Chiropractic education
Encyclopedia
Chiropractic education trains future chiropractic
practitioners. The entry criteria, structure, teaching methodology and nature of chiropractic programs offered at chiropractic schools vary considerably around the world. Chiropractic practice is currently formally regulated in approximately 60 countries although chiropractors are also practicing in several other countries where there is no formal legal recognition of the profession. To help standardize and ensure quality of chiropractic education and patient safety, in 2005 the World Health Organization published guidelines for basic training and safety in chiropractic Chiropractors usually obtain a first professional, second entry, degree in Chiropractic. Typically a four year university undergraduate education is required to apply for the chiropractic degree. In general, the World Health Organization lists three potential educational paths involving full‐time chiropractic education across the globe. This includes: 1 – 4 years of pre-requisite training in basic sciences at university level followed by a 4 year full‐time program; DC. A 5 year integrated bachelor degree; BSc (Chiro). A 2 - 3 year Masters program following the completion of a bachelor degree; MSc (Chiro). These are considered "basic guidelines", however, and in countries where the practice of chiropractic is well established, the standards are frequently much higher.
Regardless of the model of education utilized, prospective chiropractors without relevant prior health care education or experience, must spend no less than 4200 student/teacher contact hours (or the equivalent) in four years of full‐time education. This includes a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised clinical training. Health professionals with advanced clinical degrees, such as medical doctors, can meet the educational and clinical requirements to practice as a chiropractor in 2200 hours, which is most commonly done in countries where the profession is in its infancy. Upon meeting all clinical and didactic requirements of chiropractic school, a degree in chiropractic medicine is granted. However, in order to legally practice, chiropractors, like all self regulated health care professionals, must be licensed.
All Chiropractic Examining Board requires all candidates to complete a 12 month clinical internship to obtain licensure. Licensure is granted following successful completion of all state/provincial and national board exams so long as the chiropractor maintains malpractice
insurance. Nonetheless, there still some variations in educational standards internationally depending on admission and graduation requirements. Chiropractic medicine is regulated in North America by state/provincial statute
. The regulatory boards are responsible for protecting the public, standards of practice, disciplinary issues, quality assurance and maintenance of competency.
for chiropractic
providers. All degrees in chiropractic are considered to be first professional degree
s. 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. 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:
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.
", and are eligible to seek licensure in all jurisdictions. The Council on Chiropractic Education
(CCE) sets minimum guidelines for chiropractic colleges http://www.cce-usa.org/uploads/2007_January_STANDARDS.pdf, 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.http://www.cce-usa.org/Accredited_Doctor_Chiro.html In 1991, the University of Bridgeport
established its College of Chiropractic, becoming the first chiropractic school in the USA to be affiliated with a university.http://www.bridgeport.edu/pages/3239.asp
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.http://www.cce-usa.org/ 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.
in Melbourne, Murdoch University
in Perth and Macquarie University
in Sydney. The RMIT and Macquarie programs graduate chiropractors with a bachelors degree followed by a masters degree while Murdoch University graduates attain a double bachelors degree, any of which is necessary for registration with state registration boards.http://www.ccea.com.au/Program%20Accreditation/Programs.htm
A graduate of RMIT will have attained a Bachelor of Applied Science (Complementary Medicine - Chiropractic) and a Master of Clinical Chiropractic. Similarly, a typical graduate of Macquarie University will have a Bachelor of Chiropractic Science followed by a Master of Chiropractic. Murdoch University graduates possess the double-degree of Bachelor of Science (Chiropractic Science) / Bachelor of Chiropractic.
The Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia undertakes accreditations of Australasian chiropractic courses http://www.ccea.com.au/Program%20Accreditation/Programs.htm
As of the 1st of July 2010, Chiropractors are able to use the title "Dr.", provided they identify themselves as Chiropractors. e.g. 'Dr. John Blogs, Chiropractor'. This was made possible by reforms to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act of 2009.
