Licensure Requirements: Chiropractic Assistants

The Board’s Chiropractic Assistant (CA) Program was started approximately 21 years ago when the profession perceived a need for trained chiropractic healthcare assistants for Physical Therapy modalities. Subsequently, a program (which is still currently in place) was developed to educate and train applicants under Board cognizance. Applicants undergo both a didactic and clinical program to fully expose applicants to all phases of physical therapy under the guidance and tutelage of a Board Certified Supervising Chiropractor.

Generally, successful applicants must:

• Be a high school graduate and must receive Board approved classroom training consisting of 103 hours (24 hours of anatomy, 76 hours of physical therapy, 3 hours of jurisprudence) to achieve registration.
• Successfully complete 520 hours of in-service clinical training by a certified Supervising Chiropractor, the first 20 hours of which must be in an observation status. All training must be formally tracked and reported by the Supervising Chiropractor. The report log must be submitted at the time of application for the examination.
• Must have a clean criminal record with no serious history of arrests, convictions or addictions to drugs, alcohol or prescription medication and no disabilities that would endanger health or safety of a patient.
• Obtain an employment commitment with a Board Certified Supervising Chiropractor who will submit a CA Notification of Employment Form to the Board.
• Obtain a current CPR certification (provider level) by the American Heart Association or American Red Cross or bonafide affiliate.
• Upon completion of the foregoing, satisfactorily take/pass the Board’s CA proficiency examination and jurisprudence examination consisting of at least 100 professional questions and 20-30 risk management/jurisprudence questions.

Submit all applications, fees and support documentation, including a comprehensive log signed by the Supervising Chiropractor of the 520 hours of completed training and certificate of completion from the CA school or course.

Upon meeting these requirements, an applicant will be issued a Registration by the Board. Significantly, a Registered CA or CA Trainee may ONLY work under the guidance of a Board Certified Supervising Chiropractor.

Note – for individuals already licensed or registered as a healthcare practitioner, the Board may waive some of the above-listed educational requirements. See, COMAR 10.43.07.C for further information.

Download all required Applications under the C.A section of the Forms page