Doctors of Chiropractic undergo a rigorous and demanding professional education equivalent to any other primary care provider. The typical applicant at a chiropractic college has already acquired three to four years of undergraduate college education, including courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work. Once accepted into a chiropractic college, there are anywhere from three to five academic years of professional study. Because of the hands-on nature of chiropractic, and the intricate adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical training. Doctors of chiropractic undergo a rigorous education in anatomy, physiology, and rehabilitation. Like other primary health care doctors, chiropractic students spend a significant portion of their curriculum studying clinical subjects related to evaluating and caring for patients. As part of their professional training, D.C. students must complete a minimum of a one-year clinical-based program dealing with actual patient care.
Before students can be licensed to practice in any of the 50 states, they must pass national board examinations. The national board examinations are divided into four parts, each of which usually take a weekend to complete. Students can also choose to take a national board exam on physiotherapy as well. Some states require additional exams to become licensed, as well.
Doctors of Chiropractic can receive post-graduate education in specialty areas such as pediatrics, sports medicine, orthopedics, and neurology.
Comparison of Hours of Basic Sciences Education in Medical and Chiropractic Schools
| Subject | Chiropractic Schools | Medical Schools | ||
| Hours | % of Total | Hours | % of Total | |
| Anatomy | 570 | 40 | 368 | 31 |
| Biochemistry | 150 | 11 | 120 | 10 |
| Microbiology | 120 | 8 | 120 | 10 |
| Public Health | 70 | 5 | 289 | 24 |
| Physiology | 305 | 21 | 142 | 12 |
| Pathology | 205 | 14 | 162 | 14 |
| Total Hours | 1,420 | 100 | 1,200 | 100 |
