The rigorous Doctor of Chiropractic program at Keiser University prepares graduates to truly make a difference by relieving patients’ pain, improving their mobility, and guiding them to lead healthier lives. The program combines traditional lectures with small-group learning, weekly conferences and seminars, laboratory and experiential sessions, and clinical training opportunities — all with an emphasis on case-based relevancy for chiropractic practice, a profession dedicated to excellence in spine care.
Program Description
Keiser University College of Chiropractic Medicine located in West Palm Beach is South Florida’s only Doctor of Chiropractic Program. Our professional program consisting of ten semesters of study which are completed over 40 months. It combines traditional lectures with small group learning, weekly conferences and seminars, laboratory and experiential sessions, and clinical training opportunities at a number of sites. All coursework includes case-based relevancy for chiropractic practice as a portal-of-entry profession dedicated to excellence in spine care.
Throughout the ten semesters of study, a number of cross-cutting themes are embedded within the courses, enabling students to integrate their studies around a clinically relevant framework. These themes all focus on the role of chiropractic as a conservative clinical approach to spine care, and include chiropractic sports medicine, chiropractic geriatrics, and chiropractic general practice, as well as other cross-cutting themes such as wellness and health maintenance; ethic, professionalism and life-long learning; and, the role of the chiropractor as a team member in mainstream healthcare and public health. The Doctor of Chiropractic Program emphasizes the promotion of evidence-based health care, inter-professional collaboration and practice, and the highest standards of professional ethics.
The Doctor of Chiropractic degree program at the Keiser University College of Chiropractic Medicine is awarded programmatic accreditation with imposed probation by The Council on Chiropractic Education, 8049 North 85th Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85258-4321, Phone: (480) 443-8877, Website: www.cce-usa.org.
Program Mission and Vision
Our vision is to be the nation’s leading college of chiropractic medicine. This vision includes both preparing Doctors of Chiropractic to serve the citizens of Florida and beyond, through excellence in care, education, and research and to provide national and international leadership as an exemplar of chiropractic medical education.
Our mission is to graduate caring, critically-thinking Doctors of Chiropractic focusing on spine care, who will serve the needs of Florida’s citizens and beyond, to a diverse global society. Our graduates are committed to the highest standards of professional ethics, life-long learning, and interprofessional collaboration as team members in the delivery of health care. We provide leadership to the chiropractic profession through excellence and innovation in education, research, and patient care.
Email us or call the West Palm Beach Office of Admissions at 1-561-471-6000 or toll free at 1-888-534-7379 for more information regarding our Doctor of Chiropractic program!
What Can You Expect to Learn
Keiser University’s Doctor of Chiropractic program prepares students to:
- Utilize history taking, physical examination, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing to collect data, and apply clinical reasoning skills to assess those data in order to arrive at a diagnosis.
- Develop, implement, and document a patient care plan which includes specific therapeutic goals and prognoses.
- Assess the need for health promotion and disease prevention strategies to address the needs of patients and communities.
- Develop effective interpersonal and communication skills for a wide range of healthcare related activities including patient care, professional collaboration, health education, as well as the documenting and reporting of healthcare information.
- Understand, comply with, and rigorously implement accepted standards of professional ethics and jurisprudence.
- Locate, critically appraise, and utilize relevant scientific literature and information to assess and improve patient care practices.
- Independently and competently select and perform chiropractic manual and manipulative procedures.
- Apply the values and principles of team dynamics to perform effectively in healthcare delivery and leadership teams.
Program Objectives
Students are able to integrate their studies within a clinically relevant framework, with cross-cutting themes such as chiropractic sports medicine, chiropractic general practice, and chiropractic geriatrics. Our Doctor of Chiropractic program emphasizes the promotion of evidence-based health care, interprofessional collaboration, and the highest standards of patient care and professional ethics. Our graduates will practice in a variety of clinical environments as team members in the health care system, becoming vital contributors to the well-being of all.
