Palmer College of Chiropractic

Academic Programs

Academic Policies & Regulations

The continuance of each student through the curriculum at Palmer College of Chiropractic and the permission to graduate is strictly subject to the discretionary powers of the College. The College expressly reserves the right and the student expressly concedes to the College the right to require withdrawal, at any time, of any student whose quality of work manifests an incompetence or unfitness to continue in the course of study or whose conduct is detrimental to, compatible with, the spirit and ideals of the College or the profession.

Definitions

Academic period:
The curriculum is divided into four academic periods. Each period consists of two or more consecutive trimesters. The four periods are:

First period = First and second trimesters
Second period = Third and fourth trimesters
Third period = Fifth, sixth and seventh trimesters
Fourth period = Eighth, ninth and 10th trimesters

Academic status:
All students are in good standing for purposes of certifications unless they are suspended, dismissed or are on management. Management is a status that can be imposed by the College Committee on Student Promotions on students who have successfully appealed a suspension or dismissal and are being allowed an additional opportunity.

Policy on Academic Progress

1. Students are in good standing if they have fewer than two active failing grades.
2. Students are placed on warning if they:
   1. have two active failures and/or
   2. ail the same class twice. Students placed on warning are placed on a restricted class load (maximum 23 credits).
3. Students are placed on probation if they have not maintained the minimum requirement cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students placed on probation are placed on a restricted class load (maximum 23 credits).
4. Students will be sent written notice of academic management if:
   1. they are on warning, fail a class that they previously failed and have at least one additional active failure on their transcripts
   2. they have failed a class three times, or
   3. they have been on academic probation for two consecutive terms
5. The College Committee on Student Promotions will meet with management students the sixth day of classes. Students on management are placed on a performance contract and cannot be enrolled in elective courses. The terms of the management contract will be at the discretion of the Committee. Successful completion of an academic management contract shall return a student to good academic standing. Students who do not successfully complete the contract will be dismissed. Subsequently, any student who meets the criteria for a second management contract will be dismissed.
6. Students failing to successfully complete all terms of the management contract as described in number five above will be dismissed from the institution. Students may appeal a dismissal, in writing, to the College Committee on Student Promotions. This appeal must be submitted to the Student Academic Affairs Office by 4:30 p.m. on the Friday of the first week of classes, the following academic term. The Committee will meet to hear appeals on the sixth day of classes.
7. Appeals of the decisions of the College Committee on Student Promotions can be made in writing to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Enrollment Status

Students must successfully complete 18 to 21 credits per term, depending upon the term of enrollment, in order to maintain eligibility for financial aid.

Tuition is charged per credit hour for one to 25 credits, and above 32 credits. A tuition block is charged for enrollment between 26 and 32 credit hours per term.

Preregistration

Continuing students are required to preregister for the subsequent trimester during the preregistration period, which is scheduled toward the end of each academic term. The schedule for preregistration will be published by the Registrar's Office. All continuing students must preregister during the assigned time periods, anyone not preregistering will be assessed a registration fee of $15.

Tuition for all continuing students is due and payable on the tenth day of classes of each new trimester. Any special arrangements must be made with the Business Office prior to that date. Even after the preregistration procedure has been completed, the student is not formally registered for the class until all tuition obligations have been met.

Add/Drop Courses

Any student wishing to add or drop courses must request an “Add/Drop” form from the Registrar's Office.

Course Addition

All course additions must be completed before the end of the first week of instruction in the trimester.

Course Withdrawal

A student requesting to withdraw from a course, which will result in the student being placed on a special schedule, must first meet with an advisor for academic advising.

Grading System

Restrictions

Students have a right to repeat any course. The last grade earned in that course is called the current grade. Nevertheless, each Grade 8 remains viable on the student’s record until a passing grade is achieved. Registration for any course in which the student has earned Grade 6 automatically converts the Grade 6 to Grade 8.

A student with any Grade 8 will normally be subject to automatic scheduling in that course or courses during the next academic term. However, the student may choose not to register for those courses.

