The Student​ Physical Therapist
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  • Chris' Corner
  • Jim's Corner
    • Orthopedic Blog
  • Special Tests
    • Cervical Spine >
      • Alar Ligament Test
      • Bakody's Sign
      • Cervical Distraction Test
      • Cervical Rotation Lateral Flexion Test
      • Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT)
      • Deep Neck Flexor Endurance Test
      • Posterior-Anterior Segmental Mobility
      • Segmental Mobility
      • Sharp-Purser Test
      • Spurling's Maneuver
      • Transverse Ligament Test
      • ULNT - Median
      • ULNT - Radial
      • ULNT - Ulnar
      • Vertebral Artery Test
    • Thoracic Spine >
      • Adam's Forward Bend Test
      • Passive Neck Flexion Test
      • Thoracic Compression Test
      • Thoracic Distraction Test
      • Thoracic Foraminal Closure Test
    • Lumbar Spine/Sacroiliac Joint >
      • Active Sit-Up Test
      • Alternate Gillet Test
      • Crossed Straight Leg Raise Test
      • Extensor Endurance Test
      • FABER Test
      • Fortin's Sign
      • Gaenslen Test
      • Gillet Test
      • Gower's Sign
      • Lumbar Quadrant Test
      • POSH Test
      • Posteroanterior Mobility
      • Prone Knee Bend Test
      • Prone Instability Test
      • Resisted Abduction Test
      • Sacral Clearing Test
      • Seated Forward Flexion Test
      • SIJ Compression/Distraction Test
      • Slump Test
      • Sphinx Test
      • Spine Rotators & Multifidus Test
      • Squish Test
      • Standing Forward Flexion Test
      • Straight Leg Raise Test
      • Supine to Long Sit Test
    • Shoulder >
      • Active Compression Test
      • Anterior Apprehension
      • Biceps Load Test II
      • Drop Arm Sign
      • External Rotation Lag Sign
      • Hawkins-Kennedy Impingement Sign
      • Horizontal Adduction Test
      • Internal Rotation Lag Sign
      • Jobe Test
      • Ludington's Test
      • Neer Test
      • Painful Arc Sign
      • Pronated Load Test
      • Resisted Supination External Rotation Test
      • Speed's Test
      • Posterior Apprehension
      • Sulcus Sign
      • Thoracic Outlet Tests >
        • Adson's Test
        • Costoclavicular Brace
        • Hyperabduction Test
        • Roos (EAST)
      • Yergason's Test
    • Elbow >
      • Biceps Squeeze Test
      • Chair Sign
      • Cozen's Test
      • Elbow Extension Test
      • Medial Epicondylalgia Test
      • Mill's Test
      • Moving Valgus Stress Test
      • Push-up Sign
      • Ulnar Nerve Compression Test
      • Valgus Stress Test
      • Varus Stress Test
    • Wrist/Hand >
      • Allen's Test
      • Carpal Compression Test
      • Finkelstein Test
      • Phalen's Test
      • Reverse Phalen's Test
    • Hip >
      • Craig's Test
      • Dial Test
      • FABER Test
      • FAIR Test
      • Fitzgerald's Test
      • Hip Quadrant Test
      • Hop Test
      • Labral Anterior Impingement Test
      • Labral Posterior Impingement Test
      • Long-Axis Femoral Distraction Test
      • Noble Compression Test
      • Percussion Test
      • Sign of the Buttock
      • Trendelenburg Test
    • Knee >
      • Anterior Drawer Test
      • Dial Test (Tibial Rotation Test)
      • Joint Line Tenderness
      • Lachman Test
      • McMurray Test
      • Noble Compression Test
      • Pivot-Shift Test
      • Posterior Drawer Test
      • Posterior Sag Sign
      • Quad Active Test
      • Thessaly Test
      • Valgus Stress Test
      • Varus Stress Test
    • Foot/Ankle >
      • Anterior Drawer
      • Calf Squeeze Test
      • External Rotation Test
      • Fracture Screening Tests
      • Impingement Sign
      • Navicular Drop Test
      • Squeeze Test
      • Talar Tilt
      • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Test
      • Test for Interdigital Neuroma
      • Windlass Test
    • HEP >
      • Neck and Shoulder >
        • Supine Chin Tuck
        • Supine DNF with Towel Assist
        • Supine DNF
        • Standing Chin Tuck Against Wall
        • Standing Chin Tuck Against Wall with Scaption
        • Seated Cervical Retraction Repeated
        • Seated Cervical Retraction with Extension Repeated
        • Seated Cervical Retraction with Sidebend Repeated
        • Seated Cervical Retraction with Rotation Repeated
        • Standing Wall Shrugs at 90 Degrees Flex
        • Seated Thoracic Whips
        • Standing Ballistic Shoulder Extensions
        • Standing Repeated Shoulder Extension with Squat
        • Standing Repetead Shoulder Horiz. Abd. with Ext. CKC
        • Seated with Arms on Pillows Cervical AROM (Flex/Ext/Rot/SB)
        • Seated with Arms on Pillows Shrugs
        • Seated with Arms on Pillows Shrug with Scapular Retraction
        • Supine Shoulder IR with GH Centralization
        • Supine Shoulder ER with GH Centralization
        • Holding Dumbbell at 180 Degrees Flexion for Time
        • Cat Camel
        • Prone T's
        • Prone Y's
        • Quad Chin Tuck w/ Shoulder Flexion
      • Low Back >
        • Supine TA Isometric
        • Standing TA Isometric Agains Wall with Squat
        • Supine BKFO
        • Quad Rock Back
        • Standing Hip Hinge
        • Sit to Stand with Hip Hinge
        • Repeated Lumbar Sideglides
        • Repeated Standing Lumbar Extension
        • Repeated Standing Lumbar Flexion
        • Repeated Prone Press-Ups
        • Repeated Supine DKC
        • Slump Sciatic Nerve Glides
        • Birddog Progression
      • Hip and Knee >
        • Clamshells with Progressions
        • Fire Hydrants with Progressions
        • Donkey Kicks
        • Bridge Variations
        • Repeated Hip Flexion
        • Squats
        • Seated Repeated Knee Extensions
        • CKC Seated Repeated Knee Extensions
        • Heel Slides
        • CKC DF with Tibial IR
      • Foot and Ankle >
        • Calf Raises
        • Calf Raises with Soccer Ball Between Medial Malleoli
        • Towel Scrunches with Foot in PF
        • Toe Flexion Using T-Band with Foot in PF
        • PF with Toes Flexed Using T-Band
        • DF with Toes Flexed Using T-Band
        • Forefoot Adduction
        • Gastroc Stretch
        • Repeated PF
      • Examination Templates

Guest Post: What Do They Actually Teach Students at a Chiropractic College?

7/21/2016

5 Comments

 
Randy Thompson

I had a professors at the University at Buffalo named Dr. Dennis Lesniak. He taught a 300 level course about common sports injuries and did a great job integrating anatomy, physiology, movement, and dysfunction. After finding out he also owned a CrossFit gym, I said to myself, “I’m going to make him my new best friend.” At my very first visit to his gym and practice, I was in awe of how quickly and effectively he recommended stretches or exercises for every single complaint his members brought to him. Within minutes I watched a 70 year old woman drop below parallel in her squat. I saw a high school wrestler make a 15 pound snatch PR. I convinced myself this was witchcraft and I had to walk across a bed of hot coals and train with the Many-Faced God to get these powers. After a 4 month internship, I didn’t care what it cost or how long it took, I wanted to be able to help CrossFit athletes and weekend warriors the way Dr. Lesniak did. That’s when I decided I was going to be a Chiropractor.


Don’t let this cute origin story fool you, I did my research. I had originally wanted to be a physical therapist after obsessively watching KStarr’s MWOD for months, but after looking into the curriculum, I felt that New York Chiropractic College had what I was looking for. Fast forward a few years, I’m a 10th trimester student about to graduate with my D.C. degree. The grind of clinic hasn’t given me much time to work with too many physical therapists and I’m guessing you haven’t worked with many chiropractors. Let me tell you a little about what we learned in our school and you can tell me in the comment section what you learned in yours!

Picture
The Chiro School Experience –

New York Chiropractic College
states, “The Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree requires a minimum of ten 15-week semesters of full-time resident study, including a clinical internship. This is the equivalent of five academic years.” One of the reasons I chose NYCC is because we schedule our semesters as trimesters meaning we have classes through the summer and can finish our education in three years and four months. The academic schedule is rigorous with between 22 and 28 credit hours a semester.

The first year focuses on core sciences such as gross anatomy with human cadaver dissection, biochemistry, neurology, microbiology, and physiopathology. We learn clinical pearl along the way and have collective “Ohhhhh” moments, like how your gallbladder can cause right shoulder pain, at least once a week. We learned mnemonics for the cranial nerves and filled notebooks with doodles of the brachial plexus. Our physiology professor had us remember when oxytocin was released by the phrase, “Wine, dine, 69, and go cry about it.” It was like drinking from a firehose but the fundamentals were drilled in.


The second year focuses on assessment and diagnosis. Classes include full body orthopedic assessment, visceral assessment, laboratory diagnostics, advanced imaging, and public health concerns. This year also heavily focuses on various chiropractic techniques such as chiropractic manipulative therapy, rehabilitative exercises, and passive modalities like heat, cold, interferential current, and cold laser therapy. We started putting together the pieces and practiced case management for typical complaints that might walk in our door. We learned new patient exams and started to feel pretty confident that we could recognize who we could treat and who needed to be referred out.


The third year is our clinical internship. These internships are done in various outpatient facilities across the country. Under close, one-on-one doctor supervision, we perfect our skills, practice case management, and learn to integrate our services within an array of diverse healthcare environments. I’ve had some crazy cases and made some mistakes but the only dumb mistake is one you don’t learn from, right?


Throughout our time at school, there are a variety of electives offered including pediatrics, pregnancy, geriatrics, rehab, nutrition, radiology, and more. Many of these fields have a post-doctoral residency or diplomate program that chiropractors can specialize in too but it not mandatory.

That brings us to a grand total of:
  • Anatomy 585 hours
  • Biochemistry 75 hours
  • Physiopathology 330 hours
  • Microbiology and Public Health 135 hours
  • Diagnosis 540 hours
  • Diagnostic Imaging 270 hours
  • Clinical Laboratory 75 hours
  • Associated Studies 150 hours
  • Chiropractic Philosophy 195 hours
  • Chiropractic Technique 615 hours
  • Ancillary Therapeutic Procedures 90 hours
  • Clinical Practice Issues 195 hours
  • Clinical Experience and Outpatient Services 1,305 hours
  • Total Core hours 4,560 hours
  • Elective Courses 135 hours
That’s a grand total of 4,695 hours that have pushed me, challenged me, made me feel like quitting, made me feel like a king, and might help me save a life one day. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world and if I could go back, I’d make the same decision to go to New York Chiropractic College again and again.

Now I’m about to graduate, but I need your help. No man is an island. The best doctors in the world are not all in one profession. Go out and ask other providers how they would treat your patients. What questions would they ask? What exams would they do? How does your treatment vary from mine? I know you can help me learn more about upper extremity complaints to treat musicians (my other passion project). I fully intend to work with physical therapists often because I
know you learned way more straps and braces for upper extremity complaints than I did. Now it’s your turn. Go find the neurologist who found a rare entrapment site. Go find the EENT who is experimenting with vertigo treatments. Keep an open mind and always go to the source.

“Absorb what is useful. Discard what is not. Add what is uniquely your own.” ~ Bruce Lee

Bio: Randy Thompson will be graduating from New York Chiropractic College in July of 2016. He is engaged to the beautiful Abigale Marchese, has a cat named Paul, and is looking forward to you reading more about chiropractic at www.RandyThompsonDC.com.

5 Comments
Kristian
7/22/2016 02:26:06 am

Wow! Your educations sounds really awesome! The only thing it misses, and maybe the most important thing is communication! Was this a subject at your School or did just not write anything about it?

