Chiropractic course a cracking success

As students return to campuses for the university year, CQUniversity's chiropractic discipline will celebrate its 10-year milestone.

Over the past decade, the University has produced over 250 work-ready, high-quality chiropractic graduates with the numbers set to continue growing into the future.

CQUniversity Vice-President (Academic) Professor Helen Huntly OAM congratulated the chiropractic team in reaching the significant milestone.

"When CQUniversity first launched the chiropractic degree in 2012, we did so because there was strong demand for chiropractors and a gap in the market in terms of university offerings," Prof Huntly OAM said.

"We are proud to have bridged that gap and since conferred so many wonderful chiropractic graduates into the profession."

CQUniversity's chiropractic degree begins as a Bachelor of Science (Chiropractic) and transitions into a Master of Clinical Chiropractic – both of which are required for a student to register and practice as a chiropractor.

The chiropractic discipline at CQU has a strong team of domestically and internationally trained educators, allowing them to draw on a wide range of experiences to ensure that students get the best education possible.

Chiropractic Head of Course Dawn Dane said the educators were also very community minded.

"We instil in our students the importance of contributing to different demographics within our community which brings chiropractic to people, that otherwise may not be exposed to it," Ms Dane said.

Interest in the degree continues to grow year-on-year with more than 60 students enrolled for Term 1, 2022.

"CQUniversity chiropractic provides many unique learning experiences - from our small cohort sizes to our innovative teaching," Ms Dane said.

"We are the only chiro program in Australia currently using VR technology to teach radiographic positioning. Our Masters program has extensive work integrated learning opportunities with 100 per cent employment rates over the past five years," she said.

"We are also the proud home of the only shared chiropractic and physiotherapy student clinic in Australia, allowing our graduates to develop cross-discipline teamwork skills and build wide professional networks before graduating, which in turn helps them to enter the healthcare workspace equipped with important skills such as collaboration' leadership and inclusive treatment options."

Ms Dane has been working at CQUniversity since 2016 and has almost 20 years of chiropractic knowledge and experience.

She said a career in chiropractic was both satisfying and rewarding.

"If you want to help people feel and move better naturally then there is a lot of job satisfaction to be had as a chiropractor," she said.

"It is also a career that allows you to travel and work in many different countries in many different workplace environments."