HOW MUCH STUDY DOES A CHIROPRACTOR DO?
Chiropractors study for a minimum of 5 years at university or private chiropractic colleges and are recognised as Doctors of Chiropractic in over 70 countries around the world.
Currently in Spain there are around 250 properly trained chiropractors, and two chiropractic colleges; one in Madrid and the other in Barcelona. The first graduates from Spanish chiropractic schools were in 2012.
CHIROPRACTIC STUDY HOURS VS MEDICAL STUDY HOURS
The training for doctors of chiropractic and doctors of medicine is similar in terms of hours & courses studied, although chiropractic training has around 237 more hours than medical training. Most of these extra hours are dedicated to anatomy, physiology, radiology, diagnosis and orthopaedic testing.
References for comparison table:
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Coulter I, Adams A, Coggan P, Wilkes M, Gonyea M. A comparative study of chiropractic and medical education. Altern Ther Health Med. 1998 Sep;4(5):64-75
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Chapman-Smith, D. The Chiropractic Profession. NCMIC Group Inc. 2000.
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Palmer College of Chiropractic. How do I begin my Palmer education. Online. 4 April 2007.
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Student Doc. Medical School Requirements. Online. 4 April 2007.
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Alex’s Illicit Guide to Medical School Admissions. Premed Requirements. LINK
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West J. A. How Well Educated is Your Chiropractor. LINK
HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR CHIROPRACTOR IS PROPERLY QUALIFIED – LOOK FOR THE AEQ LOGO
Although recognised as doctors of chiropractic in over 70 countries worldwide, in Spain there is still no official recognition of chiropractic as a health profession and so the industry is not yet regulated. Unfortunately anyone can call themselves a chiropractor even without the extensive training required to practice it safely.
To make sure your chiropractor is properly trained check the Spanish Chiropractic Association or AEQ webpage listings to see whether they are a member. You can only become a member if you provide official documentation of your studies and sit the required exam.
CHIROPRACTIC, whilst recognised as a health profession by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and forming part of the healthcare system in most developed countries including European countries such as Britain, France, Portugal, Italy, Denmark and Switzerland – many of which recognise it as a primary healthcare profession – WITHIN SPAIN IT IS NOT A RECOGNISED HEALTH PROFESSION AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO REGULATION BY THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT. Because health legislation is a matter of regulatory law under the sovereignty of each EU member country, the chiropractic profession finds itself in a legal vacuum in Spain, meaning there are no laws to regulate it. The Spanish Association of Chiropractors (A.E.Q.) has petitioned the courts and relevant health and education ministries requesting that Parliament boost the legislative process to officially recognise chiropractic as a health profession in Spain. In countries legally recognising chiropractic as a health profession, the chiropractic degree is obtained after 5-6 years of educational training. Two Spanish institutions currently offer five-year chiropractic programs (with unofficial titles) in anticipation of the legal recognition of the profession in Spain: the Real Central University Maria Cristina of Madrid (UCR) and the Barcelona College of Chiropractic (BCC). The training from these institutions meet all the standards of quality and excellence demanded by the European Council of Chiropractic Education (ECCE), and paradoxically, Spanish graduates may work as official chiropractic health professionals in other countries like the United States, France or England, but not in their own country. The A.E.Q. was created and recognised by the Ministerio del Interior in 1986, and has over 200 members with chiropractic degrees recognised by the European Council of Chiropractic, ensuring compliance with the highest standards of professional practice at a European level. Unfortunately so far, these degrees and diplomas ARE NOT RECOGNISED AS OFFICIAL TITLES IN SPAIN. To ensure your chiropractor meets the quality standards established by ECCE regulation of chiropractic in Spain, check and verify that they are a member of the A.E.Q. in “Find a chiropractor” on the website: www.quiropractica-aeq.com. The regulation of chiropractic in Spain is a matter of political expediency, but in the meantime chiropractic professionals who meet the requirements of the AEQ statutes find themselves in a situation of legal uncertainty and disadvantage compared to other professionals from neighbouring European countries. Additionally due to the lack of regulation, Spanish citizens may be treated by unqualified people claiming to be chiropractors who do not meet the minimum international standards.
(**) The web www.centroquiropractioibiza.com & www.chiropracticibiza.com provide information on the professional services of Jans Olde Wolbers, owner of the contents of these websites. The content of these sites is offered for informational and informative purposes. The owner is not responsible for the content or comments and opinions expressed by third parties on their websites. The contents of the websites are not intended to replace health professional advice, since CHIROPRACTIC IS NOT A RECOGNISED HEALTH PROFESSION IN SPAIN AND HAS NOT BEEN THE SUBJECT OF REGULATION IN SPAIN, so that the owner assumes no responsibility, directly or indirectly, which may arise from the use made of this information.
(***) “Chiropractic is a health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these on overall health. It is based on manual techniques, including joint adjustment and / or manipulation focusing mainly on subluxations. “
