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Template:Globalize/North America Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C. or DC) is the academic degree for chiropractic providers. All degrees in chiropractic are considered to be first professional degrees.

Background

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Doctors of Chiropractic – often referred to as chiropractors or chiropractic physicians – practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.

The most common therapeutic procedure performed by doctors of chiropractic is known as “spinal manipulation,” also called “chiropractic adjustment.” In many cases, such as lower back pain, chiropractic care may be the primary method of treatment. When other medical conditions exist, chiropractic care may complement or support medical treatment by relieving the musculoskeletal aspects associated with the condition.{

Doctors of chiropractic may assess patients through clinical examination, laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and other diagnostic interventions to determine when chiropractic treatment is appropriate or when it is not appropriate.

Also known as a "chiropractic physician", "chiropractic doctor" or "chiropractor", a Doctor of Chiropractic degree differs from a Doctor of Medicine degree "medical doctor" in scope and practice. In chiropractic, the practitioner health care provider seeks to diagnose, treat, correct, and prevent neurological, skeletal, or soft tissue dysfunction by primarily employing manual and conservative therapies; the most frequent being spinal and other articular adjustments and manipulations.

To receive their doctorate, chiropractors must:

• Graduate from a four year college.
• Completing at least three years undergraduate study, with a focus on the sciences.
• Four academic years of Chiropractic Education.
• Take mandatory internships.
• At least 1100 hours of work in a Chiropractic Clinic.
• After graduating, pass a written and oral board exams, at national and state levels.

A Chiropractor may opt to choose to advance their degree in an area of speciality. These areas include chiropractic neurology, radiology, sports medicine, as well as many other fields.

History

The degree originated with Daniel David Palmer, the founder of chiropractic, when he started graduating students from his short courses of instruction. At the time he was self-taught and was never a doctor of any kind nor medically educated, having only received eight years of education. He bestowed the degree upon himself and upon his students. Since that time the profession has continued to issue the degree to graduates of chiropractic schools in the United States and Canada.

In 1966 the Office of Education of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare listed the degree under the heading of "spurious." At some later date the status was changed. It is now listed among other doctoral degrees.

The United States Department of Education currently states:

Chiropractic--Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C. or B.Chiro or M.Chiro), a curriculum divided into "straight" or "progressive" chiropractic depending upon the philosophy of the institution, generally requiring 3 academic years of full-time study after 2 years or more of study at the associate or bachelor's degree level.

Although the U.S. Department of Education lists the D.C.M. (Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine) as a type of degree granted to chiropractic physicians, the degree has never actually been conferred by any academic institution. The D.C.M. degree was first proposed by Western States Chiropractic College in 1994. Western States Chiropractic College had announced at the time its intentions of developing a post graduate D.C.M. training program that would prepare chiropractic physicians to prescribe pharmaceuticals and perform minor surgery. The proposed degree has sparked contentious debate within the chiropractic profession between traditionalists who feel that the chiropractic profession should remain a "drugless" therapy, and progressive practitioners who feel limited by the confines of their scope of practice. Since Western States Chiropractic College initially announced its intentions to develop the D.C.M. program in 1994, no further announcements have been made, and no chiropractic physician has ever been granted a D.C.M. degree.

By country

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Canada

A D.C. is considered a "primary health care" provider in the United States and Canada. This implies that a patient does not require a referral to seek treatment from a chiropractor. In this sense they are considered a "portal of entry" to the healthcare system.

Canadian chiropractic schools teach an evidence-based medicine paradigm as opposed to the traditional vertebral subluxation model. The chiropractic schools state that the role of the doctor of chiropractic is primary care for neuromusculoskeletal conditions. The doctor of chiropractic assess, diagnose and treat biomechanical dysfunctions of the neuromusculoskeletal system. In addition to manual therapy which may include spinal manipulation and soft tissue mobilization, DC's may prescribe corrective exercises, make nutritional recommendations, emphasize healthy lifestyle practices and other natural, holistic means. Doctors of chiropractic can, depending on the province, order x-rays, MRI, CT-Scan, diagnostic ultrasound, bone scans and other imaging that would facilitate a diagnosis and plan of management. Furthermore, there is increasing multi-disciplinary collaboration between DC's and other health professionals for co-managing patient care.