, in Toronto, Ontario and the Universite du Quebec a Trois Rivieres
, in Trois Rivieres, Quebec. Both programs are fully accredited by the Canadian Federation of Chiropractic Regulatory and Educational Accrediting Boards. In 2010, the majority of students (87%) entering the CMCC program have completed a baccalaureate university degree, and approximately 3% have a graduate degree. The CMCC program is a privately funded institution and requires four years of full-time study, including a 12-month clinical internship. The UQTR and CMCC programs both include courses in anatomy, biochemistry, embryology, immunology, microbiology, neurology, clinical nutrition, pathology, physiology, principles of chiropractic, radiology, and other basic and clinical medical sciences. In terms of manual therapy
skills, the technique department of CMCC teaches the diversified technique for spinal manipulative therapy
, and have formally introduced soft tissue techniques in 2006.
Canadian chiropractic schools teach an evidence-based medicine
paradigm as opposed to the traditional vertebral subluxation
model. These schools promote the idea that chiropractic is a primary contact health care profession with expert knowledge in spinal and musculoskeletal health emphasizing differential diagnosis, patient-centered care and research.
Eight Canadian public universities currently have government-funded Canada Research Chairs in Chiropractic, with plans to have at least one in each of Canada's 10 provinces in the near future. Pilot projects involving doctors of chiropractic in hospital emergency rooms in the province of Ontario are underway.
In August 2005, CMCC became the first private institution in Ontario to be granted the privilege of offering a professional health care degree under the Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act. It sets the program within the hierarchy of education in Ontario as comparable to that of other primary contact health care professions, such as medicine, dentistry, and optometry. As of 2005, graduates of CMCC are formally recognized to have at least 7–8 years of university level education which will facilitate the acceptance of credits if they choose to further their education at the post graduate level. Additionally, CMCC offers chiropractic graduate studies in sport sciences, clinical sciences, physical/occupational rehabilitation and radiology following the 4 year Doctor of Chiropractic Degree. CMCC also offers a 1 year continuing education programme in acupuncture
. In contrast, the doctorate of chiropractic degree in Quebec is within a publicly funded university (UQTR) and is a five-year program following graduation from CÉGEP, a system of education that is unique to the province of Quebec.
In addition to the academic program, chiropractic education requires hands-on clinical experience under faculty supervision. This experience includes clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and referral protocols. The multi-disciplinary faculty at both CMCC and UQTR have diverse backgrounds including MD's and PhD's that offer students a wide range of expertise in the medical and clinical sciences. Both the CMCC and the UQTR programs include courses in anatomy, neuroanatomy, neurodiagnosis, neuroscience, biochemistry, physiology, orthopedics, diagnosis and symptomotalogy, laboratory diagnosis, embryology, principles of chiropractic, radiology, immunology, microbiology, pathology, clinical nutrition and other basic and clinical medical sciences.
Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board requires all candidates to complete a 12 month clinical internship to obtain licensure, as well as write a total of 3 exams in their 4th year of study. Candidates must successfully pass Components A and B (Written Cognitive Skills Examination) to be eligible for the Clinical Skills Examination. Canadian accrediting standards are higher than the United States, and admission requirements into the Doctorate of Chiropractic Degree program are the strictest in North America.
. They are both 6 year full-time courses leading to an MTECH or Masters of technology in Chiropractic.
It's a legal requirement that chiropractors must be registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of SA (AHPCSA) the governmental statutory body in order to practice Chiropractic in SA. Being a member of the Chiropractic Association of SA (CASA) is voluntary. CASA is the only voluntary national association in the country and aims to promote the profession through publications in newspaper, interviews, internet and public enquires over the phone.
Currently continuing education is not compulsory in order to stay registered with the AHPCSA.
as the regulatory board. Since that time, it is illegal to call oneself a Chiropractor in the UK without being registered with the General Chiropractic Council.
There are three UK chiropractic colleges with chiropractic courses recognised by the General Chiropractic Council
(GCC), the statutory governmental body responsible for the regulation of chiropractic in the UK.
The McTimoney College of Chiropractic
offers an Undergraduate Master Degree in human Chiropractic and 2 Post graduate Masters programmes in Animal Manipulation, plus a masters in Paediatric Chiropractic. The Anglo-European College of Chiropractic graduates chiropractors with an undergraduate Masters degree (MChiro). The WIOC has also recently changed from a Bsc to an Mchiro programme.
It is a legal requirement that all chiropractors in the UK register with the GCC to practice. A minimum of 30 hrs per annum Continuing Professional Development is required to retain registration.
