Chiropractic Medicine
Chiropractic Medicine evaluates patients’ overall health by exploring the relationship between the body’s structure and function. Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) or Chiropractors take a holistic approach to health care. Chiropractors diagnose and treat patients whose health problems are associated with the body’s muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems. They treat the musculoskeletal system which includes bones, muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons, and often focus on the spinal column. While Chiropractors do not prescribe medications nor perform surgery, they often work with patients’ other health care providers or refer to health care practitioners who can do both. Some chiropractors concentrate in areas such as sports, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, or nutrition, among others.
Chiropractors typically do the following:
- Assess a patient's medical condition by reviewing medical history, listening to concerns, and performing a physical examination.
- Analyze the patient’s posture, spine, and reflexes
- Conduct additional diagnostic tests, including evaluating a patient's posture or taking x rays
- Provide neuromusculoskeletal therapy, which involves adjusting a patient’s spinal column and other joints by hand
- Provide additional treatments, such as applying heat or cold to a patient's injured areas
- Advise patients on health and lifestyle issues, such as exercise and sleep habits
- Refer patients to other medical specialists if needed
Quick Facts:
- Four-year Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. Look for a program accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE).
- Typically no entrance exam is required for admission
- Centralized Application Service: ChiroCAS; Not all programs participate. Check with each individual school to determine how to apply.
- GPA: 3.2+ preferred
- Recommendation Letters: Most programs require 2-3. ChiroCAS will accept a maximum of 3 letters of reference
- Chiropractic Medicine Programs in Texas:
- Parker University
- Texas Chiropractic College
Pre-Requisite Courses:
- Anatomy & Physiology: BIOL 1334/1134 & BIOL 1344/1144 (*BIOL 2301/2101 & BIOL 2302/2102)
- Biology: BIOL 1361/1161 & BIOL 1362/1162 (*BIOL 1306/1106 & BIOL 1307/1107)
- General Chemistry: CHEM 1331/1111 & CHEM 1332/1112 (*CHEM 1311/1111 & CHEM 1312/1112)
- Organic Chemistry: CHEM 3331/3221 & CHEM 3332/3222 (*CHEM 2323/2123 & CHEM 2325/2125)
- Physics: PHYS 1301/1101 and PHYS 1302/1102
- College Math: MATH 1314, MATH 2312, or MATH 2413
- English: ENGL 1303 & ENGL 1304 (*ENGL 1301 & ENGL 1302)
*Course names/numbers effective Fall 2021
Requirements vary widely by school. This list does not include all courses that may be required by D.C programs. Additionally, schools have differing policies for accepting AP/IB credits to fulfill prerequisites. Students are responsible for verifying the prerequisite coursework and AP/IB policies of the schools to which they plan to apply. Explore chiropractic programs to review the specific requirements for individual schools. D.C. programs require a minimum of 24 credit hours in the life and physical sciences.