What is Pre-Chiropractic?
To be "pre-chiropractic" means you are embarking on a course of study aimed at preparing you for application to a Chiropractic school. It is not a major.
What is Chiropractic medicine?
Chiropractic medicine is a branch of health care that focuses on treating patients without the use of drugs or surgery. This profession advocates a holistic philosophy, which emphasizes prevention and wellness over treating disease and injury. Chiropractors are trained in diagnosis and treatment of diseases of all body systems with a concentration in the nervous and musculoskeletal systems.
What type of education is required?
Chiropractic schools do not require a major, but it is highly recommended. Science-based majors are highly popular, but you should choose a major that reflects your interest, while completing curriculum requirements for your chiropractic school of choice.
Most chiropractic colleges abide by the prerequisite course recommendations of The Council on Chiropractic Education. This list of courses can be found on the website of The Association of Chiropractic Colleges and is used as a guideline when advising students. Individual colleges, however, may have additional specific requirements not listed here.
What do Chiropractic schools look for in applicants?
- Cumulative GPA
- Test scores (GRE) for some schools
- True interest in profession as demonstrated by shadowing or volunteering in the field
- Service-related experiences in people-oriented environments
- Letters of recommendation.
Minimum coursework required for most chiropractic schools*
- Chemistry (with lab) - One year of General Chemistry with lab (CHEM 121/121L, CHEM 122/122L)
- Organic Chemistry 1 (with lab) - CHEM 341/341L
- Biology (with lab) - One year of General Biology with lab (BIOL 150/150L, BIOL 151/151L) and/or one year of Anatomy & Physiology with Lab (BIOL 220/220L, BIOL 221/221L).
Recommended additional courses
- Organic Chemistry 2 (with lab) - CHEM 342/342L
- Physics (with lab) - One year of Physics with lab (PHYS 211/211L, PHYS 212/212L) or one semester of Physics with lab (PHYS 211/211L) and an advanced course in Statistics- STAT 330, Kinesiology- HNES 365, Biomechanics- HNES 366, Physiology- HNES 465/466. Physics requirement may vary.
- Biochemistry (with lab) - BIOC 460
- English- 6 credits in a combination or Composition, Speech, or Literature (ENGL 110, ENGL 120, COMM 110)
- Psychology- 1 semester of general psychology (PSYC 111)
- Humanities and Social Science - Electives may include such courses as history, government, English literature, foreign language, anthropology, ethics, sociology, drama, philosophy.
* Although this coursework will meet the requirements for some schools, students should research the prerequisites of the schools to which they hope to apply.
Experiences
Applicants should consider volunteering at a local hospital or clinic to gain practical experience in medicine. A well-rounded sampling of extra-curricular activities or work experiences, both related and unrelated to medicine, will help broaden an applicant's knowledge and development.
Pre-med students are encouraged to participate in student organizations at NDSU such as the Pre-Med Club and American Medical Student Association and Allied Health (AMSA). These organizations are run by students with similar career goals and provide an opportunity for others to discuss career plans and gather details about the professions they are interested in.
Resources
Here are some helpful websites to learn about the Chiropractic field, the application process and more: