International Certificate in Sports Chiropractic

Members who hold a postdoctoral sports-specific chiropractic degree are considered for expedited certification.  Holders of postdoctoral sports-specific chiropractic degrees get expedited consideration.

The acceptable master’s program for advanced standing is sports medicine. FICS acknowledges the following to expedite ICSC requirements:

• Masters of Sports Science and Rehabilitation degree
• Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (USA)
• DACBSP® – American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (USA)
• Diplomate in Sports Chiropractic (USA)
• Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Science (Canada)
• IFEC Sports Chiropractic Program (France)

Not sure if your degree qualifies? Send your degree and transcript to admin@fics.sport for assistance.

FAST TRACK 2 – WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

• FICS Upper Extremity Live Hands-on Module Seminar
• Bundle 5 of ICSC e-learning E-Learning
  • Module – ICSC09 (Cultural Diversity)
  • Module –  ICSC10 (International Sports Chiropractic)

Additional evidence is required at the time you are submitting your evidence for sign off and completion: 

• CPR or equivalent credentials – not more than two years old;
• A copy of your transcript or diploma from your accredited chiropractic institution;
• Current chiropractic license and copy of your diploma.
• Evidence working with athletes

QUESTIONS
##Why is the Master’s in Exercise and Sport Science degree NOT recognised for this fast track? The missing curriculum is sports injury assessment of the upper and lower limbs, emergency care of the athlete’s concussion, and imaging of the athlete. The FICS ICSC recognition demands expertise in athlete treatment, injury assessment, concussion protocols, head trauma, facial injury assessment, and sports injury care and imaging.

## How is the Upper extremity course different from the one I recently completed with the CCSP program? The upper limb e-learning module provides detailed information on particular injuries, mechanisms of injury, prevalence, research, and grading scales. This lays the foundational work that the hands-on module builds on. The hands-on module is the capstone of the ICSC online learning content.

Recognition degrees should encompass expertise in athlete treatment, injury assessment, concussion protocols, head trauma, facial injury assessment, and sports injury care and imaging.

Transitioning from ICCSD/ICCSP to ICSC:

Pathway 3.1   –    ICCSD/ICCSP (less than <8 years since completion) complete three online learning components to qualify:

• FICS Module ICSC01 (Head Injuries in Sport)
• FICS Module ICSC04 (Emergency Procedures)
• FICS Module ICSC10 (International Sports Chiropractic)

Pathway 3.2   –    ICCSD/ICCSP (greater than >8 years since completion)

Attending hands-on seminars is mandatory to update and enhance your current knowledge and skills, where various online learning updates will be integrated to keep you up-to-date. Discounts are available for ICCSD/ICCSP holders. Reach out to admin@fics.sport 

• Hands-on seminar – Upper Extremity Seminars
  • This covers your head injury and emergency procedures updates, which is why you don’t need to purchase the updated modules. 
• Hands-on seminar – Lower Extremity Seminars
• Online learning – ICSC09 – Cultural Diversity
• Online learning – ICSC10 (International Sports Chiropractic)

Additional documentation you need to provide us when applying for completion. 

• CPR or equivalent credentials (within two years)
• Current chiropractic license
• Copy of ICCSD or ICCSP
• Evidence of experience working with athletes

.

Questions: Evolution of Excellence:

Pathway 3 – ICCSD to ICSC 

International Chiropractic Sports Diploma (ICCSD) 2002-2016:

• Born out of the global need for a recognised certification, FICS crafted the ICCSD as a pivotal educational tool, especially in countries without a national sports organisation. This accreditation has stood the test of time, remaining a cornerstone in chiropractic education.

International Chiropractic in Sports Practitioner (ICCSP) 2016-2019:

• Responding to the dynamic landscape, FICS evolved the ICCSD in 2016, adapting content and transitioning to an online format. This update ensured that the accreditation stayed current, meeting the ever-changing demands of sports chiropractic practice.

International Certificate in Sports Chiropractic (ICSC) 2019 – Present:

• The birth of ICSC marked a milestone, streamlining the certification process and mitigating trademark challenges. As a wholly-owned FICS certification, ICSC empowers Sports Chiropractors to offer care at the International Federated Games. The entire e-learning program resides within the FICS environment, guaranteeing real-time updates for best practices without the need for name changes. For ICCSD and ICCSP holders aspiring to embrace ICSC, a transformative journey awaits.

Payment Information:

• FICS use Stripe Financial Services for credit card payments in Swiss Franc (CHF).
• A 1.3% surcharge is applied to cover credit card fees, in addition to the course fee.
• If you would like to save credit card fees and do a direct bank transfer, simply shoot us a message at admin@fics.sport  for an invoice and bank details. 

Shop & Save:

• E-Learning bundles are available to allow you to space out payments. Full ten modules are approximately 2,600 CHF (Swiss Francs)
• Pick up a 20% coupon off online learning modules from your members’ Coupon page within your FICS dashboard.
• For seminars and events, you can register directly at the member’s rate.