Kind regards
Kristian

Reply
Kristian
7/22/2016 02:26:15 am

Wow! Your educations sounds really awesome! The only thing it misses, and maybe the most important thing is communication! Was this a subject at your School or did just not write anything about it?

Kind regards
Kristian

Reply
Connor
8/23/2016 07:53:09 pm

In regards to the above question,
At NYCC we do not directly receive training on communication. However, during some of the diagnosis and assessment classes, there is a portion of time dedicated to history taking, explaining chiropractic care, and then delivering the care.

These skills are brought back semester after semester with a higher level of expectation each time from the professors.

That said, I think there should be more communication/patient education classes.

Reply
Chiropractor in Pasadena link
2/15/2017 05:16:13 pm

Really detailed and thorough, thank you for sharing! The base of knowledge is important but putting it into practice is what really matters. In my experience, I learned by doing.

Reply
Ellie link
8/27/2019 08:55:03 am

Muscles all over your body need love and attention to improve full body function and motion. Our beautiful Myofascial Tools case holds 4 of our sleek myofascial release instruments that are designed to treat fascia dysfunction.

Reply



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  • Home
    • Newsletter
    • About
  • Insider Access
    • About Insider Access
  • Brian's Corner
    • Sports & Entrepreneurship Blog
    • Return to Sport Tests
    • PT Entrepreneur Course
    • Return to Sport Essentials Course
    • Become a PAID PT Consultant Course
  • Chris' Corner
  • Jim's Corner
    • Orthopedic Blog
  • Special Tests
    • Cervical Spine >
      • Alar Ligament Test
      • Bakody's Sign
      • Cervical Distraction Test
      • Cervical Rotation Lateral Flexion Test
      • Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT)
      • Deep Neck Flexor Endurance Test
      • Posterior-Anterior Segmental Mobility
      • Segmental Mobility
      • Sharp-Purser Test
      • Spurling's Maneuver
      • Transverse Ligament Test
      • ULNT - Median
      • ULNT - Radial
      • ULNT - Ulnar
      • Vertebral Artery Test
    • Thoracic Spine >
      • Adam's Forward Bend Test
      • Passive Neck Flexion Test
      • Thoracic Compression Test
      • Thoracic Distraction Test
      • Thoracic Foraminal Closure Test
    • Lumbar Spine/Sacroiliac Joint >
      • Active Sit-Up Test
      • Alternate Gillet Test
      • Crossed Straight Leg Raise Test
      • Extensor Endurance Test
      • FABER Test
      • Fortin's Sign
      • Gaenslen Test
      • Gillet Test
      • Gower's Sign
      • Lumbar Quadrant Test
      • POSH Test
      • Posteroanterior Mobility
      • Prone Knee Bend Test
      • Prone Instability Test
      • Resisted Abduction Test
      • Sacral Clearing Test
      • Seated Forward Flexion Test
      • SIJ Compression/Distraction Test
      • Slump Test
      • Sphinx Test
      • Spine Rotators & Multifidus Test
      • Squish Test
      • Standing Forward Flexion Test
      • Straight Leg Raise Test
      • Supine to Long Sit Test
    • Shoulder >
      • Active Compression Test
      • Anterior Apprehension
      • Biceps Load Test II
      • Drop Arm Sign
      • External Rotation Lag Sign
      • Hawkins-Kennedy Impingement Sign
      • Horizontal Adduction Test
      • Internal Rotation Lag Sign
      • Jobe Test
      • Ludington's Test
      • Neer Test
      • Painful Arc Sign
      • Pronated Load Test
      • Resisted Supination External Rotation Test
      • Speed's Test
      • Posterior Apprehension
      • Sulcus Sign
      • Thoracic Outlet Tests >
        • Adson's Test
        • Costoclavicular Brace
        • Hyperabduction Test
        • Roos (EAST)
      • Yergason's Test
    • Elbow >
      • Biceps Squeeze Test