The College will issue letter grades in pass/no pass courses when required by state licensing boards.

A student must complete the entire curriculum within eight calendar years following matriculation to be eligible for graduation.

Discipline

Unethical student behavior exists when a student’s actions conflict with those described in the Student Code of Ethics.

A full explanation of the Student Code of Ethics is found in the Student Handbook, which is given to all students during orientation. Additional information may be obtained from the College Judicial Officer.

Attendance

Each instructor will establish the attendance policy for his/her course, mandatory course attendance will be at the discretion of the instructor. The policy must be clearly articulated in the course syllabus. In those courses for which attendance is mandatory, attendance credit may be considered part of the course grade. When a student is overcut, the student will receive Grade 6 (Incomplete) or 8 (failure) whichever is appropriate. The Grade 6, if given, must be made up within the first three days of the subsequent trimester in which the student is enrolled, or the grade will automatically convert to Grade 8 (No credit). The only excused absences are for authorized jury duty and authorized military duty. There are no other excused absences.

Examinations

Course examinations are handled on an individual basis by each instructor and are detailed in each course syllabus.

Withdrawal from the College

A student withdrawing from the College must do four things:

1. Notify the Registrar in writing;
2. Notify the Financial Planning Office in writing (if receiving assistance through that office);
3. Notify the instructors orally or in writing;
4. Return College identification card, post office and locker keys to Student Services.

If the student fails to comply with these instructions, the student may be charged with a Grade 8 (No Credit) for all current courses.

Re-Matriculation/Re-Admission

Students not maintaining continuous attendance in the Doctor of Chiropractic program of less than one year are required to notify the Registrar 60 days prior to the start of the academic term of reenrollment.

Students returning after a hiatus of less than five years, but greater than one year, are required to re-apply in writing to the office of the Registrar and complete the Application for Re-admission at least 60 days prior to the start of the academic term to reenter the program. The completed application will be reviewed for readmission acceptance by the College Committee on Student Promotions. Contact the Registrar’s office for more information.

Students returning after a five-year (or longer) hiatus from active registration must complete the entire admissions process to be readmitted to the College. The student is required to meet all current admissions requirements and will retain no previous course credits.

Students who have taken a hiatus of less than five years from their initial enrollment dates may request to have their previous academic record voided and start over as a new incoming student. All requests will be evaluated by the Registrar and presented to the Chief Academic Officer of the College, or designee, for final action. Decisions affecting the action should be guided by the College policy No. 8, Length of Time to Complete the D.C. Program.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

In each course, a student earns honor points (grade points) equal to the product of the arithmetic value of the student’s grade in that course and the credits carried in that course. Grade point averages, both cumulative and for each term, are then computed from the following definitions:

Grades 4, 3 & 2
Carry hours and credits earned and produce honor points (grade points).

Grade 8
Carries credits attempted but not hours, and produces zero honor points.

Grade 9
Carries hours and credits, and does not produce honor points.

Grades 6, 10 & 11
Do not carry hours or credits, and do not produce honor points.

Trimester GPA =
The quotient of the sum of the honor points produced in that academic term by the sum of credits for courses that carry honor points in that term.

Cumulative GPA =
The quotient of the sum of the honor points produced in all academic terms by the sum of the credits carried with the latest afferent grade in each course for courses that carry honor points.

Grade Reports

At the end of each academic term, the student receives a grade report which contains:

• The grade in each course taken during that term, along with the clock-hours or credits earned in each course.
• The GPA and its factors for that term.
• The cumulative GPA and its factors.
• Notation of all grade changes during that term.
• Notation, if necessary, of academic warning(s), suspension(s) and dismissal.
• The sum of the total earned clock-hours and credit hours.

The original grade report is deposited in the student’s file. A computerized record of the report is also maintained. If a student believes that there is a discrepancy in the grade report, the student should immediately contact the Office of Student Academic Affairs.

