Chiropractic Sports Medicine Residency

Eligibility Requirements
Application Requirements
Completion Requirements

Offered by: SCU Health

Program Director: Joseph Horrigan, DC, DACBSP®

The Chiropractic Sports Medicine Residency is a two-year post-graduate program that provides advanced clinical experience in sports medicine. The Sports Medicine Resident/Doctor of Chiropractic is designed to prepare students for eligibility to sit for the certification examination for the Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians® (DACBSP®), the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification by the National Strength and Condition Association (NSCA), and the Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician® certification by the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (ACBSP). It is the resident’s responsibility to ensure they meet all requirements to sit for third-party examinations. The resident will also complete an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course.

The residency consists of a minimum of 55 hours per week with additional weekly time for study and training. The residency is broken down into two consecutive, one-year commitments, each with requirements for successful completion. The residency is offered on campus, with multiple off-site rotations throughout Southern California. Off-site rotations include team-based management of complex cases in collaboration with other medical specialists and healthcare providers.

Eligibility Requirements

Minimum requirements include the following:

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent from an accredited chiropractic program
An earned Doctor of Chiropractic degree from a Council on Chiropractic Education-accredited chiropractic program
A current, active, and unrestricted chiropractic license in California or eligibility for such licensure
Meet required Technical Standards of the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic with or without reasonable accommodations

Application Requirements

Applicants for the Sports Medicine Residency must provide the following items:

Completed residency application
Application fee
Three letters of recommendation (from faculty, health education or health professions administrators, Doctors of Chiropractic, or other related personnel)
Curriculum vitae
A copy of the applicant’s California chiropractic license, or a letter from the state of California Board of Chiropractic Examiners indicating eligibility to sit for the California Law and Professional Practice Examination (CLPPE)
Verification of Licensure in Good Standing from all other states where licensed
NBCE Board examination transcripts: The applicant must have successfully completed Parts I, II, III, IV, and Physiotherapy of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Official transcripts from the chiropractic degree granting institution, and other applicable graduate or post-graduate training
Individual interview with the Director of the Sports Medicine Residency (for those who meet all eligibility requirements)
Panel interview (scheduled after Individual Interview for those who qualify); the panel is typically composed of the Executive Director of Human Performance Optimization/Director of the Sports Medicine Residency, VP of SCU Health, two current Sports Medicine Residents, and one Sports Medicine clinical staff doctor
Clinical Skills Assessment (scheduled after Panel Interview for those who qualify)

Completion Requirements

Residents are expected to perform the duties assigned by their Resident Supervisor. Residents shall be evaluated for performance at the conclusion of each term, and continuation in the program is based upon satisfactory performance. Upon successful completion of residency program requirements, the resident shall receive a Certificate of Residency Completion and Competency