How Long is the Essentials Course?
We have our most popular course schedule meeting once a month for 4 ½ days (Wednesday thru Sunday ending by 12 noon) for a total of 5 months. We also have our 5 week curse session that we offer in the summer each year. Click here for the complete Essential Course Schedule.
Do all the modules need to be taken in order?
Yes, they all need to be taken in order because they build upon each other. However, since we do offer this course several times a year, there may be an option concerning the first module (Sacropelvic module) which if missed, may be possibly taken in the 5 week course session (which coincides with the spring course). For more details please contact Robbie at 309-658-2920 and she will be happy to assist you.
How long do I have to complete the Essentials course?
You have up to 2 years to complete the course.
What happens if I miss a module or can’t finish the class?
If you notify me (Robbie) that you won’t be able to finish with your class then I will make sure to save you a seat in another session before I fill it. One of our main priorities is to help you succeed in finishing the course. Remember, if something does come up, you do have 2 years to finish the Essentials Animal Chiropractic Course.
I am a chiropractic and/or veterinary student in my 4th year. Can I attend your course before I graduate?
You can attend the Essentials Course as long as you graduate from your prospective college within a month of attending our course. Please feel free to give me a call and I will be happy to talk with you more about the details.
Will I be certified after I complete the course?
Once you successfully complete the ‘Essentials Course’, you can sit for the certification test given by either the AVCA (American Veterinary Chiropractic Association) or IVCA (International Veterinary Chiropractic Association). We will give you all the information on both organizations during the ‘Essentials Course’ so you can decide which is best for you.
Is there homework during the course and will it require a lot of time?
After the first module we do give homework for our students to do while at home. Don’t worry, it doesn’t require too much time, but is required so we can see what questions or problems we need to help you with when you come back to the next module.
Will I learn to adjust with an instrument?
Our course is taught using hand adjusting only, since the instrument (known as an activator) is made strictly for humans and not for animals.
Will I still be able to adjust horses if I’m short?
Yes, we have had many students who have attended our course that worried about not being tall enough to adjust horses. Our instructors will teach you how to use what we call “Bales” and how to properly stand on them to do your adjusting.
I don’t have much or any experience in handling horses. Will this be a problem?
In the course we will cover both Equine and Canine handling and also give the students suggestions on how to get more experience while at home. We also encourage any students needing additional help to get with our instructors so they can have more opportunities to learn about proper animal handling.
If I currently only do either small animals or Equine only, do I still have to learn on both?
Yes, you are required to learn animal chiropractic on both horses and dogs because that is what the AVCA and IVCA requires of all schools teaching animal chiropractic. However, many students have come through this course and have received adequate training to apply their skills on either small animals only or large animals only.
Can I use this course for CE credits?
We have had some students who have submitted our course curriculum to their state board and received CE credits. It’s up to each individual student to submit their own paperwork to their state board.