Medical school has some similarities to chiropractic school in the first two years. The academic courses are similar and anatomy is just as rigorous in chiropractic school as in medical school. The need to absorb information (for instance, microbiology) is greater in medical school as the young M.D. or D.O. will need to know the differential of different types of infections where the young D.C. does not have to understand those differences for future practice.
The bigger differences are in the last two years of school. In chiropractic school, much emphasis is placed on manipulation and biomechanics as taught in a clinic at the school. In medical school, there are multiple six week rotations in medicine, surgery, pediatrics and many specialties (ex: dermatology, orthopaedics, and rheumatology).
The biggest difference is that in medicine, the just graduated and newly minted physician now has to take at least a three year residency and quite possibly a five to six year residency. You might then add to that a fellowship of one to three years. The newly minted chiropractor can go immediately into practice.
Dr. Corenman
PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
