Chiropractic schools

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A chiropractic school is an institution involved in the education of future chiropractic practitioners (chiropractors). The entry criteria, structure, teaching methodology and nature of chiropractic programs offered at chiropractic schools vary considerably around the world.

1 Australia
2 Canada
3 New Zealand
4 United Kingdom
5 United States
6 See also

[edit] Australia

Chiropractic education is only conducted within government universities and student fees are subsidised through government tertiary education funding. International students are accepted but pay full fees. All three courses are five years long with the RMIT and Maquarie programs consisting of a three year bachelors degree followed by a two year masters degree, while the Murdoch course is a five year double bachelor degree.

Murdoch University [1]

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) [2]

Maquarie University [3]

[edit] Canada

Chiropractic education is conducted within a private college in North York,Ontario and in the french speaking province of Quebec at the University of Quebec.

Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College [4]
Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres, Departement de Chiropratique [5]

[edit] New Zealand

New Zealand College of Chiropractic

[edit] United Kingdom

There are three UK chiropractic colleges with chiropractic courses recognised by the General Chiropractic Council, the statutory governmental body responsible for the regulation of chiropractic in the UK. These are the Anglo European College of Chiropractic (AECC), a faculty of Bournemouth University, the McTimoney College of Chiropractic (MCC), validated by the University of Wales and the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic (WIOC) a faculty of Glamorgan University. The AECC graduates chiropractors with both a Bachelor of Science and an undergraduate Masters degree. The WIOC graduate chiropractors with a Bachelor of Science (Hon) and the MCC graduates chiropractors with a BSc (Hons) Chiropractic.

It is a legal requirement that all chiropractors in the UK register with the GCC to practice.

[edit] United States

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. Currently, all 19 chiropractic institutions are accredited by the CCE. In 1991, University of Bridgeport established its College of Chiropractic, becoming the first chiropractic school in the United States affiliated with a university.

Students often enter chiropractic school with a Bachelor's degree, or with three years of post-secondary education in the sciences and other appropriate coursework. However, in 2005 only one chiropractic college required a baccalaureate degree as an admission requirement. [6] 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 (four years) 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, and nutrition.

To qualify for licensure, graduates must pass all four examinations from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and satisify other 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 boards 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 12-48 hours of continuing education annually. Chiropractic colleges also offer postdoctoral training in neurology, orthopedics, sports injuries, nutrition, rehabilitation, industrial consulting, 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.