The College seeks to prepare students to become competent, caring doctors of chiropractic who serve as primary care providers for the prevention, diagnosis and conservative management of health conditions. The academic, clinical, social and personal preparation for the practice of chiropractic requires both mental and physical abilities.
There are certain abilities and characteristics which are defined as Technical Standards. Those standards, in conjunction with academic standards, are requirements for admission, promotion and graduation. Although these standards serve to focus upon the necessary physical and mental abilities of all students, they are not intended to deter any student for whom reasonable accommodation will allow the fulfillment of the complete curriculum.
The College has an ethical responsibility for the safety of its patients with whom students will come in contact. Although students learn and work under the supervision of the faculty, students interact with patients during their chiropractic education. Patient safety and well-being are therefore major factors in establishing requirements involving the physical, cognitive and emotional abilities for admission, promotion and graduation. Students must have the physical and emotional stamina and capacity to function in a competent manner in the clinical, classroom and laboratory settings.
The College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for qualified students with disabilities who apply for admission to the chiropractic degree program or who are enrolled as chiropractic students. A “qualified person with a disability” is an individual with a disability who meets the academic and Technical Standards required for admission or participation in the College’s chiropractic educational programs, with or without accommodations. Admitted students with disabilities are reviewed individually, on a case-by-case basis, with a complete and careful consideration of all the skills, attitudes and attributes of each student to determine whether there are reasonable accommodations that would permit that student to satisfy the Technical Standards.
An accommodation is not reasonable if it poses a direct threat to the health or safety of self and/or others if making it requires a substantial modification of an essential element of the curriculum, if it lowers academic standards, or poses an undue administrative or financial burden. Except in varied circumstances, the use by a student of a third party (an intermediary) to perform any of the functions described in the Technical Standards would constitute an unacceptable substantial modification.
All individuals considering, applying or enrolling in the Doctor of Chiropractic Degree Program (DCP) are encouraged to review the Technical Standards to better understand what is expected at Palmer. The College’s Technical Standards may be accessed online at: https://www.palmer.edu/about-us/office-of-compliance/institutional-policies/. If at any point an enrolled student ceases to meet any Technical Standard the student must notify the relevant campus disability services coordinator.
The College intends for its students and graduates to become competent and compassionate physicians who are capable of meeting all requirements for chiropractic licensure. The Doctor of Chiropractic degree, in and of itself, does not entitle the recipient to practice chiropractic. Those who earn the degree must apply for a license to practice in the jurisdiction of their choice.
