Chiropractors must earn a Doctorate of Chiropractic degree from an accredited college and pass four national Board exams in order to be licensed to provide chiropractic care in any US state. While the scope of practice is fairly consistent nationally, some states even allow a chiropractor to deliver a baby or be licensed primary care doctors. In the state of Maryland, chiropractors must take additional Board exams to earn both their licensure and the ability to hold full Physical Therapy privileges. In addition, they must complete 48 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain their license. Once licensed, Maryland chiropractors can also diagnose medical conditions, prescribe care and take/interpret diagnostic imaging.
The curriculum of a chiropractic college is extremely rigorous, requiring more classroom hours than medical doctors (4,485 classroom hours compared to 4,248, according to the Center for Studies in Health Policy, Inc., Washington, DC. Personal communication of 1995 unpublished data from Meredith Gonyea, Ph.D.). Chiropractic colleges also have clinical facilities where students work with real patients under the guidance and leadership of licensed doctors of chiropractic.
All doctors at Health Quest are licensed chiropractors with full Physical Therapy privileges. They have all also received at least one advanced certification in other subspecialties, including Trigger Point Dry Needling, Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician, Functional Neurology and/or Whiplash Injury Biomechanics and Traumatology Specialist.
