Professional Education
Chiropractic colleges require a minimum of four to five academic years of professional resident study involving no less than 4000 hours. Professional study includes clinical experience under strict supervision by qualified faculty members in institutional clinics. A major part of chiropractic education is devoted to such basic science subjects as anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, public health, diagnosis and treatment of patients. During this period, about half of the chiropractic student's time is spent in a clinic, examining and treating patients under close supervision.

The following is an example of courses studied at the Palmer College of Chiropractic (a typical chiropractic college) for matriculation 1987-88.

ANATOMY  
Myology 60 hours
Osteology 60 hours
Histology 36 hours
Embryology 60 hours
Spinal Anatomy 60 hours
Splanchology 60 hours
Genesiology/Angiology 60 hours
Central Nervous System 60 hours
Peripheral Nervous System 60 hours
Special Senses 36 hours
Arthrology 24 hours
Human Dissection 60 hours
Topographical Anatomy 60 hours

PRACTICAL PATIENT CARE  
Clinic I 60 hours
Emergency Procedures 60 hours
Clinic II 180 hours
Clinic III 180 hours
Clinic IV 180 hours
Jurisprudence 60 hours
Clinic V 180 hours
Research 120 hours

DIAGNOSIS  
Physical Diagnostic Methods 120 hours
Obstetrics/Gynecology 60 hours
Pediatrics 60 hours
Clinical Human Behavior 60 hours
Neuro-musculo-skeletal
Exams/Management 120 hours
Geriatrics/Dermatology 60 hours
Visceral Disorders 120 hours

PATHOLOGY  
Microbiology 60 hours
General Pathology I 60 hours
Public Health 60 hours
General Pathology II 60 hours
Hematology 60 hours
Neuro-musculo-skeletal I 60 hours
Cardiovascular/Pulmonary 60 hours
Gastrointestinal/Genitourinary 60 hours
Neuro-musculo-skeletal II 60 hours

PHILOSOPHY
180 hours

PHYSIOLOGY  
General 48 hours
Cellular 60 hours
Cardiovascular/Pulmonary 60 hours
Endocrinology 60 hours
Digestion/Nutrition 60 hours
Renal 60 hours
Physiology Lab 60 hours

CHEMISTRY  
Biochemistry I 60 hours
Biochemistry II 60 hours
Chemistry Lab 120 hours
Toxicology 60 hours

X-RAY  
Introduction 36 hours
X-ray Physics 60 hours
X-ray Positioning 60 hours
Diagnostic Radiology 120 hours
Pathology I 60 hours
Pathology II 60 hours

TECHNIQUE  
Biomechanics 60 hours
Palpation 24 hours
Specialized 60 hours
Cervical 120 hours
Thoracic 60 hours
Lumbar 60 hours
Pelvic 120 hours
Principles/Practice 60 hours

Chiropractic and Medical School: A Comparison
The basic difference between chiropractic school and medical school is that medical schools provide full instruction in surgery and pharmacology. Since chiropractors neither prescribe medication nor perform surgery, chiropractic schools devote those hours to chiropractic principles and general/specific manipulative technique. Medical schools, as a rule, neither require nor offer courses on manipulative therapy. The intensive courses required by chiropractic physicians in the doctoral phase of their education closely parallel those of medical school. In some cases, chiropractic schools require more hours of instruction in many basic science and medical courses including anatomy, physiology, radiology, rehabilitation, nutrition and public health.