Appendix 1 - Chiropractor Training Courses

Chiropractors in Australia are university trained. Five year training programs share manyt resources and lecturers with the medical program within the university. Currently there are four universities in Australia that have chiropractic degree programs.

The RMIT University in Melbourne, Victoria offers a Bachelor of Health Science (Chiropractic) - 3 year undergraduate program followed by a Master of Clinical Chiropractic - 2 year postgraduate program.

The Macquarie University in Sydney, New South Wales has a 3 year Bachelor of Chiropractic Science which provides the basis for entry into a 2 year Master of Chiropractic.

The Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia offers a Bachelor of Applied Science (in Chiropractic) / Bachelor of Chiropractic. This is offered as a double degree. Successful completion of the whole program of study is required for professional registration as a chiropractor.

The Central Queensland University (Mackay, Brisbane and Sydney) which offers a 3 year Bachelor of Science (Chiropractic) and a 2 year Master of Chiropractic Science.

End on programs where the first three years leads to a Batchelor of Science Degree followed by a two year Master of Science Degree. Extra subjects are required throughout this training including Out Patient case treatment and management of members of the general public.

In Australia, Osteopathic programs are offered at the Southern Cross University in Lismore, New South Wales and in Melbourne, at either the RMIT University or Victoria University.    

Osteopathic training around the world is university based. However, apart from USA and Germany, it is generally separate from medical training.

In the USA Osteopathic training is an elective medical education, called Osteopathic Medicine. After completion of a common basic medical training, the student can complete their studies in either allopathy (drug and surgery based medicine) or Osteopathy.

Scope of Practice: 

Often members of the public are unaware of the scope of practice of Chiropractors and Osteopaths. Many people believe that these modalities relieve back and neck pain, perhaps headaches without being aware of the global influence of the Autonomic Nervous System and how Chiropractic and Osteopathy has therapeutic effect on this and other systems of the body.

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