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    Top 10 FAQs about Palmer College

    students practicing hand placement on patients with faculty overseeing

    Top 10 FAQs about Palmer College

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    Palmer College of Chiropractic is the first and largest college of chiropractic. D.D. Palmer discovered chiropractic right here in Davenport, Iowa. Now, students can choose top-quality education at two campuses: Palmer’s Main Campus in Davenport, Iowa; and Palmer Florida in Port Orange, Florida.

    1. Why Palmer?
    Palmer College is The Trusted Leader in Chiropractic Education®. Experience an academic program that blends theory with hands-on practice, delivered by faculty who are recognized as the best in the profession.

    Plus, Palmer is home to the world’s leading chiropractic research program, the most highly funded chiropractic research effort in the nation.

    2. What degrees can I earn at Palmer? 
    Palmer College is focused on what started it all — chiropractic. Students earn their prestigious Doctor of Chiropractic degree.

    Palmer’s Main Campus also offers a Bachelor of Science degree completion program, allowing students to simultaneously take courses that meet the requirements of their B.S. and D.C. degrees under many of the same professors. This helps students save time and money by completing their undergraduate degree while also completing the first year of their D.C. degree.

    B.S. Degree Program

     

    3. How long does it take to become a chiropractor?
    Palmer students attend classes year-round and finish the Doctor of Chiropractic program in just over three years. The program is 10 trimesters long.

    4. What are chiropractic school requirements? 
    While each prospective student is considered on an individual basis, Palmer College has prerequisites that all students must meet.

    • Main Campus: 90 semester credit hours (or 135 quarter hours).
    • Palmer Florida: Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree prior to enrolling.
    • 24 semester hours in life and physical sciences — half of those courses with labs.
    • Preferred science courses, including A+P and Chemistry.

    More prerequisites may be found at palmer.edu/admissions/admissions-requirements/. 

    For the best information on attending Palmer College, contact an admissions counselor. 

    View Admissions Counselors

     

    5. What are the class sizes at Palmer? 
    While class sizes depend on the class or lab, Palmer’s 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio means students receive the academic attention and support to help them succeed. 

    6. Does Palmer offer benefits for U.S. veterans? 
    Palmer College fully participates in the Yellow Ribbon program, offering up to a year of full tuition to eligible veterans.

    Palmer is dedicated to our military and veterans and has provided more than $6 million in pro-bono care to military members through Palmer Chiropractic Clinics across all three campuses since the program began in 2008.

    Additionally, some students will have the opportunity to participate in the DoD/VA Student Rotation Program, working with staff chiropractors in a Department of Defense or Veterans Affairs hospital/clinic at one of more than 50 participating locations across the country.

    left quote
    "When I found out that Palmer is part of the Yellow Ribbon Program, it was a huge weight off my shoulders knowing that I could afford to pursue this dream and take care of my family with little to no debt."

    -Lafe Hernandez, U.S. Air Force Veteran

    7. What can I do with sports chiropractic while attending Palmer? 
    Sports chiropractors are in demand. They help athletes perform at their highest level while reducing the risk of injury and reducing injury recovery time. Sports chiropractic is integrated into all levels of the curriculum. Students who want to gain more extensive knowledge have the option to pursue additional education, training, and certification.

    Sports Council members have the opportunity to attend events and offer care for athletes on site. Palmer’s Sports Injury & Rehabilitation Program on Palmer’s Main Campus is the longest-standing program in the profession.

    Sports Chiropractic at Palmer

     

    8. What is the academic experience like? 
    Palmer’s curriculum blends chiropractic philosophy with hands-on clinical skills to prepare you for success in professional practice. Students learn and practice chiropractic techniques, patient examinations, and patient documentation.

    All Palmer students become proficient in the “Palmer Package” which includes Diversified, Gonstead, Toggle Recoil, and Thompson techniques. In addition, Palmer students may choose to enroll in any of more than a dozen elective technique courses offered by the College.

    To help ensure your success, Palmer technique instruction begins early in the curriculum, and we provide many faculty-supervised hours of hands-on instruction outside of the curriculum in our learning labs.

    In the seventh trimester, students move into the Palmer Chiropractic Clinics to deliver care for a diverse patient body. Eligible students may also participate in off-site clinical training opportunities through a preceptorship or the DoD/VA Student Rotation Program.

    9. After graduation, can I practice anywhere?
    Every U.S state and territory, as well as many countries around the world, have licensing boards that require applicants to pass individual state or country chiropractic board exams. U.S. regulatory board information can be found through the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards.

    All 50 states require a passing score on the four sections of National Board exams from individuals applying for a license. Palmer students lead the nation in passing the National Board exams.

    10. What is the chiropractor job outlook?
    According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for Doctors of Chiropractors is growing faster than average. Our Palmer CareerNetwork lists 3,552 job openings — that’s more than four opportunities for each Palmer graduate!

    The average salary for a Doctor of Chiropractor varies based on geography, years of experience and position. For example, a solo practitioner with their own practice will typically experience a higher income than associates. Salary data can be found at Salary.com or the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Posted on December 2, 2022 by Sarah Tisinger.
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