      • Chair Sign
      • Cozen's Test
      • Elbow Extension Test
      • Medial Epicondylalgia Test
      • Mill's Test
      • Moving Valgus Stress Test
      • Push-up Sign
      • Ulnar Nerve Compression Test
      • Valgus Stress Test
      • Varus Stress Test
    • Wrist/Hand >
      • Allen's Test
      • Carpal Compression Test
      • Finkelstein Test
      • Phalen's Test
      • Reverse Phalen's Test
    • Hip >
      • Craig's Test
      • Dial Test
      • FABER Test
      • FAIR Test
      • Fitzgerald's Test
      • Hip Quadrant Test
      • Hop Test
      • Labral Anterior Impingement Test
      • Labral Posterior Impingement Test
      • Long-Axis Femoral Distraction Test
      • Noble Compression Test
      • Percussion Test
      • Sign of the Buttock
      • Trendelenburg Test
    • Knee >
      • Anterior Drawer Test
      • Dial Test (Tibial Rotation Test)
      • Joint Line Tenderness
      • Lachman Test
      • McMurray Test
      • Noble Compression Test
      • Pivot-Shift Test
      • Posterior Drawer Test
      • Posterior Sag Sign
      • Quad Active Test
      • Thessaly Test
      • Valgus Stress Test
      • Varus Stress Test
    • Foot/Ankle >
      • Anterior Drawer
      • Calf Squeeze Test
      • External Rotation Test
      • Fracture Screening Tests
      • Impingement Sign
      • Navicular Drop Test
      • Squeeze Test
      • Talar Tilt
      • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Test
      • Test for Interdigital Neuroma
      • Windlass Test
    • HEP >
      • Neck and Shoulder >
        • Supine Chin Tuck
        • Supine DNF with Towel Assist
        • Supine DNF
        • Standing Chin Tuck Against Wall
        • Standing Chin Tuck Against Wall with Scaption
        • Seated Cervical Retraction Repeated
        • Seated Cervical Retraction with Extension Repeated
        • Seated Cervical Retraction with Sidebend Repeated
        • Seated Cervical Retraction with Rotation Repeated
        • Standing Wall Shrugs at 90 Degrees Flex
        • Seated Thoracic Whips
        • Standing Ballistic Shoulder Extensions
        • Standing Repeated Shoulder Extension with Squat
        • Standing Repetead Shoulder Horiz. Abd. with Ext. CKC
        • Seated with Arms on Pillows Cervical AROM (Flex/Ext/Rot/SB)
        • Seated with Arms on Pillows Shrugs
        • Seated with Arms on Pillows Shrug with Scapular Retraction
        • Supine Shoulder IR with GH Centralization
        • Supine Shoulder ER with GH Centralization
        • Holding Dumbbell at 180 Degrees Flexion for Time
        • Cat Camel
        • Prone T's
        • Prone Y's
        • Quad Chin Tuck w/ Shoulder Flexion
      • Low Back >
        • Supine TA Isometric
        • Standing TA Isometric Agains Wall with Squat
        • Supine BKFO
        • Quad Rock Back
        • Standing Hip Hinge
        • Sit to Stand with Hip Hinge
        • Repeated Lumbar Sideglides
        • Repeated Standing Lumbar Extension
        • Repeated Standing Lumbar Flexion
        • Repeated Prone Press-Ups
        • Repeated Supine DKC
        • Slump Sciatic Nerve Glides
        • Birddog Progression
      • Hip and Knee >
        • Clamshells with Progressions
        • Fire Hydrants with Progressions
        • Donkey Kicks
        • Bridge Variations
        • Repeated Hip Flexion
        • Squats
        • Seated Repeated Knee Extensions
        • CKC Seated Repeated Knee Extensions
        • Heel Slides
        • CKC DF with Tibial IR
      • Foot and Ankle >
        • Calf Raises
        • Calf Raises with Soccer Ball Between Medial Malleoli
        • Towel Scrunches with Foot in PF
        • Toe Flexion Using T-Band with Foot in PF
        • PF with Toes Flexed Using T-Band
        • DF with Toes Flexed Using T-Band
        • Forefoot Adduction
        • Gastroc Stretch
        • Repeated PF
      • Examination Templates