Dr. Christopher Kent and Dr. Matthew McCoy Examine Accelerated Physical Therapy Programs, Licensing Reform, and the Future of Chiropractic
The healthcare landscape is changing, and chiropractic faces growing competition from professions offering shorter educational pathways, broader employment opportunities, and more accessible licensing arrangements. These developments raise questions about whether chiropractic’s traditional educational and regulatory structures remain sustainable.
In the September 2026 edition of On Purpose Politics, Dr. Christopher Kent and Dr. Matthew McCoy examine accelerated Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs, interstate licensure, and international differences in professional training. Their discussion challenges chiropractic institutions to reconsider longstanding requirements and examine how they affect students and the profession’s future.
Accelerated Physical Therapy Programs: A Growing Challenge
The emergence of two-year DPT programs offers qualified students a potentially faster and less expensive route into healthcare. With employment opportunities in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and private practices, physical therapy presents an increasingly attractive alternative for students interested in hands-on patient care.
Kent and McCoy question whether chiropractic colleges can remain competitive while students face lengthy educational requirements, multiple board examinations, and substantial debt. The issue extends beyond cost, raising concerns about whether existing educational structures adequately prepare graduates for today’s professional environment.
“Once you have your license, nobody cares what program you graduated from.”
An observation shared by Dr. Christopher Kent from an accelerated physical therapy graduate.
Licensing Reform and the Cost of Competency
Chiropractic students must navigate multiple national board examinations, often accompanied by considerable financial and travel expenses. McCoy recounts speaking with a student who needed additional employment to cover more than $3,000 in examination fees.
By comparison, the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact allows eligible practitioners to obtain privileges in participating jurisdictions through a streamlined process, with examples discussed in the episode ranging from approximately $45 to $110.
Although the compact does not eliminate state-specific practice restrictions, it demonstrates an alternative approach to professional mobility.
“Chiropractic colleges assess the competency of their students during the curriculum, throughout the curriculum and in the clinics.” – Dr. Matthew McCoy
The discussion questions whether additional licensing requirements consistently provide measurable benefits or impose unnecessary barriers on graduates.
Spinal Manipulation and Professional Identity
The expansion of physical therapy’s scope of practice further complicates chiropractic’s professional position. Kent examines New Zealand, where qualified physiotherapists may perform spinal manipulation, including cervical manipulation under additional regulatory requirements.
For Kent and McCoy, this development highlights the limitations of defining chiropractic primarily through procedures also performed by other healthcare professionals.
They emphasize the distinction between general spinal manipulation and chiropractic’s traditional focus on vertebral subluxation, arguing that professional identity requires greater clarity as healthcare disciplines increasingly overlap.
Rethinking Chiropractic Education
International educational models offer additional perspectives on accessibility. The New Zealand College of Chiropractic provides alternative entry pathways, while certain physiotherapy programs allow qualified graduates to complete professional training through accelerated options.
Kent and McCoy argue that chiropractic institutions should examine whether educational requirements, prerequisite structures, and associated costs remain justified by demonstrable competency outcomes.
Their criticism extends to professional organizations responsible for accreditation and licensing, particularly when institutional policies create financial burdens without clearly established benefits.
“That’s why words matter. That’s why we have to have effective strategies and reasonable arguments.” – Dr. Christopher Kent
The Future of Chiropractic
The September Politics segment presents a profession confronting significant educational and regulatory challenges. Accelerated physical therapy programs, evolving scopes of practice, and streamlined licensing arrangements are changing the choices available to future healthcare professionals.
Dr. Kent and Dr. McCoy argue that chiropractic must respond through meaningful educational reform, greater institutional accountability, and a clearer articulation of its professional identity. Protecting the profession’s future requires examining whether established systems continue to serve students, practitioners, and the public effectively.
Continue Exploring with On Purpose
Explore more discussions with Dr. Christopher Kent and Dr. Matthew McCoy on the policies, research, and professional issues shaping chiropractic.
Follow and subscribe to On Purpose:
👉 https://chiroonpurpose.substack.com/
Always remember with On Purpose you are not alone
About On Purpose
The On Purpose Podcast is hosted by Christopher Kent DC, JD, MBA, ACP and Matthew McCoy DC, MPH. Since the early 1990s, On Purpose has been the spearhead of the Chiropractic Freedom Movement. It began as mailed cassette tapes, evolved into CDs, then online audio, and now lives on Substack with full-length video segments in Science, Philosophy, and Politics.
Tagline: When You Are On Purpose, You Are Not Alone.
Subscribe and listen at chiroonpurpose.substack.com or visit chiroonpurpose.com.
Join the movement. Stay informed. Stay inspired. Stay free.
