Pre-Medical Preparation at UH Mānoa: Chiropractic Medicine
(Text compiled from the American Chiropractic Association webiste, the Chiropractic Resources Organization, and the UHM 2011-2012 catalog.)
Chiropractic programs offered in Hawai'i: None
Chiropractic D.C. Programs
Prerequisites for Admission
What makes a strong candidate?
Researching Schools
Entrance Exam
The Application Process
Additional Information
Downloadable Brochure
Chiropractic physicians, or chiropractors, are trained healthcare professionals whose focus is treating disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system. Within the context of broad medical knowledge, chiropractors treat aliments such as back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches, owing to neuromusculoskeletal problems, using a drug-free, hands-on approach called “spinal manipulation,” “subluxation,” or “chiropractic adjustment.” In addition to spinal manipulation, chiropractics also provide nutritional, dietary, and lifestyle counseling, along with therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises. In all states but Oregon, chiropractors do not prescribe drugs.
Chiropractors determine whether chiropractic treatment is appropriate through diagnostic methods including clinical examinations, laboratory testing, and diagnostic imaging. When chiropractic care will not address the patient’s condition, or when the condition requires co-management, chiropractors refer patients to appropriate health care providers.
There are two main approaches to chiropractic care: “straight” and “mixer.” Both approaches use subluxation (the aligning of vertebra) to treat patients; distinctions arise from their theory/philosophy and their relationship to other types of treatment. “Straight” chiropracty views spinal misalignment as the cause of most or all disease, relying on the body’s “innate intelligence” to heal itself, and thus remains separate from mainstream medical practice. “Objective straight,” an off-shoot of “straight,” focuses on aligning vertebrae without engaging the question of whether misalignment causes disease, but nonetheless remains apart from mainstream medicine. “Mixer” views spinal misalignment as one of many causes of disease and incorporates or refers to other practices in their treatment, including complementary/alternative, allopathic, naturopathic, and osteopathic. “Reform,” an off-shoot of “mixer,” focuses on “evidence-based” medicine and incorporates or refers to allopathic, naturopathic, and osteopathic treatments, but generally eschews complementary/alternative treatments.
Following graduation, chiropractors have the option to specialize in fields such as sports injuries, occupational health, orthopedics, and neurology. In some states chiropractors may obtain additional training to perform minor surgery or practice obstetrics or proctology.
There are currently 15 accredited chiropractic schools in 19 locations and about 70,000 chiropractors serving in the United States.
Chiropractic Programs
Becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine (D.C. or D.C.M.) requires approximately 6-11 years of education:
- Associate/Bachelor degree (~2-4 years);
- Chiropractic school (4 years); and
- Specialization (optional 2-3 years).
Chiropractic school consists of a rigorous education including courses and clinical rotations. In areas such as anatomy, physiology, and rehabilitation, chiropractors may receive an even more intensive education than M.D. or D.O. physicians. Owing to the hands-on approach and the complex manipulation techniques used in chiropracty, a significant portion of the four years is spent in clinical training. The curriculum requires a minimum of 4,200 hours in classroom, laboratory, and clinical experience.
All chiropractors must be licensed to practice. To become licensed, chiropractic physicians must graduate from an accredited school, pass four examinations from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, and complete state-specific requirements.
Prerequisites for Admission
Most importantly, remember that requirements vary from school to school! You must research to create a list of all the prerequisites you will need to apply to the medical schools you are interested in attending.
The following UHM courses are commonly required for admission to chiropractic schools:
BIOL 171/171Lab and 172/172Lab |
Introductory Biology I and II |
CHEM 161/161Lab and 162/162Lab |
General Chemistry I and II |
CHEM 272/272Lab and 273/273Lab |
Organic Chemistry I and II |
PHYS 151/151Lab and 152/152Lab |
College Physics I and II |
ENG 100 (& 200+) |
English Composition (1-2 courses) |
PSY 100 |
General Psychology |
Additional requirements may include social sciences, humanities, communication, and language courses.
What makes a strong candidate?
Tuition, as high as it is, covers only a fraction of the cost of educating a student of chiropractic medicine, which means that each new student represents a huge investment by the school. Schools need to be certain that the students they accept will be capable of completing the medical curriculum and are likely to become good chiropractic physicians.
