Chiropractic Education
Over the past century, chiropractic education has
developed to the point where government studies in the US, Sweden and
New Zealand consider it equivalent in the basic sciences to a medical
education.
Much of this development stems from the establishment
of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) in 1974, which the US
Department of Education recognizes as the accrediting agency for
chiropractic schools. The CCE, a nonprofit organization located in
Scottsdale, Ariz., sets standards for schools' curriculum, faculty,
facilities, patient care and research.
Chiropractic college programs are rigorous and
thorough. To attend, applicants must have at least 90 semester hours
worth of study toward a bachelor's degree. Their chiropractic college
education then lasts four years, and in the fourth year involves a
clinical internship of approximately 1,000 hours.
When that's done, graduates face one more trial. To practice in the US
or Canada, they must pass comprehensive national and state or provincial
licensing exams, similar to those for other professionals like lawyers
and doctors.
The chiropractic curriculum
A typical four-year chiropractic college program may
consist of the following:
First year
