A common concern for many new chiropractic students is keeping up with the amount of knowledge to be learned and the pace of learning expected in a 3.3 year degree program. While your determination to succeed is key to a chiropractic education, take advantage of these insights into five classes chiropractic students find most challenging.
1. Biochemistry I
According to one chiropractic student, “This may not be the hardest class on the list, but it is the most anticipated one by far because it is during your first trimester.” (Instead of a two-semester academic year, doctor of chiropractic education goes year-round – a trimester schedule.)
The same student said he found the best study technique for Biochemistry I is to review old test questions and “to re-word them so that they are asked differently.”
Getting to know fellow students who’ve taken college-level biochemistry also will give you an insider’s knowledge about what to expect. For this, a study group can really help, so make sure your chiropractic college supports out-of-classroom study opportunities and offers on-campus facilities where they can happen easily.
2. Skeletal Radiology
A surprise for many students who already may know the basics of reading an X-ray: “Think again,” said one student. “This class tests your knowledge of all the various X-ray findings.” There is also universal agreement about the depth of knowledge. Throughout your chiropractic education, expe,ct difficult multiple-choice, multiple-answer tests to be the norm
3. Head and Neck
What’s challenging in this class is the detailed information you’ll need to understand this part of the human anatomy. A common reaction to this class is one heard often in when applying to chiropractic college. “Why does the instructor make us learn so much information in detail just for one test?”
The answer, say upper-trimester students, is that instructors are helping you prepare for the Board exams administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. (More on this in Why Rigorous Chiropractic Education…below.)
4. Neuroanatomy
While “a doozie,” is not a valid technical term, many students say Neuroanatomy is one. Not only is the material difficult; many students haven’t prepared well for it. “You’ll quickly fall behind if you don’t have your different-colored pens ready and all the core and supplemental notes printed off,” students say.
5. Biochemistry II
Chiropractic college students know they’ll master the biochemistry philosophy and concepts in Biochemistry I. In Biochemistry II, the challenge is putting those concepts to work.
“You take that big-picture philosophy and put a magnifier over it,” according to one student. In Biochem II, “You’ll learn the great details of metabolic pathways and, more importantly, their regulators.”
Chiropractic Education: Know What You Need to Know
The minimum requirements for chiropractic college are at least 90 college hours – about three years of undergraduate study. Common pre-health science majors include biology, human biology, exercise science, or kinesiology, which means studying the physiological, biomechanical, and psychological principles and mechanisms of how the body moves.)
At least 24 hours of pre-chiropractic education should be in the life and physical sciences, including:
Many chiropractic institutions have prerequisite (required) courses available via online study. Completing those required courses often makes acceptance into that college’s doctor of chiropractic degree program more likely.
Some chiropractic students take classes or earn their undergrad degree from another university, then transfer to a chiropractic college with institutional accreditation and programmatic accreditation from the Council on Chiropractic Education.
Why Rigorous Chiropractic Education is Essential
No matter how hard a class is, students emphasize the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners certifying exams are even tougher. The harder each class’s tests and quizzes are, students say, the better. There are four parts to the board exams, which occur at various times while in chiropractic college.
Of course, one way to test out the quality of chiropractic education is to look at a chiropractic college’s record of NBCE board scores. (These are usually available on the college’s website.)
Chiropractic Education at CUKC: 3.3 Years to a Chiropractic Degree
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a private, nonprofit, healthcare-focused university in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of the Kansas City metro. Because of a year-round trimester schedule, most students earn their doctor of chiropractic degree (D.C.) in 3.3 years.
Points of distinction for the CUKC chiropractic degree include:
If you have more questions about chiropractic education and classes, you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions in this FAQ blog, including the ways a chiropractic education compares favorably to med school education.
Learn more about the profession and how to get into a chiropractic college right now. Click here to get the free ebook: Your Complete Guide to the Chiropractic Profession.
