Chiropractic Medicine

A Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine (D.C.) is a specialist primarily concerned with how the spine interplays with the nervous system to affect bodily functions. They use various methods, including hands-on techniques, to examine, diagnose, and treat conditions. Once a diagnosis is reached, the chiropractor may use any one of many techniques, including dietary guidance and manipulation of spine and musculature, to treat, restore, and maintain a patient’s health and functionality. 

To learn more about the chiropractic profession, check out the American Chiropractic Association (ACA)’s Key Facts and Figures.

Chiropractic Medicine Preparation

  • Timeline

  • 1. Obtain a Bachelor’s degree and complete all pre-chiropractic requirements, including prerequisites and experiences (4+ years)
    2. Attend an accredited chiropractic college (4 years) and earn a Doctorate of Chiropractic (D.C.)
    3. Pass the National Board Exam for Chiropractor administered by the National Board Exam for Chiropractor Examiners (NBCE) to become certified
    4. Become licensed in the state you wish to practice
    5. Maintain certification and complete continuing chiropractic education 

    Upon matriculation into a health professional school or program, there are additional steps students must complete in order to obtain licensure or professional certification. These steps vary by field and by program, and may include board examinations, supervised clinical hours, background checks, or other program-specific milestones. Once you are in your graduate program, your graduate program advisor will provide guidance on the post-graduation next steps.

  • Pre-Requisites

  • Prerequisite courses are the academic foundation that most schools require students to complete before beginning chiropractic school. No matter which major you choose, you will need to fulfill the specific science and non-science prerequisites set by each school. Always review and cross-check the requirements of your major with the prerequisite coursework for your Chiropractic Medical College(s) to ensure you  are completing both UCD requirements as well as the requirements of the professional school(s). 

    While HPA has developed a suggested prerequisite chart from a sample of schools, prerequisite coursework and entrance requirements will vary by program, hence it is important to check individual schools' websites to familiarize yourself with their exact prerequisites.

    Program PrerequisitesCourses to take at UC Davis
    Most schools require: 

    General Biology

    BIO 1 & 2 & 3 AND BIO 1L & 2L

    General Chemistry

    CHE 2ABC OR CHE 4ABC 

    Physics

    PHY 7ABC OR PHY 9ABC 

    Psychology

    PSC 1

    Some schools may require:

    		 

    Exercise Physiology

    EXB 101 

    Kinesiology/Biomechanics

    NPB 109

    English Composition

    Combination of writing-intensive ENL and UWP courses

    Organic Chemistry

    CHE 8ABC OR CHE 118ABC

    Biochemistry

    BIS 102 AND BIS 103

    Human Physiology

    (NPB 101 & NPB 101L) OR (NPB 110C & NPB 101L)

    Human Anatomy

    (EXB 106 & EXB 106L) OR (CHA 101 & CHA 101L)

    HPA recommendations: 

    1. Complete all prerequisite courses for a letter grade, not P/NP. 
    2. Earn a “C” or higher in all prerequisite coursework. Some programs may require no lower than a B in any of your prerequisite courses.
    3. Maintain a minimum undergraduate and science GPA of 3.0 or higher. A competitive GPA will likely be higher for most programs.
    4. Students are welcome to check out the standard entrance requirements set by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) that are utilized by chiropractic schools. Some chiropractic schools may require or recommend additional requirements. 

    Please also note that chiropractic schools do accept community college work in varying degrees; some accept all transferable work, some a certain amount of units, and others accept a very limited amount. If you have any questions about your major, prerequisite courses, or grade/GPA concerns, you are encouraged to make an appointment with one of HPA Staff Advisors.

  • Exam
  • There is no entrance exam required for admission into chiropractic schools.

Applying to Chiropractic School

  • Choosing Schools

  • There are 18 chiropractic schools in the U.S. Check out the American Chiropractic Association (ACA)’s list of accredited U.S. chiropractic schools.

    There are a variety of factors that go into choosing which chiropractic schools to apply to, including degree awarded, location, environment (i.e. urban), tuition, class size, focus or mission statement, etc. Spend some time researching schools online and create a spreadsheet that tracks the factors most important to you. On average, pre-health profession students apply to 1-3 chiropractic schools. HPA also recommends meeting with an advisor to discuss your school list.

    Students are also welcome to review the discoverchiropractic.org’s webpage on Practical Tips for Choosing a Chiropractic Program for further insights.

  • Application System

  • Applicants typically apply the year before they matriculate into the chiropractic school. Applicants will complete an application through a chiropractic school’s own internal graduate school application. HPA recommends for applicants to carefully review the application process of each individual school that they are applying to. 

    Deadlines may also vary by schools or some may admit students on a rolling basis; please check your individual schools for specific dates. If that is the case for your school of choice, be sure to submit your application early, but only when you are ready. Come see an advisor at Health Professions Advising to review your application.

    Schools may have specific guidelines about what is considered a completed application. Some examples include but are not limited to submitting the application fee and receiving letters of recommendations and official transcripts. Students are responsible for ensuring their applications are complete, submitted, and verified by the application deadline.

    To learn more about applications and application timeline, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Applications and Application Timelines.

  • Personal Statement
  • The prompt and/or character or word count may vary per year. HPA recommends applicants  begin drafting their personal statement in advance of the application opening. It is very common for applicants to write multiple drafts before they finalize their personal statement. To learn more about approaching personal statements, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Personal Statements.
  • Experiences and Activities

  • Experiences and activities help students learn more about their motivations, interests, and goals, and to explore the field of chiropractic medicine. What you do with your time helps define who you are in your application. Whatever you choose to do, be sure you are dedicated, passionate about it, and understand your motivation for pursuing it. It is important that you balance your co-curricular activities with your academics to ensure you are maintaining strong academic performance while still engaging meaningfully outside the classroom.

    To learn more about experiences and various on- and off-campus opportunities, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Experiences. UC Davis students are also encouraged to subscribe to HPA Today (HPA’s newsletter).

  • Letters of Recommendation

  • Letter of recommendation requirements vary by health professional schools. For many health fields, HPA recommends two lecture-based science instructor recommendations (this excludes research PI), one lecture-based non-science instructor, and additional letters from your co-curricular experiences. This can include a research PI, mentor, volunteer coordinator, professional you shadowed, etc. Your specific school list will determine what letters you may actually need.

    To learn more about the etiquettes for letters of recommendation, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Letters of Recommendations.

  • Supplemental Applications
  • Supplemental applications (or secondaries) may be required for some chiropractic schools and some may not require it. Students should carefully review the application process of the schools they are applying to. Supplemental/secondary applications may include additional fees and/or essays. To learn more about supplemental applications, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Applications.
  • Interviews
  • Interviews may be required for some chiropractic schools and some may not require it. Students should carefully review the application process of the schools they are applying to. To learn more about preparing for interviews, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Interviews and HPA’s Interview Week.

More questions? Check out the frequently asked questions or schedule an appointment with an advisor.