In New Zealand, chiropractors are allowed to use the title ‘doctor’ when it is qualified to show that the title refers to their chiropractic role. A representative from the NZ Chiropractic Board says that entries in the Yellow Pages under the heading of 'Chiropractors' fulfills this obligation when suitably qualified. The NZ Chiropractic Board noted that it publishes specific directions in its Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice as follows to using the title ‘doctor’: "The use of the title ‘Doctor’ must be qualified, for example, John Doe, Dr of Chiropractic or Dr John Doe, Chiropractor. Failure to qualify the use of the title ‘Doctor’ may contravene the provisions of the Medical Practitioners Act 1995 and he or she may be committing an offence under that Act.". If a chiropractor is not a registered medical practitioner, then the misuse of the title 'Doctor' while working in healthcare will not comply with the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Some New Zealand chiropractors appeared to have used the title 'Doctor' in a New Zealand Yellow pages telephone directory in a way that implied they are registered medical practitioners, when no evidence was presented it was true. This happened more often among chiropractors than acupuncturists or osteopaths.
While this quality assurance model and the CCEs themselves have taken hold in English speaking countries and across Europe where English can be used in professional circles, the same has not been true in other regions, some of which are showing tremendous interest and potential growth in chiropractic. Educational ventures in some of these locations seem to indicate endeavors of high quality. However, others are questionable and some seem to be cause for considerable concern with regard to inadequacy in the scope, thoroughness and quality of the education expected for practice of chiropractic. Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, government, regulatory, and social acceptance of less than professional chiropractic sometimes seems to accompany instances of insufficient rigor and completeness in chiropractic education.
In recognition of these conditions and the need to assure quality in the further growth and development of the profession across the world, the four established CCEs have founded and developed CCEI http://www.cceintl.org/ as the means to address the educational aspects of this concern. CCEI recognizes that differing cultural, social/traditional, governmental and regulatory factors influence many situations, and CCEI endeavors to work and cooperate with related agencies and groups in the profession to address those challenges as well.
degree. Its accreditations are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. It seeks to ensure the quality of chiropractic education in the United States by developing accreditation standards, encouraging educational improvement and providing public information.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
practitioners. The entry criteria, structure, teaching methodology and nature of chiropractic programs offered at chiropractic schools vary considerably around the world. Chiropractic practice is currently formally regulated in approximately 60 countries although chiropractors are also practicing in several other countries where there is no formal legal recognition of the profession. To help standardize and ensure quality of chiropractic education and patient safety, in 2005 the World Health Organization published guidelines for basic training and safety in chiropractic Chiropractors usually obtain a first professional, second entry, degree in Chiropractic. Typically a four year university undergraduate education is required to apply for the chiropractic degree. In general, the World Health Organization lists three potential educational paths involving full‐time chiropractic education across the globe. This includes: 1 – 4 years of pre-requisite training in basic sciences at university level followed by a 4 year full‐time program; DC. A 5 year integrated bachelor degree; BSc (Chiro). A 2 - 3 year Masters program following the completion of a bachelor degree; MSc (Chiro). These are considered "basic guidelines", however, and in countries where the practice of chiropractic is well established, the standards are frequently much higher.
Regardless of the model of education utilized, prospective chiropractors without relevant prior health care education or experience, must spend no less than 4200 student/teacher contact hours (or the equivalent) in four years of full‐time education. This includes a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised clinical training. Health professionals with advanced clinical degrees, such as medical doctors, can meet the educational and clinical requirements to practice as a chiropractor in 2200 hours, which is most commonly done in countries where the profession is in its infancy. Upon meeting all clinical and didactic requirements of chiropractic school, a degree in chiropractic medicine is granted. However, in order to legally practice, chiropractors, like all self regulated health care professionals, must be licensed.
All Chiropractic Examining Board requires all candidates to complete a 12 month clinical internship to obtain licensure. Licensure is granted following successful completion of all state/provincial and national board exams so long as the chiropractor maintains malpractice
Malpractice
In law, malpractice is a type of negligence in, which the professional under a duty to act, fails to follow generally accepted professional standards, and that breach of duty is the proximate cause of injury to a plaintiff who suffers harm...
insurance. Nonetheless, there still some variations in educational standards internationally depending on admission and graduation requirements. Chiropractic medicine is regulated in North America by state/provincial statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
. The regulatory boards are responsible for protecting the public, standards of practice, disciplinary issues, quality assurance and maintenance of competency.