Canadian Chiropractic students undergo a course of study similar to that of other doctoral-level health care professionals, including medicine, optometry and dentistry and have similar entrance requirements. Students are required to complete a minimum of three years of university before they are eligible for admission to the CMCC Doctorate of Chiropractic Degree program. Approximately 90 per cent of students entering the CMCC program have completed a baccalaureate or graduate university degree. The CMCC program is a privately funded institution and requires four years of full-time study, including a 12-month clinical internship. Both the CMCC and the UQTR programs include courses in anatomy, neuroanatomy, neurodiagnosis, neuroscience, biochemistry, physiology, orthopedics, diagnosis and symptomatology, laboratory diagnosis, embryology, principles of chiropractic, radiology, immunology, microbiology, pathology, clinical nutrition and other basic and clinical medical sciences.

Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board requires all candidates to complete a 12 month clinical internship to obtain licensure, as well as write a total of 3 exams in their 4th year of study. Candidates must successfully pass Components A and B (Written Cognitive Skills Examination) to be eligible for the Clinical Skills Examination. Canadian accrediting standards are higher than the United States, and admission requirements into the Doctorate of Chiropractic Degree program are the strictest in North America.

Chiropractic is regulated by provincial statute in all 10 Canadian provinces. Chiropractors along with medical doctors, dentists, psychologists, and optometrists have the legislated right and obligation to communicate a diagnosis and to use the title doctor. Each province has a regulatory college established by legislation in the same manner, and with the same structure and similar regulations, as the regulatory bodies for other health care professions. The regulatory colleges are responsible for protecting the public, standards of practice, disciplinary issues, quality assurance and maintenance of competency.

USA

In the United States, chiropractors are trained in accredited schools of chiropractic which are overseen by the Council on Chiropractic Education. To qualify for licensure, graduates must pass 4 examinations from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and complete State specific requirements; most State boards require at least 2 years of undergraduate education, and an increasing number require a 4-year bachelor’s degree. All licensing boards in the US require the completion of a 4-year program at an accredited college leading to the DC degree. Once licensed, chiropractors are required to attend 12-50 hours of continuing education annually. Chiropractic colleges also offer postdoctoral training in Chiropractic Neurology, orthopedics, sports injuries, nutrition, rehabilitation, industrial consulting, radiology, family practice, pediatrics, and applied chiropractic sciences. After such training, chiropractors may take exams leading to "diplomate" status in a given specialty including sports medicine, orthopedics, Chiropractic Neurology and radiology.

Graduates of chiropractic schools receive the degree Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), are referred to as "doctor", and are eligible to seek licensure in all jurisdictions. The Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) sets minimum guidelines for chiropractic colleges, but additional requirements may be needed for a license depending on the jurisdiction where a chiropractor chooses to practice. All 19 chiropractic institutions are accredited by the CCE. In 1991, the University of Bridgeport established its College of Chiropractic, becoming the first chiropractic school in the USA to be affiliated with a university.

Students often enter chiropractic school with a Bachelor's degree, but, in 2005, only one chiropractic college required this as an admission requirement. The minimum prerequisite for enrollment in a chiropractic college set forth by the CCE is 90 semester hours, and the minimum cumulative GPA for a student entering is 2.50. Commonly required classes include: psychology, biology, organic and inorganic chemistry, and physics. Other common medical classes are: anatomy or embryology, physiology, microbiology, diagnosis, neurology, x-ray, orthopedics, obstetrics/gynecology, histology, and pathology. Chiropractic programs require at least 4,200 hours of combined classroom, laboratory, and clinical experience. The last 2 years stress courses in manipulation and spinal adjustment and provide clinical experience in physical and laboratory diagnosis, orthopedics, neurology, geriatrics, physiotherapy, and nutrition.

See also

• Chiropractic education

References

1. Chiropractors U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, October 25, 2006.
2. Department of Investigation, American Medical Association. JAMA 197:999-1005, 1966.
3. First-Professional Studies: Degrees awarded
4. "Western States to offer 'Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine' degree". Retrieved 2008-01-27.
5. The International Chiropractic Association, Chiropractic Quick Facts. available online
6. The Canadian Chiropractic Association, The Chiropractic Profession - Within the Health Care Framework. available online
7. http://cceb.ca/english/exam/index.htm]
8. Facts & FAQs
9. Dorausch, D.C., Michael. "Chiropractic: Bureau of Labor Statistics". PlanetChiropractic.com. p. 3. Retrieved 2008-05-10.

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