Clinical Competency Evaluation

The Palmer Clinical Competency Evaluation is designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of the development of clinical skills in the student. The comprehensive clinical competency examination includes a summative didactic examination and an integrated practical examination and is offered at the beginning of the ninth trimester. This assessment is designed to evaluate various clinical competencies integral to the successful practice of chiropractic. The summative evaluation determines overall clinical competence in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective components of the clinical chiropractic practice. Students are tested using a variety of methods, including written and stationed examinations of adjusting and diagnostic skills, and simulated patient encounters. Students must successfully complete the clinical competency evaluation in order to advance to the clinical phase of the fourth period of the curriculum.

In order to satisfy clinical competency requirements for graduation, in addition to receiving a satisfactory Clinical Competency Evaluation, students must also receive satisfactory evaluations of their performance in the care and management of patients in the College clinics. Clinicians provide interns with formative feedback concerning their clinic performance. Repeated failure to meet the passing criteria may result in the requirement to repeat certain courses in the curriculum.

Academic Load

The College defines a full-time load as 17 credits. Students with a credit load of between 9 and 17 are considered as half-time. Note: For full veteran’s benefits, a student must carry a minimum of 14 standard class sessions per week. A standard class session is one 50-minute lecture hour per week or two 50-minute laboratory hours per week.

Exemptions

1. By examination of proficiency (test-out)
   Students who wish credit by examination should apply for a test-out through the course
   instructor within the first week of the trimester in which the course is scheduled.
   
   To qualify for test-out, the student must:
   1. have successfully completed an equivalent course in pre-chiropractic studies with a grade “C” or higher;
   2. not have used that course to satisfy any requirement for admission to Palmer College of Chiropractic;
   3. pay normal tuition for credit earned by examination;
   4. have successfully completed all courses prerequisite to the course from which the student wishes to test-out.
2. By transfer
   Transfer credit may be awarded to students from other health care professional programs, pending evaluation by the Office of Student Academic Affairs. Only courses with a Grade “C” (2.00) or higher will be considered and such credit may not exceed the total credit required for graduation. Students having credit from non-American professional programs must have an evaluation from a recognized evaluation service before applying for transfer credit. Transfer credit cannot have been used to satisfy any prerequisites for admission.

Prerequisite Courses

Definition
A prerequisite course is one whose completion with a passing grade is needed for registration into subsequent courses. A student must have successfully completed all courses within a curricular trimester before being allowed to register
for any course(s) in any trimester more than two trimesters beyond the deficiency. An incomplete prerequisite course must be resolved with a passing grade by the third class day of the term to maintain enrollment in the course requiring that prerequisite.

Exceptions
Request for exceptions from prerequisite courses require written approval from the year directors prior to registration. Exceptions are handled through the Office of Student Academic Affairs.

Graduation

Commencement exercises are held three times a year. The Registrar’s Office and Faculty Marshal coordinate all aspects of the graduation ceremonies.

Intent-To-Graduate
Intent-to-graduate Forms are filed when students register for their final academic term. To be eligible to apply for graduation, students must have no more than two deficit classes at the time of application. The graduation requirements listed below must be met. Students who do not graduate at the end of the academic term in which they applied for graduation must reapply with the Registrar’s Office during the first week of their next academic term. Intent-to-graduate forms will not be accepted after the 15th day of classes without the approval of the Registrar.

Graduation Requirements

The degree of Doctor of Chiropractic is conferred upon students who have fulfilled the following requirements:

1. Academic Requirements
   A minimum of 4,620 classroom hours of instruction, or 308 credits, must be completed. At the minimum, 25 percent of the total credits required for the D.C. program must have been earned in residence at Palmer College of Chiropractic. The Department of Student Academic Affairs will review the records of all students on the intent-to-graduate list to determine that all academic requirements other than those in the final academic term have been met. Discrepancies in the student’s academic record will be investigated and unqualified students will be removed from the intent-to-graduate list.
2. Clinical Requirements
   Meeting the clinical requirements for graduation requires the successful completion of Clinic I, II and III. Clinical requirements must be completed two weeks prior to graduation or the student is not eligible to graduate. The Student Promotions Committee will hear appeals and act as the final decision maker.
   
