What to Expect

Ouch! You've tried different painkillers, but that nagging headache, back pain or neck pain just won't go away. That's what chiropractic students are learning to help with.

"The program prepared me for clinical practice and gave me the skills to evolve with the profession," says Luke Boudreau.

His courses included the following:

• Anatomy: study of the internal structure of humans
• Pathology: study of diseases
• Orthopedics: study of our skeletal make-up
• Radiology: use of X-ray and other related technology

"There are many assignments and projects during the course of study," says Boudreau. "Each student is required to complete an original research project as part of the research methods course."

Boudreau says that students considering this field need to make good financial preparations.

"Chiropractic, like dentistry and medicine, is very expensive," he says. "Tuition may vary, depending on whether the institution is government-funded or not."

Stuart Currie chose the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois, for his chiropractic studies.

"I was especially attracted to the philosophies of chiropractic medicine, which emphasize treating the causes of disease rather than the symptoms, while also considering lifestyle, nutrition and social influences on health problems."

Currie wanted a program with a curriculum that would allow him to learn on his own.

"I have enjoyed the challenges of self-guided learning. [I] believe it has made me a more independent student. The curriculum allows some freedom to learn at your own pace and explore different avenues of each subject, which can be dangerous if you begin to fall behind."

Currie still makes time for extracurricular activities. He says the trade-off is that these activities mean he has less time to study.

"But it has allowed me to learn through experience and interaction, what I could not have learned otherwise."