Chiropractic Medicine is:
- Evidence-based
- Integrated with mainstream health care delivery
- Spine focused
- No longer “alternative”
Program Outline
To receive a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Keiser University, students must complete the prescribed course of study within a maximum of 6 years. The program consists of 10 semesters of continuous study over 40 months, totaling 217 credit hours. Over 25% of this consists of clinical experience in a variety of settings. Throughout the program, crosscutting themes are embedded in the coursework, covering major areas of relevance to chiropractic practice, such as chiropractic sports medicine and chiropractic geriatrics.
Graduate Division Courses
Doctor of Chiropractic Core Courses (217.0 credit hours)
| Biochemistry 1 | 5.0 credit hours |
| Physiology 1 | 3.0 credit hours |
| Biochemistry 2 | 3.0 credit hours |
| Physiology 2 | 3.0 credit hours |
| Gross and Spinal Anatomy 1 | 8.0 credit hours |
| Histology | 2.0 credit hours |
| Gross and Spinal Anatomy 2 | 5.0 credit hours |
| Gross Anatomy 3 | 5.0 credit hours |
| Embryology and Genetics | 1.0 credit hour |
| Neuroscience | 6.0 credit hours |
| Pathology 1 | 3.0 credit hours |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 1 | 3.0 credit hours |
| Principles of Chiropractic Practice 1 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 2 | 5.0 credit hours |
| Principles of Chiropractic Practice 2 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 3 | 5.0 credit hours |
| Principles of Chiropractic Practice 3 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical and Professional Development 1 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical Case Conference 1 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical and Professional Development 2 | 2.0 credit hours |
| Grand Rounds | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical and Professional Development 3 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Grand Rounds | 1.0 credit hour |
| Pathology 2 | 3.0 credit hours |
| Clinical Microbiology and Immunology | 4.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 1 – Examination | 5.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 2 – Introduction to Orthopedics | 3.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 3 – Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis | 3.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 4 – Orthopedics | 3.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 5 – Clinical Laboratory Seminar | 1.0 credit hour |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 6 – Neurology | 3.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic Imaging 1 Technique | 3.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic Imaging 2 Technique | 2.0 credit hours |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 4 | 5.0 credit hours |
| Principles of Chiropractic Practice 4 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 5 – Clinical Nutrition | 3.0 credit hours |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 6 | 5.0 credit hours |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 7 – Physiological Therapeutics | 3.0 credit hours |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 8 | 4.0 credit hours |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 9 – Rehabilitation | 3.0 credit hours |
| Clinical and Professional Development 4 | 2.0 credit hours |
| Grand Rounds | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical and Professional Development 5 | 2.0 credit hours |
| Clinical Practice 1 | 4.0 credit hours |
| Grand Rounds | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical and Professional Development 6 | 2.0 credit hours |
| Clinical Practice 2 | 4.0 credit hours |
| Grand Rounds | 1.0 credit hour |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 7 – Orthopedics | 3.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 8 – Systems Disorders | 5.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 9 – Emergency Care | 1.0 credit hour |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 10 – Women’s Health and Chiropractic Pediatrics | 3.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 11 – Pharmacology | 1.0 credit hour |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 12 – Systems Disorders | 5.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 13 – Chiropractic Geriatrics | 3.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 14 – Public Health | 1.0 credit hour |
| Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences 15 – Topics in Contemporary Healthcare | 1.0 credit hour |
| Diagnostic Imaging 3 Technique and Interpretation | 3.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic Imaging 4 Interpretation | 3.0 credit hours |
| Diagnostic Imaging 5 – Interpretation | 1.0 credit hour |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 10 – Nutritional Therapy Seminar | 1.0 credit hour |
| Chiropractic Therapeutics 11 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Principles of Chiropractic Practice 5 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical and Professional Development 7 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical Practice 3 – Pre-clerkship | 5.0 credit hours |
| Grand Rounds | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical and Professional Development 8 | 2.0 credit hours |
| Clinical Practice 4 – Clerkship | 6.0 credit hours |
| Grand Rounds | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical and Professional Development 9 | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical Practice 5 – Clerkship | 10.0 credit hours |
| Grand Rounds | 1.0 credit hour |
| Clinical Practice 6- Externship and/or Preceptorship | 15.0 credit hours |