   Students who have completed all of the non-clinical requirements, the student clinic quantitative requirements and 80% of each of the remaining quantitative clinical requirements may be eligible for a clinic contract and participation in the graduation ceremony for the current term. The remaining quantitative requirements must be completed by the first Friday of classes in the next term. Failure to complete these requirements by the deadline will require the student to reapply for graduation in a subsequent term.
3. Final Academic Approval
   Final grades for graduating students will be available prior to the Student Promotions Committee’s graduation meeting on the Monday prior to graduation. At this meeting, the Faculty Marshal will present the graduation list for the committee’s approval. All appeals of graduation decisions will be heard at this meeting and adjudicated by the committee. After the committee has approved the graduation list, it will be presented to the Office of Academic Affairs for final approval.
4. Institutional Clearance
   Under the direction of the Faculty Marshal, institutional clearance will be conducted shortly after the graduation list is approved. Graduating students are required to fulfill all outstanding obligations to the College at this time. Those who fail to complete institutional clearance will be removed from the graduation list and may be reinstated only by application to the Faculty Marshal under the guidelines established between the Student Promotions Committee and the Faculty Marshal’s Office.

Graduation Attendance
Attendance at the graduation exercises is mandatory for all students. In extreme circumstances, students may be excused by application through the Faculty Marshal to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Graduation Rates
Sixty three percent of students graduating from 2002 through 2005 completed the program on time, in ten trimesters. Eighty percent of students graduating during the same time period completed the program in either 10 or 11 trimesters.

Employment Prospects for Graduates
Employment for doctors of chiropractic, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook 2004-2005 edition, is expected to grow faster than average through the year 2012.

Information pertaining to employment opportunities is available at http://ads.palmer.edu.

Graduation Honors
Students meeting the criteria will be awarded honors at their graduation. The criteria are:

Cum Laude—GPA of 3.50 to 3.69
Magna Cum Laude—GPA of 3.70 to 3.89
Summa Cum Laude—GPA of 3.90 to 4.00

Note: Credit or grades earned during the academic term in which the student graduates will not be counted in determining GPA for graduation honors.

Valedictory and salutatory honors will be awarded to graduates according to custom. Those honored must have completed their entire professional curriculum at Palmer.

Research Honors
Research honors are awarded to students making a significant contribution to chiropractic research. The student research program is under the auspices of the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research. Students interested in qualifying for research honors are encouraged to contact the research center for the details of this program. The research honor society is Chi Rho Theta.

Clinical Excellence Award
The Clinical Excellence Award may be presented to a graduating doctor who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishment in service to patients, the College and the chiropractic profession. Candidates are nominated by Clinic faculty and are judged on quality of patient care, leadership potential, knowledge, skills and service.

Virgil V. Strang Philosophy Award
The Virgil V. Strang Philosophy Award is named in honor of Virgil V. Strang, D.C., H.C.D., Palmer’s seventh president and a chiropractic philosopher. Candidates are nominated by their peers and by the Virgil V. Strang Philosophy Award Committee comprised of faculty members.

Pi Tau Delta
Pi Tau Delta is an international chiropractic honorary society, open to the top 15 percent of the graduating class who have maintained a 3.50 cumulative GPA, have never withdrawn from a class or have never received less than a grade 3 for any quality grade while at Palmer. Invitations to Pi Tau Delta are issued during the final academic term.

Academic Honors

Honors in Course of Studies Dean’s List: The student has earned a GPA of at least 3.50 for a given term with no quality grade less than Grade 3 and enrollment in at least 17 credit hours of courses.

President’s List: A student is eligible for the President’s List in the fourth, seventh and 10th trimester if the student has achieved the Dean’s List in the previous three trimesters, respectively.

Presidential Scholar: A student is eligible to be a Presidential Scholar if the student has achieved the President’s List three times. Award recipients will be honored during graduation ceremonies.

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