The Chiropractic Profession

The word "chiropractic" comes from the Greek meaning "done by hand". The practice of chiropractic sprang up in 1895 in an era in which modern medicine was very much a fledgling and scores of alternative healing practices were being advanced and promoted. Chiropractic was formalized by a Canadian, David D. Palmer, from Port Perry, Ontario who was by training a "magnetic healer" and living in Davenport, Iowa at the time.

The first 4 decades of history are checkered with flamboyancy, a messianic-like zeal, epic struggles with mainstream medicine, and intense controversy. Numerous were the earlier practitioners who spent time in jail charged with "practising medicine without a licence" when in fact their only crime was spinal adjustments administered to willing and eager patients.

Chiropractic experienced its first explosion of growth with the returning veterans of World War II as governments in both Canada and the US encouraged and paid for education in all of the professions and trades. For the next 30 years although struggling with the ghosts of past excesses, the profession was constructing a good solid basis and foundation for the future. Such foundations were legal recognition from virtually all governments in North America, educational standards and licensing examinations similar to medicine, and the significant beginnings of serious research, textbook and scientific journals.

In the past 30 years, recognition of chiropractic for spinal and musculoskeletal disorders is now firmly established worldwide. Chiropractic is the third largest primary health care profession after medicine and dentistry. There are about 50,000 registered chiropractors in the US, 10,000 in Japan, 5,000 in Canada, 2,500 in Australia, 1,000 in the UK, and 100-500 in each of the following countries - Belgium, Denmark, France, Holland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, and south Africa. We are also established in smaller numbers in virtually every other country.

Common to all areas is the ability of chiropractors to have direct contact with their patients as medical referral and prescriptions are not required, as well as the right, duty, and responsibility of diagnosis, including diagnostic x-ray use

CHIROPRACTIC EDUCATION

An international standard of chiropractic education has been in effect since 1984. It is recognized by the US Office of Education. There are colleges for chiropractic education in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, and of course 18 or so in the US. Many of these are within that country's university system.

Although entrance requirements vary somewhat between countries, a minimum of 2 years of university qualifies one for admission in North America. After acceptance, chiropractic undergraduate programmes are a minimum of 4 years full time covering all areas common to medical training - e.g. anatomy, physiology, histology, developmental anatomy, clinical diagnosis, etc.

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