Hands-on Seminars:

• Seminar pricing varies by location and hosting country, and we offer a range of pricing for members / non-members / students. 

Student Discounts:

• Students get a 20% discount on online learning (contact FICS or Student Commission for a code).
• Special student prices for hands-on seminars are available within the event registration; proof of enrollment is required.

Final payment

• 65.00 CHF (Swiss Franc) administrative fee due at the final review of all your evidence.

Showcasing your ability to collaborate with a diverse athlete base is crucial, extending beyond the routine care of a singular athlete or those you regularly engage with in your day-to-day practice.

The significance lies in your preparedness for international events, where you’ll be engaging with athletes from various backgrounds, potentially unfamiliar to you. Furthermore, these events often occur in bustling, multi-display environments, diverging from the serene setting of your typical at-home practice.

As such, the content in this section highlights your experience in navigating a spectrum of athletes and underscores your adaptability to varied treatment approaches.

Professional experience – You can choose to demonstrate your practical experience working with athletes by documenting at least 50 different athletic injuries and treatments. If you choose this method of demonstrating professional experience, you can download the template spreadsheet here:  Download a copy of the Clinical Experience template. It’s essential to have records of at least 50 different athletes’ injuries and treatments.

• For classification purposes, Working with a team of 10‐year‐old soccer children is NOT considered high performance.
• Working with a secondary school or club team that competes against other club teams to improve their ranks in a league is considered high performance.
• Working with athletes in a private clinic setting DOES NOT offer the same experience as treating a diverse athlete base in a multidisciplinary environment, such as a polyclinic alongside other sports medicine professionals.

Professional experience – If you choose to use the letter from a sporting club to demonstrate your practical experience, please follow the requirements below. It is essential that you have worked with athletes in a sporting setting. Working with athletes in a private clinic setting does not offer the same experience as treating a diverse athlete base in a multidisciplinary environment, such as a polyclinic alongside other sports medicine professionals.

Provide a letter in English on a letterhead from a high‐performance team coach/administrator confirming that you have been their team chiropractor for at least one entire season. High performance implies that the team you are working with is competitive.

For classification purposes:

• Working with a team of 10‐year‐old soccer children is NOT considered high performance;
• However, working with a secondary school or club team that competes against other club teams to improve their ranks in a league is considered high performance.

REQURIEMENTS: 

1. Format: All letters MUST be in English 
2. Letterhead: The letter must be on a club or professional letterhead to match the club or person providing the reference. The athlete must list their full name, sport, and contact details if the letter is from an athlete.
3. Team level: Example: National, State, Local) and sport/s.
4. Service period and outline of duration (Example: 2021 season, covering training twice a week and game days = on average xxx hours per week.)
5. Athletes: Range of athletes you have provided care for. It is important to demonstrates your capacity to work with a diverse athlete base, as opposed to only one athlete you regularly care for. The rationale behind this is that, when working at international events, you’ll encounter a wide range of athletes from diverse backgrounds with whom you may not be familiar. Therefore, the evidence in this section emphasises the doctor’s exposure to a variety of athletes and potential treatment approaches.
6. Your skills: To include your teamwork skills;
   roles and responsibilities;
   communication with athletes; and
   position within the team (for example, only Chiropractor or working in a team of XX with another Chiropractor, Physio, Doctor etc.).
7. Contact details include the person’s contact details to verify the letter and provide additional follow-up if required.
8. Don’t forget to get the letter signed and include the total number of hours your service for the club covered.

EXAMPLE: 

preferably letterhead if from a club.
Date
Person Name signing the letter
Position
Full clubs name
Contact details. An email will suffice.

This letter is to confirm that (Your Name) worked on the (Type of sport) medical team for the (event). Dr (your name) was an integral part of the team that worked on the professional  (sport) athletes. Dr (your name)  demonstrated professionalism, a strong work ethic and an excellent bedside manner and skill set in working in a multi-disciplinary medical tent.

Event
Full name and dates of any events relevant to your letter of support.

Athletes Care: It’s essential to have records of at least 50 different athletes’ injuries and treatments. This demonstrates your capacity to work with a diverse athlete base, as opposed to only one athlete you regularly care for. The rationale behind this is that, when working at international events, you’ll encounter a wide range of athletes from diverse backgrounds with whom you may not be familiar. Therefore, the evidence in this section emphasises the doctor’s exposure to a variety of athletes and potential treatment approaches.

Job Responsibilities

• List whether you were a member of the team of multi-disciplinary professional health or the sole medical staff member providing care for a participant athlete/s
• List all job responsibilities you had for the event referred to in this letter of support.

Treatment options include:

• Specific Chiropractic spinal and extremity manipulations
• Soft tissue treatment, including Graston instrument-assisted mobilisatio,n active release therapy
• Passive, active and resisted stretches and PNF Cryotherapy
• Kinesiology taping
• Soft tissue myofascial release therapies Mechanical soft tissue release

It must be signed by the person submitting the letter, with their email address to allow verification and follow-up.