Positive Health Online

Abstract

DOXEY and PHILLIPS, Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, Whittier, California 90609-1166 USA compared US chiropractic college admissions requirements with those of allopathic, osteopathic, optometry, podiatry and dentistry.

Background

Methodology

Participants in the survey included 16 chiropractic, 17 allopathic, 16 osteopathic, 16 optometric, 7 podiatric and 15 dental colleges. Data collected from the individual schools included: 1) minimum number of undergraduate semester hours toward a bachelors degree required on entrance; 2) actual percentage of applicants with a 4-year bachelors degree on entrance; 3) minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) required on entrance; and 4) actual average GPA of applicants on entrance.

Results

Overall, allopathic averages were highest and chiropractic averages lowest for each of the four outcome measures, with the other disciplines scoring varying points in between.

Conclusion

The successful completion of preprofessional requirements may provide an indicator for success within a rigorous professional curriculum. These results reflect overall differences between health-care professions based upon several entrance criteria. Further study is required to understand the long-term consequences of these differences, as well as any economic and/or political factors which may be contributing to these data.

References

Doxey TT and Phillips RB. Comparison of entrance requirements for health care professions. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 20(2): 86-91. Feb 1997.

Comment

Stripped of any interpretation, these results starkly show that among the 5 professions surveyed allopathic medicine, osteopathy, optometry, podiatry, dentistry, and chiropractic those students with the highest education and highest grades chose to enter allopathic medical schools and those with the least education and lowest grades (among the 5 types of colleges) chose chiropractic college. Not having seen the actual data, but only the abstract, we are not informed of the degree of difference separating these professions, nor of the order between highest to lowest. This information is of course absolutely necessary prior to making any further comments; however, common sense alone would advise that factors such as prestige, income potential and professional advancement within the USA would certainly be major factors in the motivation of the finest students to become allopathic physicians.