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PROSPECTIVE CHIROPRACTIC STUDENTS
There are many important questions you need to ask as you embark on your
chiropractic career. You should not wait until you are applying for
licensure to contact licensing boards - do it before you enroll in a
chiropractic college.
- What type of chiropractic do you want to practice?
For example, some boards allow doctors to work with sports injuries on
the extremities, while others believe chiropractic adjustments should be
confined to the spine. It is important that you find both a school and
jurisdiction which have a scope of practice similar to your own philosophy.
Outlook on Chiropractic
"During the first 2 years, most chiropractic programs
emphasize classroom and laboratory work in basic science subjects such as
anatomy, physiology, public health, microbiology, pathology, and
biochemistry. The last 2 years stress courses in manipulation and spinal
adjustments, and provide clinical experience in physical and laboratory
diagnosis, neurology, orthopedics, geriatrics, physiotherapy, and nutrition.
Chiropractic programs and institutions grant the degree of Doctor of
Chiropractic (D.C.). Chiropractic requires keen observation to detect
physical abnormalities. It also takes considerable hand dexterity to perform
adjustments, but not unusual strength or endurance...Employment of
chiropractors is expected to grow faster than the average for all
occupations through the year 2008 as consumer demand for alternative
medicine grows."
(Source: Chiropractic / The
Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau
of Labor Statistics)
- Can you practice that philosophy in the state or province you select?
Look in the FCLB Official Directory under
the Scope of Practice header to help you answer this question. Contact the
boards you are most interested in being licensed under to review the full
scope of practice. Review the Official Directory and the jurisdictional thumbnail
sketch of its scope of practice in the particular jurisdiction. It is
important that you contact the jurisdiction before making your final
decision to enroll in a particular school.
Most defined scopes of practice include (1) primary patient contact or care; (2)
right and duty to perform a diagnosis; (3) right to use spinal manipulation
and a range of other manual and physical therapeutics; and (4) restrictions
on prescription drugs or surgery. The jurisdiction's scope may appear in
statutes, regulations, and practice standards.
- Are graduates from your prospective college allowed to be licensed in
the state(s) or province(s) in which you wish to practice?
Licensing boards require that graduates receive their Doctor of Chiropractic
degree from an accredited chiropractic college. Check our Official
Directory and confirm the information directly with the
jurisdiction you wish to be licensed. Utilize CCE
(Council on Chiropractic Education) for additional information on
colleges and accreditation. The professional accrediting agency for
chiropractic colleges is the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on
Chiropractic Education (COA-CCE). The COA is
recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher
Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Foreign students with either pre-chiropractic education or chiropractic
degrees earned outside the U.S. should contact the jurisdiction in which
they plan to practice to confirm eligibility for licensure.
- Do I require a Bachelor's Degree prior to entry into
chiropractic college?
An increasing number of boards are requiring or considering the B.A. requirement prior to
licensure. Check for the Bachelor's Degree
Requirements in your state.
"In North America there is a minimum
of six years full time university-level education, which includes two years
of university credits in qualifying subjects and then a four year
undergraduate program at chiropractic college. This is followed by national
and state/provincial licensing board examinations. Postgraduate specialties
include chiropractic sciences, neurology, nutrition, orthopedics, radiology,
rehabilitation and sports chiropractic..." (Summary)
(Source: The Chiropractic Profession, 1999 - David Chapman-Smith /
WFC)
- Which school is the best?
There is no list of ranking chiropractic colleges. All accredited colleges have
merit and as a prospective student you should decide what school is the very
best for you.
- Students often want to measure a school by its performance on standardized
testing. However, it is important to note that schools are prohibited from
releasing the results of their students' scores on US National Board exams.
If the results were released, it may result in unfair marketing based on a
particular year's success, and not be representative of the overall
performance of the school.
- The Federation recommends that you visit your own top three schools in
person. The investment you will make is very modest compared to your tuition for the
full educational period.
- Where you fit best, factoring in climate, educational and practice
philosophies, size, average age of the student body and other
considerations, is the best predictor of your personal success as a
practicing doctor.
CHIROPRACTIC STUDENTS / CANDIDATES FOR LICENSURE
- Take the proper courses and examinations
Early in your chiropractic college career, you need to be aware of the exams
required by the jurisdictions in which you wish to practice. These tests may
be much easier to take and pass while you are still in school, because you
are accustomed to the testing environment and much of the academic knowledge
is fresh in your mind.
- Consider also some future practice scenarios
This can occur in many testing areas, but often happens with optional
subjects. For example, perhaps you are enrolled in a school where the
practice of physiotherapy is optional, and you are planning to go into a
partnership in a jurisdiction where chiropractic physiotherapy is required
or is a "must" in your new clinic. If you have taken the proper
optional course work and examinations, you have more choices open to you in
the future. It is often logistically difficult or impractical to go back
later for additional classes or testing.
- Philosophy of Chiropractic
Give careful consideration to your own philosophy of chiropractic, and that
of the boards which may regulate your future career opportunities. Take the
courses and sit for the exams which give you flexibility now, and even in
retirement years. Use the FCLB Official
Directory to assist your decision-making process.
- Application for licensure
Use of our Directory is a must to be
certain you apply well in advance of the deadlines. Call or write to the
boards you wish to sit for a year ahead of time to review their
requirements. Plan ahead financially for application and exam fees as well
as your initial license. Note the application deadlines (deadlines vary from
almost three months to 15 days) and be early. Finally, know who to contact -
both staff members and directors. It reduces anxiety of the process. The
right impression is given by an organized, relaxed candidate - and you'll
feel more confident during your exams.
PRACTICING D.C.'s SEEKING LICENSURE IN A DIFFERENT STATE OR PROVINCE
As a result of new professional opportunities or when approaching
semi-retirement, you may face the issue of relocating. Some boards have specific
statutory requirements while others handle license endorsement or reciprocity on
an individual basis. Use the FCLB Official
Directory to identify these requirements (titled "Conditions for
Reciprocity/Endorsement"), and to find out who to contact. At conferences
and meetings, get to know the members of the boards for your current
jurisdiction(s) and those in which you might eventually wish to practice.
Reciprocity vs. Endorsement
To our knowledge, no boards actually offer reciprocity. That term is an old
one that refers to "you give people from our jurisdiction licenses and we
will give people from your jurisdiction licenses."
The laws sometime still refer to reciprocity, but they usually mean endorsement.
This term refers to acknowledging that the licenses criteria in one jurisdiction
are substantially similar to the criteria in another. Therefore, a board where
the applicant wants a second license may waive some of the requirements which
may have already been met by the original license process. The new board may
also require additional exams to satisfy additional requirements of their
jurisdiction not addressed by the original board.
The best way to deal with this is to ask yourself, "What are the criteria
of the jurisdiction where I currently hold my license(s)? How do these compare
with the criteria of the jurisdictions where I want a new license?" Be sure
to look at pre-professional education, accreditation of schools, continuing
education requirements, and scope of practice areas like physiotherapy, OB/GYN,
etc.
Many US states accept or require National Board of
Chiropractic Examiners credentials, including the Part III examination
(sometimes referred to as Written Clinical Competency Exam or WCCE), the Special
Examination for Chiropractic (SPEC), and/or the Part IV Practical Examination.
Be aware of these requirements, and plan to sit for the exams well in advance of
when you may need them. Leave time for retakes. In most cases, your scores
should be valid indefinitely.
Finally, be certain the legal scope of practice is compatible with your own
philosophy of chiropractic.
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