Chiropractic degree
Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C. or DC) is an academic degreeAcademic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
for chiropractic
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
providers. All degrees in chiropractic are considered to be first professional degree
First professional degree
A professional degree prepares the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing competency skills along with theory and analysis. These professions are typically licensed or otherwise regulated by a governmental or government-approved body...
s. 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. In chiropractic, the practitioner health care provider
Health care provider
A health care provider is an individual or an institution that provides preventive, curative, promotional or rehabilitative health care services in a systematic way to individuals, families or communities....
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
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
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
Western States Chiropractic College
University of Western States is a chiropractic college in Northeast Portland, Oregon. The private school has about 475 students.-History:...
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.
Chiropractic education, licensure, and regulation
The entry criteria, structure, teaching methodology and nature of chiropractic programs offered at chiropractic schools vary considerably around the world, and their curricula, paradigms and scope of practice differ accordingly to the dominant belief structures within chiropractic.United States
Graduates of chiropractic schools receive the degree Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), are referred to as "doctorDoctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
", and are eligible to seek licensure in all jurisdictions. The Council on Chiropractic Education
Council on Chiropractic Education
The Council on Chiropractic Education is the agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education for accreditation of programs and institutions offering the Doctor of Chiropractic degree. CCE seeks to insure the quality of chiropractic education in the United States by means of accreditation,...
(CCE) sets minimum guidelines for chiropractic colleges http://www.cce-usa.org/uploads/2007_January_STANDARDS.pdf, but additional requirements may be needed for a license depending on the jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
where a chiropractor chooses to practice. All 18 chiropractic institutions are accredited by the CCE.http://www.cce-usa.org/Accredited_Doctor_Chiro.html In 1991, the University of Bridgeport
University of Bridgeport
The University of Bridgeport is a private, independent, non-sectarian, coeducational university located on the Long Island Sound in the South End neighborhood of Bridgeport, Connecticut. The University is fully Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges...
established its College of Chiropractic, becoming the first chiropractic school in the USA to be affiliated with a university.http://www.bridgeport.edu/pages/3239.asp
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.http://www.cce-usa.org/ Commonly required classes include: psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, organic
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
and inorganic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic compounds. This field covers all chemical compounds except the myriad organic compounds , which are the subjects of organic chemistry...
, and physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. Other common medical classes are: anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
or embryology
Embryology
Embryology is a science which is about the development of an embryo from the fertilization of the ovum to the fetus stage...
, physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
, and microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
. 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
Orthopedics
Orthopedics is the study of the musculoskeletal system. The Greek word 'ortho' means straight or correct and 'pedics' comes from the Greek 'pais' meaning children. For many centuries, orthopedists have been involved in the treatment of crippled children...
, neurology
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
, geriatrics
Geriatrics
Geriatrics is a sub-specialty of internal medicine and family medicine that focuses on health care of elderly people. It aims to promote health by preventing and treating diseases and disabilities in older adults. There is no set age at which patients may be under the care of a geriatrician, or...
, and nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
.
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
National Board of Chiropractic Examiners
The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners is a non-profit national and international testing organization for the chiropractic profession that develops, administers, analyzes, scores, and reports results from various examinations. Examinations are offered twice a year to students of CCE...
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
Chiropractic Neurology
Chiropractic Neurology is a subspecialty of chiropractic practice. There are currently 10 specialties recognized by the American Chiropractic Association...
, orthopedics
Orthopedics
Orthopedics is the study of the musculoskeletal system. The Greek word 'ortho' means straight or correct and 'pedics' comes from the Greek 'pais' meaning children. For many centuries, orthopedists have been involved in the treatment of crippled children...
, sports injuries
Sports injuries
Sports injuries are injuries that occur in athletic activities. In many cases, these types of injuries are often due to overuse or acute trauma of a part of the body when participating in a certain activity. For example, runner's knee is a painful condition generally associated with running, while...
, nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
, industrial consulting, rehabilitation, radiology
Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
, family practice, pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
, and applied chiropractic sciences. After such training, chiropractors may take exams leading to "diplomate" status in a given specialty including orthopedics, neurology and radiology.
Australia
In Australia, a minimum of five-years worth of chiropractic education is needed before one may register as a practicing chiropractor. Chiropractic is taught at three public universities: RMITRMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
in Melbourne, Murdoch University
Murdoch University
Murdoch University is a public university based in Perth, Australia. It began operations as the state's second university in 1973, and accepted its first students in 1975...
in Perth and Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
in Sydney. The RMIT and Macquarie programs graduate chiropractors with a bachelors degree followed by a masters degree while Murdoch University graduates attain a double bachelors degree, any of which is necessary for registration with state registration boards.http://www.ccea.com.au/Program%20Accreditation/Programs.htm
A graduate of RMIT will have attained a Bachelor of Applied Science (Complementary Medicine - Chiropractic) and a Master of Clinical Chiropractic. Similarly, a typical graduate of Macquarie University will have a Bachelor of Chiropractic Science followed by a Master of Chiropractic. Murdoch University graduates possess the double-degree of Bachelor of Science (Chiropractic Science) / Bachelor of Chiropractic.
The Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia undertakes accreditations of Australasian chiropractic courses http://www.ccea.com.au/Program%20Accreditation/Programs.htm
As of the 1st of July 2010, Chiropractors are able to use the title "Dr.", provided they identify themselves as Chiropractors. e.g. 'Dr. John Blogs, Chiropractor'. This was made possible by reforms to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act of 2009.
Canada
There are currently 2 schools of chiropractic in Canada: Canadian Memorial Chiropractic CollegeCanadian Memorial Chiropractic College
The Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College is a fully accredited academic institution recognized as one of the most rigourous and innovative chiropractic programs in North America. With graduates now practising in 43 countries around the world, CMCC’s focus is the delivery of world class...
, in Toronto, Ontario and the Universite du Quebec a Trois Rivieres
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières , established in 1969 is a campus of the Université du Québec, located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The university has 12,500 students in 8 different campuses, including the main one in Trois-Rivières. About 1000 of them come from overseas, from 60...
, in Trois Rivieres, Quebec. Both programs are fully accredited by the Canadian Federation of Chiropractic Regulatory and Educational Accrediting Boards. In 2010, the majority of students (87%) entering the CMCC program have completed a baccalaureate university degree, and approximately 3% have a graduate degree. The CMCC program is a privately funded institution and requires four years of full-time study, including a 12-month clinical internship. The UQTR and CMCC programs both include courses in anatomy, biochemistry, embryology, immunology, microbiology, neurology, clinical nutrition, pathology, physiology, principles of chiropractic, radiology, and other basic and clinical medical sciences. In terms of manual therapy
Manual therapy
Manual therapy, manipulative therapy, or manual & manipulative therapy is a physical treatment primarily used by physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths to treat musculoskeletal pain and disability; it most commonly includes massage therapy, joint mobilization and joint...
skills, the technique department of CMCC teaches the diversified technique for spinal manipulative therapy
Spinal manipulative therapy
Spinal manipulative therapy is the generic term commonly given to a group of manually applied therapeutic interventions. These interventions are usually applied with the aim of inducing intervertebral movement by directing forces to vertebrae, and include spinal manipulation and...
, and have formally introduced soft tissue techniques in 2006.
Canadian chiropractic schools teach an evidence-based medicine
Evidence-based medicine
Evidence-based medicine or evidence-based practice aims to apply the best available evidence gained from the scientific method to clinical decision making. It seeks to assess the strength of evidence of the risks and benefits of treatments and diagnostic tests...
paradigm as opposed to the traditional vertebral subluxation
Vertebral subluxation
Vertebral subluxation is a term that is commonly used by some chiropractors to describe signs and symptoms of the spinal column. Those chiropractors who assert this concept also add a visceral component to the definition...
model. These schools promote the idea that chiropractic is a primary contact health care profession with expert knowledge in spinal and musculoskeletal health emphasizing differential diagnosis, patient-centered care and research.
