Chiropractic Education

Chiropractic education in Canada is offered at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) in Toronto, and at l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). Both programs are fully accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education of Canada that has adopted standards similar to those of the Council on Chiropractic Education in the United States which is, in turn, recognized by the United States Department of Education.

Seven years of university-level education
Chiropractic students undergo a rigorous course of study similar to that of other health care professionals. Entrance requirements are also similar. Students are required to complete a minimum of three years of university before they are eligible for admission to the CMCC accredited program . Approximately 90 per cent of students entering the CMCC program have completed a baccalaureate or graduate degree.

The CMCC program requires four years of full-time study, including a 12-month internship in the College’s clinics. In Quebec, the UQTR has a five-year program following graduation from CÉGEP.

Multidisciplinary faculty
In addition to the academic program, chiropractic education requires hands-on clinical experience under the supervision of highly-qualified chiropractic faculty. This experience includes clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and referral protocols. The faculty at both CMCC and UQTR have diverse backgrounds and offer students a wide range of expertise. Faculty come from such disciplines as biological sciences, pathology, medicine and psychology, as well as chiropractic.

Both the CMCC and the UQTR programs include courses in anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, neurology, embryology, principles of chiropractic, radiology, immunology, microbiology, pathology, nutrition, and clinical sciences specifically relating to diagnosis.

In particular, chiropractors receive training in radiology that covers a range of topics from radiation biophysics and protection to clinical X-ray interpretation and diagnosis. Radiology training consists of more than 360 contact hours followed by application during clinical internship.

CMCC and UQTR have also developed relationships – both formal and informal – with other universities in Canada. For example, faculty and students of CMCC are currently conducting research with fellow scientists at the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto and Ryerson University. UQTR has collaborations with l’Université du Québec à Montréal and Laval University.