Communications Staff
UPDATED SEPT 3, 2021
In our experience of educating pioneers in chiropractic and health sciences for nearly 100 years, our prospective students have asked just about every question you can imagine. We compiled 5 questions those interested in pursuing a chiropractic degree typically ask as they decide which chiropractic school to attend. Take a look and see if the answers you are seeking are here, too.
Q. How old is too old to earn a chiropractic degree?
A. You can become a Doctor of Chiropractic at just about any age. Although most chiropractic students apply to a chiropractic program after earning a bachelor’s degree, pursuing a Doctor of Chiropractic degree (D.C.) as a second career can be personally satisfying and rewarding.
Sometimes, those who’ve recovered from an injury or chronic pain, thanks to chiropractic care, will have the personal drive to enter chiropractic school after earning a college degree. Others may decide to make a career change because they want a profession focused on helping people.
Because most chiropractors own their own business or are in a group practice, they control their income potential, time spent working, and how the practice operates. As a chiropractor, you’ll:
Q. How long does it take to earn a chiropractic degree?
A. An accelerated Doctor of Chiropractic degree program can be completed in just 3.3 years (10 trimesters). Requirements for chiropractic school include 90 credit hours of college courses in specific areas and a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Those drawn toward healthcare should take biology, anatomy, physiology, general and organic chemistry, and anatomy courses.
The undergraduate (bachelor’s degree) direction is called pre-med or pre-healthcare and often centers on the biological sciences, such as human biology.
For efficiency regarding time in school, a student may choose a concurrent bachelor’s degree in biology/Doctor of Chiropractic degree option. The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree requirements are fulfilled first, and then the student enters the Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) coursework and clinical experiences.
Students interested in earning their Doctor of Chiropractic degree at CUKC often choose to earn a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology.
Q. How does chiropractic school compare to medical school?
A. For the Doctor of Chiropractic degree, students take on more than 4,200 hours of classroom education, equivalent to the number of hours for medical school. Patient care experience often begins as early as the first year. The first and second years of med school are in the classroom.
Overall, chiropractic students receive more classroom education than med students in six areas:
Q. What does the research say about chiropractic treatment?
A. Evidence-based research continues to support the use of chiropractic care.
Q. How do you pay for chiropractic school?
A. Like other college options, including graduate school, education costs can be paid by a mix of federal or private loans, scholarships, need-based grants, and personal or family sources. Federal Work-Study positions, tutoring, and part-time work are also useful.
In an article on doctorly.org, Stephen Gubernick, D.C., indicated the cost of his chiropractic school education was worthwhile. “For me,” he said, “the largest reward has been the ability to improve health naturally and make changes that positively impact people’s lives.”
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a private, nonprofit, healthcare-focused university in Overland Park, Kansas, a city of nearly 190,000 people within the Kansas City metropolitan area.
The University’s College of Chiropractic has been a national leader since 1922. CUKC is also the first U.S. chiropractic school to have two Force Sensing Tables in the adjusting laboratory on campus, helping students gain chiropractic adjustment skills and confidence.
We want to know what questions you have about earning your chiropractic degree. Get the answers you’re looking for by requesting a free copy of the eBook, Your Complete Guide to the Chiropractic Profession.