Eight Canadian public universities currently have government-funded Canada Research Chairs in Chiropractic, with plans to have at least one in each of Canada's 10 provinces in the near future. Pilot projects involving doctors of chiropractic in hospital emergency rooms in the province of Ontario are underway.
In August 2005, CMCC became the first private institution in Ontario to be granted the privilege of offering a professional health care degree under the Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act. It sets the program within the hierarchy of education in Ontario as comparable to that of other primary contact health care professions, such as medicine, dentistry, and optometry. As of 2005, graduates of CMCC are formally recognized to have at least 7–8 years of university level education which will facilitate the acceptance of credits if they choose to further their education at the post graduate level. Additionally, CMCC offers chiropractic graduate studies in sport sciences, clinical sciences, physical/occupational rehabilitation and radiology following the 4 year Doctor of Chiropractic Degree. CMCC also offers a 1 year continuing education programme in acupuncture
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
. In contrast, the doctorate of chiropractic degree in Quebec is within a publicly funded university (UQTR) and is a five-year program following graduation from CÉGEP, a system of education that is unique to the province of Quebec.
In addition to the academic program, chiropractic education requires hands-on clinical experience under faculty supervision. This experience includes clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and referral protocols. The multi-disciplinary faculty at both CMCC and UQTR have diverse backgrounds including MD's and PhD's that offer students a wide range of expertise in the medical and clinical sciences. Both the CMCC and the UQTR programs include courses in anatomy, neuroanatomy, neurodiagnosis, neuroscience, biochemistry, physiology, orthopedics, diagnosis and symptomotalogy, laboratory diagnosis, embryology, principles of chiropractic, radiology, immunology, microbiology, pathology, clinical nutrition and other basic and clinical medical sciences.
Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board requires all candidates to complete a 12 month clinical internship to obtain licensure, as well as write a total of 3 exams in their 4th year of study. Candidates must successfully pass Components A and B (Written Cognitive Skills Examination) to be eligible for the Clinical Skills Examination. Canadian accrediting standards are higher than the United States, and admission requirements into the Doctorate of Chiropractic Degree program are the strictest in North America.
South Africa
In SA (South Africa) there are two schools of chiropractic: the Durban Institute of Technology and the University of JohannesburgUniversity of Johannesburg
The University of Johannesburg came into existence on 1 January 2005 as the result of a merger between the Technikon Witwatersrand and the Rand Afrikaans University . Prior to the merger, the Daveyton and Soweto campuses of the former Vista University had been incorporated into RAU...
. They are both 6 year full-time courses leading to an MTECH or Masters of technology in Chiropractic.
It's a legal requirement that chiropractors must be registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of SA (AHPCSA) the governmental statutory body in order to practice Chiropractic in SA. Being a member of the Chiropractic Association of SA (CASA) is voluntary. CASA is the only voluntary national association in the country and aims to promote the profession through publications in newspaper, interviews, internet and public enquires over the phone.
Currently continuing education is not compulsory in order to stay registered with the AHPCSA.
United Kingdom
In 1993 HRH Princess Diana visited the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic and became its patron. She also appeared at a news conference that launched a report calling for legislation to prevent unqualified individuals from practicing Chiropractic in the UK. In 1994, Parliament passed legislation regulating the practice of Chiropractic, like other health care professions, and creating the General Chiropractic CouncilGeneral Chiropractic Council
The General Chiropractic Council is the statutory governmental body responsible for the regulation of chiropractic in the United Kingdom.It was established by the Chiropractors Act 1994, which originated in a Private Members Bill promoted by David Lidington, to protect the public by regulating...
as the regulatory board. Since that time, it is illegal to call oneself a Chiropractor in the UK without being registered with the General Chiropractic Council.
There are three UK chiropractic colleges with chiropractic courses recognised by the General Chiropractic Council
General Chiropractic Council
The General Chiropractic Council is the statutory governmental body responsible for the regulation of chiropractic in the United Kingdom.It was established by the Chiropractors Act 1994, which originated in a Private Members Bill promoted by David Lidington, to protect the public by regulating...
(GCC), the statutory governmental body responsible for the regulation of chiropractic in the UK.
The McTimoney College of Chiropractic
McTimoney College of Chiropractic
McTimoney College of Chiropractic is an chiropractic college, managed and operated by BPP University College in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. Alongside the University of Glamorgan and Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, it is one of only three UK institutions to offer degrees recognized by...
offers an Undergraduate Master Degree in human Chiropractic and 2 Post graduate Masters programmes in Animal Manipulation, plus a masters in Paediatric Chiropractic. The Anglo-European College of Chiropractic graduates chiropractors with an undergraduate Masters degree (MChiro). The WIOC has also recently changed from a Bsc to an Mchiro programme.
It is a legal requirement that all chiropractors in the UK register with the GCC to practice. A minimum of 30 hrs per annum Continuing Professional Development is required to retain registration.
New Zealand
The College was formed in 1994 by the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association (NZCA) to address the demand created by a shortage of chiropractors in New Zealand. Its first location was in Auckland city and its founding President was Dr Jim Stinear. By the end of 1999 New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) approval of the BSc (Chiropractic) /BSc qualification had been gained and College ownership was transferred to the NZCA Chiropractic Education Trust, a not-for-profit organisation. In 2002 the College was renamed the New Zealand College of Chiropractic. In 2005 the College obtained its first accreditation by the CCEA (Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia). The College was re-accredited in 2007 and in the same year moved to its new campus in Mount Wellington.In New Zealand, chiropractors are allowed to use the title ‘doctor’ when it is qualified to show that the title refers to their chiropractic role. A representative from the NZ Chiropractic Board says that entries in the Yellow Pages under the heading of 'Chiropractors' fulfills this obligation when suitably qualified. The NZ Chiropractic Board noted that it publishes specific directions in its Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice as follows to using the title ‘doctor’: "The use of the title ‘Doctor’ must be qualified, for example, John Doe, Dr of Chiropractic or Dr John Doe, Chiropractor. Failure to qualify the use of the title ‘Doctor’ may contravene the provisions of the Medical Practitioners Act 1995 and he or she may be committing an offence under that Act.". If a chiropractor is not a registered medical practitioner, then the misuse of the title 'Doctor' while working in healthcare will not comply with the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Some New Zealand chiropractors appeared to have used the title 'Doctor' in a New Zealand Yellow pages telephone directory in a way that implied they are registered medical practitioners, when no evidence was presented it was true. This happened more often among chiropractors than acupuncturists or osteopaths.
Councils on Chiropractic Education International (CCEI)
As the genesis of chiropractic and the major development of the profession occurred in the United States of America, chiropractic education was nurtured and developed in the US throughout the 20th century. Emulating that success in recent decades, chiropractors in other regions of the world have promoted this model for chiropractic education in their countries. As a natural consequence of these educational efforts and the establishment of effective accreditation practices, the US Council on Chiropractic Education has been joined by CCEs in Australia, Canada and Europe in efforts to assure excellence in chiropractic education and quality in the profession through accreditation. The success of this work has become evident in the solid development of chiropractic in their respective regions/countries.While this quality assurance model and the CCEs themselves have taken hold in English speaking countries and across Europe where English can be used in professional circles, the same has not been true in other regions, some of which are showing tremendous interest and potential growth in chiropractic. Educational ventures in some of these locations seem to indicate endeavors of high quality. However, others are questionable and some seem to be cause for considerable concern with regard to inadequacy in the scope, thoroughness and quality of the education expected for practice of chiropractic. Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, government, regulatory, and social acceptance of less than professional chiropractic sometimes seems to accompany instances of insufficient rigor and completeness in chiropractic education.
In recognition of these conditions and the need to assure quality in the further growth and development of the profession across the world, the four established CCEs have founded and developed CCEI http://www.cceintl.org/ as the means to address the educational aspects of this concern. CCEI recognizes that differing cultural, social/traditional, governmental and regulatory factors influence many situations, and CCEI endeavors to work and cooperate with related agencies and groups in the profession to address those challenges as well.
Council on Chiropractic Education (USA)
The Council on Chiropractic Education - USA (CCE-USA) is an agency for accreditation of programs and institutions offering the doctor of chiropracticChiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
degree. Its accreditations are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. It seeks to ensure the quality of chiropractic education in the United States by developing accreditation standards, encouraging educational improvement and providing public information.