Pre-Chiropractic

Chiropractors take a natural, preventative approach to healthcare without the use of drugs or surgery. They primarily treat patients with health problems of the musculoskeletal system, which is made up of bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons using spinal manipulation. Many chiropractors seek to reduce pain and increase the functionality of patients in addition to educating them on how they can improve their condition and live a healthy lifestyle.

Major Selection

As an undergraduate student, you may choose any major in preparation for attending chiropractic school. Chiropractic schools do not have a specific preference on a particular major, so you are encouraged to choose a major based on your own personal interests and strengths. What’s important is that you have completed the prerequisite courses required by the institution you are applying to.

Prerequisite Courses

Requirements may vary from school to school, so you will want to research different program requirements. In general, most chiropractic schools will expect applicants to have completed the following types of courses:

Course Course Title Required or Recommended
CHEMISTRY
General Chemistry I Required
General Chemistry I Lab Required
General Chemistry II Required
General Chemistry II Lab Required
Organic Chemistry I Required
Organic Chemistry I Lab Required
Organic Chemistry II Recommended
Organic Chemistry II Lab Recommended
Biochemistry I Required
Biochemistry I Lab Required
BIOLOGY
Cell Biology Required
Cell Biology Lab Required
Organismal Biology Required
Organismal Biology Lab Required
Human Anatomy Recommended
Human Anatomy Lab Recommended
Genetics Recommended
Genetics Lab Recommended
Human Physiology Recommended
Human Physiology Lab Recommended
Microbiology Recommended
Microbiology Lab Recommended
ENGLISH
ENGL 6 credits Required
MATH
Calculus I Recommended
, , Statistics Recommended
PHYSICS
or PHYS College/General Physics I & Lab or Physics I with Calculus & Lab Required
or PHYS College/General Physics II & Lab or Physics II with Calculus & Lab Required
PSYCHOLOGY
General Psychology Recommended
PSY Upper-division Psychology Recommended

*Other courses may be required/recommended by specific programs. You are responsible for knowing the requirements for each individual program. Policies on AP, IB and community college credits vary by institution.

You can find a complete list of all the accredited chiropractic schools in the United States and their admission requirements on the .

Admissions Test

Applicants to chiropractic colleges are not required to take a standardized admissions test.

Resources