Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services

VA Chiropractic Education and Training

Chiropractic Residency Programs

The Integrated Clinical Practice chiropractic residency programs focus on the provision of chiropractic care in integrated healthcare systems, collaborating with primary care, specialty care, and other medical and associated health providers and trainees.

The residencies provide advanced clinical training in multimorbid case management, allowing recent graduates to increase their scope and depth of clinical knowledge, experience and acumen. Residents are mentored by senior VA chiropractors who are national leaders in integrated chiropractic practice. These clinicians share their expertise in patient care, academics and research to provide a robust educational experience.

These hospital-based training programs expand the residents’ ability to collaborate with other healthcare professionals in team care, as trainees learn with and from other healthcare providers during interdisciplinary rotations. Residents develop their knowledge of hospital practice, policies and procedures, and are better prepared for future positions in VA, other healthcare systems, and/or academic settings.

Curricular overview

Residents provide full diagnostic and management services of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions under the mentorship of senior VA doctors of chiropractic (DCs). This includes team-based management of complex conditions in collaboration with other medical specialists and healthcare providers. Residents also engage in clinical educational rotations through services including primary care, medical or surgical specialties, mental health, and rehabilitation disciplines. Additionally, residents participate in various scholarly activities and attend and give presentations at multiple academic/research venues of the VA facility and/or its affiliates.

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must meet all VA employment requirements (see checklist) including United States citizenship, background check, and Selective Service registration when applicable. Applicants must hold a DC degree from a CCE-accredited school, or be scheduled to receive one prior to the July 1 start of the residency program. DC licensure is not required to apply or to be accepted into the program. Accepted residents, prior to program completion, must obtain a full, active, and unrestricted chiropractic license in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the US, or in the District of Columbia.


Duration

Programs are full-time (40 hours/week) for 12 months. Additional weekly time may be needed for scholarly or other training activities. Programs run from July 1 to June 30.

Compensation

Salary is adjusted annually by VA Office of Academic Affiliations, and ranges from $36,000 to $45,000 per year based on geographic location. Residents receive paid Federal holidays, and accrue vacation and sick leave. Residents are also eligible for life and health insurance. Residents are protected from personal liability while providing professional services at a VA health care facility under the Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act, 28 U.S.C. 2679 (b)-(d).

Programs

Selection is through a competitive process considering factors such as chiropractic college performance, additional professional experiences, letters of recommendation, and interviews. A call for applications is issued each year in January. Applications are only accepted during the open call.

All VA Chiropractic Residency Programs follow a common application and Match process to fill available slots. Match processes are commonly used for residencies and fellowships in medicine, dentistry, psychology, podiatry, optometry and other health professions. General background information on match programs in other disciplines is available from National Matching Services (currently not affiliated with the VA chiropractic program).

 Application Process

• Applicants must submit:
• Contact and background information
• The names and email addresses of 3 references. Strongest weight is placed on references who have directly supervised the applicant in an official capacity, and/or have direct knowledge of the applicant’s clinical/professional abilities. These individuals will receive an email asking them to complete a reference form for the applicant.
• A 200-300 word Personal Statement. This should describe the applicant’s rationale for applying to the residency program. It should specify what the applicant expects to gain from the training, and what type of position the applicant aspires to secure after program completion. The Personal Statement may be individualized to any specific program(s)
• A 3-page maximum CV

• Interviews
• Each program determines which of its applicants will be offered interviews, and contacts those applicants directly to schedule. Interviews may take place by telephone, video call, and/or in person. Interviews may consist of one or multiple rounds. During interviews, programs and applicants do not discuss any ranking considerations. All interviews will be completed by the common interview deadline.

• The Match
• The VA Chiropractic Residency Match (the “Match”) is staffed by VA DCs who are not part of the selection team at any VA chiropractic residency program.
• Applicants who have been interviewed by any program(s) will receive additional information on how to submit to the Match their desired positions listed in rank order. Similarly, each program submits to the Match its list of desired applicants, in rank order.
• The Match follows an unbiased, transparent algorithmic approach to enable both applicants and programs to receive the best placements possible. This stage is “applicant-proposing,” meaning that the preferences of the applicant are rated higher than the preferences of the program. However for a match to occur, both the applicant and the program must rank each other. Further description is available here. (currently not affiliated with the VA chiropractic program)
• The Match contacts each applicant and program to notify them of their match, or unmatched status. Matched applicants will then be contacted directly by the respective program for next steps.
• If any programs have unmatched slots, those programs may, at their discretion, contact any remaining unmatched applicant on Scramble day. Any residency slot offers made on that day must be accepted or declined within 24 hours. If any programs remain unmatched after Scramble day, those programs may, at their discretion, continue to contact any remaining unmatched applicant. However due to the overall level of competitiveness, the majority of applicants will remain unmatched and will not obtain a residency slot.

• Use this Application Form to apply to any of the VA Chiropractic Residency Programs.
• You may apply to any or all programs but must submit a separate Application Form and CV directly to each program.
• Any questions on a specific program should be sent to the respective email address listed in the Application Form.

Important Dates

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