical diagnosis, rehabilitation, and multiple chiropractic technique classes. Also chiropractic students get supervised clinical experience with a licensed chiropractor in the last year of a D.C. program.

Doctors of chiropractic must pass national board examinations and become state licensed. Chiropractic colleges also offer post-graduate continuing education programs in specialty fields. This extensive education prepares to become a primary health care provider as well as the primary neuromuscular system specialist.

Answer 3

Prospective chiropractors are required to have a Doctor of Chiropractic degree which is a postgraduate professional degree that takes 4-5 academic years to complete. Admission to D.C. programs requires at least 90 credits of undergraduate education with pre-requisite courses of basic science including physics, inorganic and organic chemistry, psychology and biology. Most chiropractic students earn a bachelor's degree before going onto a chiropractic school.

The average classroom and clinical study hours prior to graduation is about 4800hrs compared to the medical curriculum being 4600hrs. The curriculum includes neuroscience/anatomy, gross anatomy (dissection of human cadaver), physiology, pathology, microbiology, diagnostic imaging (x-ray and MRI), patient assessment, clinical diagnosis, rehabilitation, and multiple chiropractic technique classes. Also chiropractic students get supervised clinical experience with a licensed chiropractor in the last year of a D.C. program.

Doctors of chiropractic must pass national board examinations and become state licensed. Chiropractic colleges also offer post-graduate continuing education programs in specialty fields. This extensive education prepares to become a primary health care provider as well as the primary neuromuscular system specialist.

Answer 4

Prospective chiropractors are required to have a Doctor of Chiropractic degree which is a postgraduate professional degree that takes 4-5 academic years to complete. Admission to D.C. programs requires at least 90 credits of undergraduate education with pre-requisite courses of basic science including physics, inorganic and organic chemistry, psychology and biology. Most chiropractic students earn a bachelor's degree before going onto a chiropractic school.

The average classroom and clinical study hours prior to graduation is about 4800hrs compared to the medical curriculum being 4600hrs. The curriculum includes neuroscience/anatomy, gross anatomy (dissection of human cadaver), physiology, pathology, microbiology, diagnostic imaging (x-ray and MRI), patient assessment, clinical diagnosis, rehabilitation, and multiple chiropractic technique classes. Also chiropractic students get supervised clinical experience with a licensed chiropractor in the last year of a D.C. program.

Doctors of chiropractic must pass national board examinations and become state licensed. Chiropractic colleges also offer post-graduate continuing education programs in specialty fields. This extensive education prepares to become a primary health care provider as well as the primary neuromuscular system specialist.