Are you capable of completing the chiropractic curriculum?
Admissions committees are looking for students who have:
- completed the prerequisites
- a high overall GPA
- a high science/math GPA
- balanced their course load so it is challenging yet realistic
Are you likely to become a good chiropractor?
Admission committees are looking for students who have:
- a broad liberal arts education that includes the humanities and social sciences
- experience with what chiropracty entails
- excellent oral and written communication skills
- excellent interpersonal skills
- demonstrated empathy, compassion, and a commitment to public service
- demonstrated maturity (judgment, responsibility, dependability)
- high ethical and moral standards and a conscientious work ethic
- a well-rounded life that balances academics, community service, social activities, and personal interests (hobbies, skills, sports, etc.)
- strong letters of recommendation
Researching Schools
Each of the public and private chiropractic medical schools in the U.S. has its unique mission, philosophy, criteria, and strengths. Although there are resources that rank schools, the rankings are rarely pertinent for individual applicants. More important is whether there is a good match between applicant and school.
To find schools that are a good match for you:
- Assess your individual strengths and weaknesses, your professional interests, learning style, and personality;
- Using the schools’ websites, create your “Long List” by omitting the schools that do not match your professional interests, learning style, and personality (PAC offers a list of 7 factors to consider, found here: Choosing a School Handout);
- Compare your profile to those of recently admitted students. Create your “Short List” by categorizing the schools on your Long List into ‘Reach’, ‘Match’, and ‘Safety’. Next, rank the schools by preference, and then decide how many schools you can afford to apply to (PAC peer advisors can help with this process) Be sure to apply to schools in all 3 categories (‘Reach’, ‘Match’, and ‘Safety’);
- Finally, if possible, visit the schools to see the facilities, talk to the Admissions Directors, and chat with students.
Chiropractic Schools in the U.S.
Straight / Objective |
Mixer / Reform |
Cleveland Chiropractic College – Kansas City |
D'Youville College |
Cleveland Chiropractic College – Los Angeles |
Western States Chiropractic College |
Life University College of Chiropractic |
New York Chiropractic College |
Life Chiropractic College West |
Northwestern Health Sciences University |
Logan College of Chiropractic |
Parker College of Chiropractic |
Palmer College of Chiropractic |
Southern California University of Health Sciences |
Palmer College of Chiropractic – Florida |
Texas Chiropractic College |
Palmer College of Chiropractic – West |
University of Bridgeport, College of Chiropractic |
Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic |
National University of Health Sciences - Lombard, IL |
|
National University of Health Sciences - Pinellas Park, FL |
Entrance Exam
Currently, none of the chiropractic schools require students to take an entrance exam before applying.
The Application Process
Among the 18 chiropractic schools in the U.S., only about one-third participates in the Chiropractic College Application Service (ChiroCAS). So far, for schools that do not participate in ChiroCAS, students must apply directly to each individual school by completing the application provided on their website and by submitting it before the posted deadline. Depending on the school, they may also ask that you send a cover letter, one or more letters of recommendation, a personal statement, college transcripts, and sometimes even high school transcripts.
Some schools will also invite promising applicants to interview. Applicants are responsible for all costs incurred while interviewing, including airfare, lodging, meals, and ground transportation.Tips:
- The more you know about the school, the better your chances of being accepted.
- Contact individual schools’ Admission Offices to find out how they handle:
- advanced placement (AP) credits
- International Baccalaureate (IB) credit
- College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits
- military credits
- courses taken at a community college
- courses taken for credit/no credit instead of a grade
- residency issues
- time limits on science courses
- non-U.S. coursework
Additional Information
UH Manoa’s Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center (PAC) has reference books, lists of volunteer opportunities, academic planning worksheets, and one-on-one advising by peers who can help you prepare for and apply to chiropractic schools.
| UHM's Pre-Medical Association (PMA) | www.hawaii.edu/premed premed@hawaii.edu |
| UHM's Biology Club | www2.hawaii.edu/~bioclub bioclub@hawaii.edu |
| UHM's Chemistry Club | www2.hawaii.edu/~chemclub bioclub@hawaii.edu |
| American Chiropractic Association | www.acatoday.org |
| Council on Chiropractic Education - USA | www.cce-usa.org |
| Chiropractic College Application Service (ChiroCAS) | https://portal.chirocas.org |