How does continuing education for DCs compare to CE for ATs, PTs, MDs and DOs?

A newly published study in Chiropractic and Manual Therapies reveals that doctors of chiropractic have significantly fewer opportunities to earn continuing education (CE) credit for research and academic activities compared to other healthcare professionals, including athletic trainers (ATs), physical therapists (PTs), medical doctors (MDs) and doctors of osteopathy (DOs).

The study of continuing education for DCs, led by Shannon Schueren, DC, MS, and colleagues, analyzed publicly available state licensing board information from across the US. The researchers found that only 16 states allow DCs to claim CE credit for research activities, and just 50% permit CE credit for teaching. In contrast, teaching and research are recognized for CE credit in 100% of states for MDs, DOs and ATs.

These marked disparities in continuing education for DCs may present a significant barrier to the academic and research development of the chiropractic profession. The article suggests that limiting CE credit for scholarly activities may hinder DCs from engaging in research and higher education, which are essential for advancing evidence-informed practice, policy and professional growth.

The authors argue that aligning chiropractic CE policies with those of other healthcare professions could have far-reaching benefits. Expanding CE eligibility to include research and academic pursuits would not only diversify CE opportunities but also strengthen the profession’s research capacity—an area already constrained by a limited number of DCs with formal research training.

The study calls on state boards and professional associations to reevaluate CE policies and advocate for modernization with broader recognition of scholarly contributions within chiropractic continuing education frameworks.

The full article is available open access at Chiropractic and Manual Therapies.

Reference

Schueren S, et al. Continuing education for the chiropractic profession: a cross-sectional study analyzing potential barriers to future chiropractic academic and research development. Chiropr Man Therap. 33,34 (2025). https://chiromt.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12998-025-00596-x. Accessed September 4, 2025.