Have you ever wondered how much education your Doctor of Chiropractic is required to have compared to a Medical Doctor? Look at these basic educational requirements for graduates of both chiropractic colleges and medical schools. Each has its own specialties, but the hours of classroom instruction are about the same.
Doctors of Chiropractic must also satisfy a demanding academic course that leads to a first professional degree requiring six years of academic study -two years preparatory and four years professional.
Chiropractors must meet strict educational requirements, including approximately 600 hours of internship, which qualify them for licensure in all states and Canadian provinces.
Chiropractors are required to pass stringent national board examinations as a prerequisite for licensure in most states. And, in most states, the Doctor of Chiropractic must stay abreast of the latest health care techniques by attending seminars and other special study programs.
| Chiropractic Education Class Hours | Subject | Medical Education Class Hours |
| 520 | Anatomy | 508 |
| 420 | Physiology | 326 |
| 271 | Pathology | 335 |
| 300 | Chemistry | 325 |
| 114 | Bacteriology | 130 |
| 370 | Diagnosis | 374 |
| 320 | Neurology | 112 |
| 217 | X-Ray | 148 |
| 65 | Psychiatry | 144 |
| 65 | Obstetrics & Gynecology | 198 |
| 225 | Orthopedics | 156 |
| 2,887 | TOTAL HOURS | 2,756 |
| Adjusting, Manipulation, Kinesiology, and other similar basis subjects related to their specialty. | Other required subjects for doctors of medicine/doctors of chiropractic | Pharmacology, Immunology, general surgery, and other similar basic subjects related to their specialty. |
| 4,485 | GRAND TOTAL CLASS HOURS | 4,248 |
*The class hours for basic science comparisons were compiled and averaged following a review of curricula of chiropractic colleges and medical schools, based on the 1998 Curriculum Directory, published by the American Medical Association (AMA).