The Types of Chiropractor Degrees
Chiropractic medicine is an alternative form of homeopathic medicine that aims to heal physical and neurological maladies by correcting the alignment of the spine and other articulating parts of the body. Chiropractors, also known as chiropractic physicians or doctors of chiropractic, must undergo rigorous training in a number of scientific fields such as biology, chemistry, anatomy and radiology before becoming eligible for licensure. Currently, there are 19 chiropractic institutions in the United States that offer a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, but outside of this country, other standards and types of degrees require equally demanding coursework and clinical practice.
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Prerequisites
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The Council on Chiropractic Education sets the guidelines for practice in the United States. Typically, a four-year undergraduate degree is needed to apply for chiropractic college, although some programs will admit students with as few as 90 credit hours. Of these hours, courses in English, social sciences, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biology, physics and psychology are all required. Students wishing to gain a degree in chiropractic medicine must accumulate no less than 4,200 hours of student/teacher contact, with at least 1,000 of these spent in the clinic. Upon meeting all requirements, a degree is awarded, but licensure must also be obtained for the prospective chiropractor to enter practice. Licensure is awarded by passing four or five examinations, depending on jurisdiction, given by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners in addition to supplementary State exams if required. After licensure is obtained, practitioners must attend 12 to 50 hours of postdoctoral training in fields such as orthopedics, nutrition, radiology and neurology.
Bachelor of Chiropractic Science
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In other countries such as Australia, the completion of a three- to five-year integrated chiropractic degree can lead to a Bachelor of Chiropractic Science, also known as a B.Chiro.Sc degree. This degree actually preceded the creation of the Doctor of Chiropractic degree and is the prerequisite for the Master of Chiropractic, which outside of the U.S. fulfills the professional requirements for practice as a chiropractor. A clinical placement is usually necessary for completion of the degree requirements.
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Master of Chiropractic
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After the completion of a Bachelor in Chiropractic Science degree, another two or three years of study at a chiropractic college will result in a Master of Chiropractic degree. Typically awarded in countries other than the United States, this degree allows the recipient to practice as a chiropractor. The program is a combination of upper-level coursework and a year-long clinical internship in which students interact directly with patients.
Doctor of Chiropractic
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The completion of a four-year full-time program at the chiropractic college level can lead to the presentation of the Doctor of Chiropractic degree in the United States. The DC is analogous to an MD or Doctor of Medicine in the sense that both are considered primary health care providers, meaning a referral is unnecessary for a patient to seek treatment. The main difference between a chiropractic doctor and a doctor of medicine is the fact that chiropractors diagnose and treat skeletal, neurological and soft tissue dysfunctions through manual spinal and articular correction, devoid from the use of allopathic drugs.
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