Becoming a Licensed Chiropractor in the United States

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When chiropractics first began with Daniel Palmer, there were no schools, no course of study, and not much research that would enable others to come to similar conclusions. Fortunately, when Mr. Palmer realizes that he was on the cutting edge of alternative medical healing, he and his son Bartlett after him, chose to go ahead and found a school that would permit interested individuals to take up a course of study that would enable them to not only understand the reasoning behind chiropractic care, but to also turn around and practice this new art themselves with the tools discovered by Mr. Palmer. Granted, he came under close scrutiny for practicing medicine without a license, but when the medical establishment sought to stop the practice of chiropractic care altogether, it soon became obvious that it would be impossible to put the genie back into the bottle. The unease between conventional medicine and alternative healing continued with occasional flare ups until the United States government in coordination with the governing bodies of the chiropractic movement laid down the guidelines that would permit a chiropractor to hang out a shingle and open a practice.

Becoming a licensed chiropractor in the United States is an achievable goal if you are not afraid of some hard work. You will need to successfully finish a Doctor of Chiropractics degree program at an accredited university or college where you will receive the kind of education that entitles you to the degree by both the United States government and also the Council on Chiropractic Education. Generally speaking, the latter offers a number of guidelines that must be met in order to permit a student to sit for the various exams that will entitle her or him to finally round out the course of study with an internship. When you are shopping around for a school to attend for your courses of study, make certain that its curriculum meets or exceeds the guidelines of the Council on Chiropractic Education and that it is accredited by the United States. There are currently no home study courses available to earn this degree.

Successful graduation from an accredited school with reward you with a degree naming you a Doctor of Chiropractics and you will now be eligible to receive a license in every state including Puerto Rico and also Canada. Many foreign countries will also accept the American degree and allow you to apply for licensing. To receive a license to practice, you will need to successfully finish a number of examples, namely the physiotherapy exam consisting of parts one, two, and three as well as the practical exam part four. Obviously, these guidelines may change and be updated from time to time, and individual states may also choose additional tests which are to be administered to receive a license to practice chiropractics within the state border. In addition to the foregoing, a licensed and practicing chiropractor will usually have to keep up with a minimum amount of continuing education on a yearly basis to ensure that the license will remain in effect.