What is the current accreditation status of Pitt’s Doctor of Chiropractic program?
The accreditation body for chiropractic education is the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE). The process of becoming accredited has many steps which begin with the University submitting an application for initial accreditation, including documentation of meeting the requirements for eligibility to become accredited. The University submitted this application which was approved by the CCE on August 2, 2024. Upon approval of this application, the DC program was able to publicly state that it is engaged in the process of seeking programmatic accreditation.
CCE provided the University with a timetable to achieve accreditation by July 2027 (about nine months prior to our first graduation). Achieving accreditation involves several steps. The program must submit a very detailed self-study by October 2026. This is followed by a CCE site team visit in the spring of 2027 and then a decision by CCE at their July 2027 Council meeting. Achieving accreditation means that the program has to meet all of the CCE Standards, which the university and DC program have every intention of doing. Unlike some other accrediting bodies, CCE does not confer provisional accreditation status, so until the July 2027 Council meeting, all we can say is that we are currently engaged in the process of seeking programmatic accreditation.
Will Pitt Chiropractic students be eligible to take the National Board examinations prior to the program becoming accredited?
Yes, the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners lists the Pitt Chiropractic as a program whose students are eligible to take the board exams. (See MyNBCE Test Sites Written – National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.)
What techniques will be taught?
The Pitt Chiropractic program will teach a variety of manual manipulation methods that are biomechanically sound and appropriately evidence-based. These methods may intersect with principles used by named technique systems. This approach will ensure that students are equipped with a solid foundation in both theory and practice for optimal patient care.
Why should I choose Pitt for chiropractic school?
The University of Pittsburgh is the first research-intensive public university in the United States and only university in Pennsylvania to offer an educational program leading to a DC degree. The program will focus on evidence-based spine care and prepare students to work in real world, interprofessional health care settings and become valued members of team-based care, as well as private practitioners.
Students in Pitt’s program will gain hands-on, patient-centered clinical experiences starting in the first term of the program.
Interprofessional didactic and clinical opportunities will span across the six Schools of the Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh (Dental, Medicine, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy and Public Health). Upon graduation, students will be uniquely qualified to work in an integrated clinical environment among a team of other health care professionals, all dedicated to improving patient outcomes.
What is a chiropractor?
Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) are first contact providers (i.e. there is no need for a referral) licensed to practice chiropractic in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. DCs perform the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of spine and musculoskeletal problems with a focus on back and neck pain. As part of their practice, DCs conduct physical exams, order and interpret radiological imaging and laboratory tests, diagnose and treat musculoskeletal dysfunction, counsel patients on health and wellness, and co-manage or refer to other health care providers when appropriate. DCs exercise autonomy in clinical decision-making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services focused mainly on spine-related and other musculoskeletal disorders. The use of manipulation, manual therapy, therapeutic exercises and lifestyle modifications are the cornerstones of chiropractic practice. Â
What can I expect to learn in the Doctor of Chiropractic program?
Students will learn how to diagnose, treat and manage patients with spine and musculoskeletal conditions. The curriculum will include strong training in manual therapy skills, therapeutic exercises and inter-personal communication skills. A hallmark of the curriculum will be the inclusion of real-world clinical training in each semester of the program.
Learn more on the curriculum page.
Why is the Pitt Doctor of Chiropractic program shorter than other programs?
To make Pitt’s chiropractic education program more accessible and affordable to all students, our faculty have structured and organized an innovative, high-quality curriculum to meet the profession’s accreditation standards that will enable students to graduate as confident clinicians within a shorter timeframe than other DC programs.
Learn more about the curriculum on the curriculum page.
