You should know that a Lucerne chiropractor, sentenced to prison for practicing his art, had received a triumphant welcome when he left the penitentiary. On January 22, 1939, in Zürich, after a campaign as passionate as it was virulent, a popular consultation gave chiropractic its freedom of the city. Then, canton after canton, the right to practice ends up extending to all of Switzerland. Finally, on July 5, 1962, after having collected 394,390 signatures, the petition launched by Pro Chiropratique, a patient association, was able to succeed and chiropractic was included in the compulsory social insurance benefits. Go for the chiropractic treatment there.
An officially recognized medical profession
Chiropractic is one of the five university disciplines of scientific medicine, recognized by the Federal Law on the medical professions. Like doctors and dentists, for example, chiropractors and chiropractors carry the title of a doctor can be consulted directly by patients, without intermediaries. They exercise their independence, make their diagnosis and prescribe any additional examinations or treatments. Their benefits are covered by basic health insurance.
Legal Basics in Switzerland
The training and activity of chiropractors, as well as the coverage of the costs of their services, are governed by the following federal laws and their respective implementing orders:
- Federal law on the medical professions
- Federal Law on Health Insurance
- Federal law on accident insurance
- Federal Law on Military Insurance
- Radiation Protection Act
The recognition of chiropractors by the Federal Law on the medical profession dates from September 1, 2007. The LPmed recognizes and regulates the activities of five full medical professions: chiropractors, dentists, doctors, pharmacists and veterinarians.
Due to the federalist nature of health legislation, additional provisions are included in cantonal legislation. The services of chiropractors have been recognized as prescribing medical services since the partial revision in 1964 of the legislation on health and accident insurance dating from 1911. This recognition therefore implies that chiropractic services are covered by health insurance from the base, as well as accident and military insurance.
A demanding but rewarding profession
The profession of chiropractor requires both intellectual skills and manual skills. Independence, self-control, organizational skills, patience, empathy, good health and above all the will to help others are the main other qualities required to exercise this diversified and interesting activity. Basically, chiropractic studies correspond to medical studies in which pharmacology and surgical training is largely replaced by specific training in chiropractic.
Since autumn 2008, this training can be acquired in the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zurich. We can also continue, as before, to register with one of the foreign universities which provide this training, and which are recognized by the Federal Department of Public Health, on the proposal of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Health Directors.
Semesters to become a chiropractor
A program of clinical courses and internships leads in 12 semesters to a doctorate in chiropractic or Dr. in chiropractic, passing by the university baccalaureate in medicine and the masters in chiropractic.
Abroad, the success of studies is crowned by obtaining the title of “Doctor of Chiropractic” (DC). This recognition in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, or Denmark does not yet allow independent activity as such in Switzerland, but it constitutes a prerequisite for continuous training in Switzerland and for obtaining the federal title of a chiropractor.
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