Chiropractic Degree

Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C. or DC) is an academic degree for chiropractic providers. All degrees in chiropractic are considered to be first professional degrees. This means that the individuals are adequately prepared for a particular profession and have the competency and skill required for that profession. A D.C. is considered a "primary health care" provider in the United States and Canada. This implies that a patient does not require a referral to seek treatment from a chiropractor. In this sense they are considered a "portal of entry" to the healthcare system.

Also known as a "chiropractic doctor", "chiropractor", or "chiropractic physician"  , a Doctor of Chiropractic degree differs from a Doctor of Medicine degree in scope and practice, and varies greatly in education. In chiropractic, the practitioner health care provider seeks to diagnose, treat, correct, and prevent neurological, skeletal, or soft tissue dysfunction by primarily employing manual and conservative therapies; the most frequent being spinal and other articular adjustments and manipulations.

The United States Department of Education currently states:

    Chiropractic--Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C. or B.Chiro or M.Chiro), a curriculum divided into "straight" or "progressive" chiropractic depending upon the philosophy of the institution, generally requiring 4 academic years of full-time study after 2-4 years or more of study at the associate or bachelor's degree level.

Although the U.S. Department of Education lists the D.C.M. (Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine) as a type of degree granted to chiropractors, the degree has never actually been conferred by any academic institution. The D.C.M. degree was first proposed by Western States Chiropractic College in 1994. Western States Chiropractic College had announced at the time its intentions of developing a post graduate D.C.M. training program that would prepare chiropractors to prescribe pharmaceuticals and perform minor surgery.

Graduates of chiropractic schools receive the degree Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), are referred to as "doctor", and are eligible to seek licensure in all jurisdictions. The Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) sets minimum guidelines for chiropractic colleges, but additional requirements may be needed for a license depending on the jurisdiction where a chiropractor chooses to practice. All 18 chiropractic institutions are accredited by the CCE. In 1991, the University of Bridgeport established its College of Chiropractic UBCC, becoming the first chiropractic school in the USA to be affiliated with a university (and the only Chiropractic program in New England). It has become one of the premier programs for evidence-based and broad-scoped training of today's Chiropractic physicians in an integrative curriculum. It is one of only two schools in the country to provide Chiropractic, Naturopathic and acupuncture degree programs on one campus.

Students often enter chiropractic school with a Bachelor's degree, but, in 2005, only one chiropractic college 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 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Commonly required classes include: psychology, biology, organic and inorganic chemistry, and physics. Other common medical classes are: anatomy or embryology, physiology, and microbiology. 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, and nutrition.

To qualify for licensure, graduates must pass at least 4 (NBCE parts I - IV) and in some juristdictions 5 (NBCE Physiotherapy) examinations from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and complete State specific requirements; most State boards require at least 2 years of undergraduate education, and an increasing number require a 4-year bachelor’s degree. All licensing boards in the US require the completion of a 4-year program at an accredited college leading to the DC degree. Once licensed, most States require chiropractors to attend 12–50 hours of continuing education annually. Chiropractic colleges also offer postdoctoral training in Chiropractic Neurology, orthopedics, sports injuries, nutrition, industrial consulting, rehabilitation, radiology, family practice, pediatrics, and applied chiropractic sciences. After such training, chiropractors may take exams leading to "diplomate" status in a given specialty including orthopedics, neurology and radiology.