How to Become a Chiropractic Sports Physician
A chiropractic sports physician is a licensed sports medicine physician who specializes in chiropractic medicine, but is not necessarily a chiropractor. Chiropractic sports physicians must be well-educated about proper body mechanics, nutrition, muscular rehabilitation, X-ray analysis, tendons and ligaments, bone structure, healing processes, healing therapies and nerves as these components relate to sports medicine.
In order to become a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP), individuals must complete some necessary steps, including successfully completing the Diplomate American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (DACBSP) requirements, which includes a written examination, practical examination, practical experience requirement, and written requirement project.
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Things You'll Need
- Higher-education degree
- Education from a CCSP program
- CCSP certification
- Professional designation
Instructions
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Earn a degree. In order to get a CCSP education, students must first complete a higher-education degree program. The DACBSP program, which is administered by the American Chiropractic Association Council on Injuries and Physical Fitness, is the approved Chiropractic Sports Physician program of the American Chiropractic Association.
Chiropractic sports physicians may also earn a doctor of medicine (MD) or a doctor of chiropractic (DC) degree. Chiropractors (who may or may not also be chiropractic sports physicians) must complete a minimum of 4,200 hours of a chiropractic program that combines clinical experience, classroom learning, and laboratory learning. There are 16 chiropractic programs in the U.S. that are accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education.
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Get a CCSP education. CCSP-certified chiropractic physicians must successfully complete 100 class hours of a 120-class-hour postgraduate CCSP program. There are CCSP programs at universities and colleges throughout the country, which include live and online sessions (see Resources).
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Pass the written DACBSP examination within three years of completing a DACBSP educational component.
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Pass the DACBSP practical examination within three years of completing the DACBSP educational component.
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Complete the DACBSP practical experience requirement within three years of completing the DACBSP educational component.
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Complete the DACBSP written requirement project within three years of completing the DACBSP educational component.
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Obtain CCSP certification. The DACBSP requires chiropractic sports physicians to earn a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) certification in order to practice. The individual may achieve the certification only after successfully completing the educational courses requirements and passing the examination.
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Get a board-certified chiropractic specialty designation (this is optional). Chiropractors who wish to also be chiropractic sports medicine physicians may have to obtain a specialty designation from their state’s Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
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Tips & Warnings
Chiropractors and chiropractic sports physicians are not the same. Chiropractors specialize in the full spectrum of spine mechanics, disorders, muscular system,and nervous system, which may encompass some components of sports medicine. Chiropractic sports physicians specialize in sports medicine, which is often characteristically different from more traditional medicine. Many chiropractors choose to also obtain their chiropractic sports physician certification.
References
- American Chiropractic Association: Approved Chiropractic Specialty Programs
- American Chiropractic Board of Sports Medicine Physicians: Certification
- American Chiropractic Board of Sports Medicine Physicians: CCSP Programs
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Chiropractor Overview
- Board of Chiropractic Examiners: Chiropractic Specialty Designation
Resources
- Photo Credit spine x-ray image by Julianna Olah from Fotolia.com
