Toggle navigation

Pre-health Studies

Pre-chiropractic Path

Additional Navigation

Pre-health Studies

Chiropractors (D.C.) treat disorders dealing with the muscles, ligaments, and joints through spinal manipulations to relieve pain. 

Starting with your first semester of college, you are accumulating the credentials to apply to medical schools. Applicants are expected to have:

  • Completed a bachelor's degree in any major; some programs will admit students without finishing the bachelor's degree
  • Completed D.C. program course requirements (see below)
  • Earn good grades; overall and science GPAs should be at least a 3.0
  • Obtain individual reference letters; academic and clinical 
  • Involve yourself in health-related shadowing, volunteering, and research experience

Course Requirements

These are the courses at SUNY Oswego that are recommended you complete to prepare for the D.C. program requirements (note, there is some variation in course requirements for D.C. programs, so be sure to check the requirements of the programs you plan on applying to):

Course Requirements SUNY Oswego Course Notes
One Year of Biology Bio 120 and either Bio 340 or Bio 370
  • All courses offered every semester
  • Bio 120 is the prerequisite to Bio 340 and 370
  • If not a Biology or Zoology major, you will need permission to register from the Biological Sciences Chair
One year of General (Inorganic) Chemistry Che 111 (113 lab) and Che 212 (214 lab)
  • All courses offered every semester
One year of Organic Chemistry Che 331 (333 lab) and Che 332 (334 lab)
  • Che 331 is Fall only
  • Che 332 is Spring only
One semester of Biochemistry Che 360 or Che 461
  • Not required by all D.C. programs
  • Labs are not required unless they are required for your major
  • Che 360 is Spring only
  • Che 461 is Fall only
  • Che 360 is recommended for students who wish to learn basic biochemistry. Che 461 & 462 are recommended for those seeking an in depth understanding of biochemistry
One year of Physics Phy 111 and 212 or Phy 112 and 213
  • Phy 111/212 is algebra-based
  • Phy 112/213 is calculus-based
  • All courses are offered every semester
One Year of English Eng 102 and either Eng 203, 204, 302, or 304
  • Eng 102 offered every semester, others vary
One semester of Psychology Psy 100
  • Not required by all D.C programs