Doctor of Chiropractic Integrated Clinical Practice Residency Program
The Doctor of Chiropractic Integrated Clinical Practice Residency Program at Butler VA focuses on the provision of chiropractic care in integrated health care systems, collaborating with primary care, specialty care, and other medical and associated health providers and trainees.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must hold or be scheduled to receive a DC degree from a CCE-accredited school prior to the July 1 start of the residency program.
A cumulative GPA of ≥3.00 out of 4.0 in the DC degree program is required. Licensure is not required prior to the start of the program.
Accepted residents, prior to program completion, must obtain a full, active, and unrestricted chiropractic license in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the US, or in the District of Columbia.
Applicants must meet all VA employment requirements including US citizenship, and Selective Service registration when applicable.
Mission Statement
The Mission of the Butler VA Health Care System Doctor of Chiropractic Integrated Clinical Practice Residency Program is to prepare chiropractic residents for clinical practice in hospitals or other medical settings, and/or academia, through hospital-based clinical training, interprofessional education, and scholarly activities.
Resident Goals and Objectives
Program goals and objectives:
- Residents will acquire postgraduate clinical experience in hospital-based chiropractic care
- Residents will provide supervised patient care at satisfactory levels of competence, to a broad population of musculoskeletal cases, most commonly spinal, in the context of collaborative team-based care
- Residents will gain experience in managing a range of complex/multimorbidity cases
- Residents will gain experience in the rural health care delivery context.
- Residents will engage in interprofessional educational experiences with relevant medical, surgical, and associated health specialties
- Residents will complete clinical rotations in primary care, physical medicine and rehabilitation, other relevant medical or surgical specialties, behavioral medicine and other associated health disciplines
- Residents will participate in scholarly activities to gain experience relevant to integrated practice and/or academia
- Residents will complete scholarly assignments, online didactic courses, and collaborate with other chiropractic residents to complete group assignments
- Residents will attend scholarly presentations among available hospital and/or academic affiliate offerings
- Residents will engage in research activities, and/or present scholarly material, and/or clinical workshops to staff and/or trainees at VA and/or academic affiliate venues
Compensation
The resident stipend is $49,320 for the 2026-2027 Academic Year. Residents receive paid Federal holidays and accrue vacation and sick leave. Residents are eligible for life and health insurance. Residents are protected from personal liability while providing professional services at a VA health care facility under the Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act, 28 U.S.C. 2679 (b)-(d).
The Butler VA program is funded by the VA Office of Academic Affiliations. Additional details are provided in the announcement at the https://www.prosthetics.va.gov/chiro/Residency_Programs.asp.
Location
Butler VA Health Care System:
- Abie Abraham VA Health Care Center, 353 N. Duffy Road, Butler, PA 16001
- Michael A. Marzano VA Outpatient Clinic, 1505 North Hermitage Road, Hermitage, PA 16148
Training takes place at the individual VA facility and may also include other sites such as VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System for specific interprofessional rotations or other affiliated locations.
Clinical Facilities:
The Abie Abraham Health Care Center is composed of five exam/treatment rooms and the Michael A. Marzano VA Outpatient clinic is composed of two exam/treatment rooms, all furnished with state-of-the-art exam/treatment tables, computers, and other necessary equipment. Library support through the VISN 4 Online Library is available.
Certificate of Completion
Upon satisfactory completion of program requirements, the graduate will receive an official Certificate of Residency, and records will be maintained at the Butler VA Health Care System Abie Abraham Health Center and the VHA Chiropractic National Program Office.
Application Process
The Butler VA Health Care System’s Chiropractic Residency Program participates in the national chiropractic residency common application and match process. For further information and to apply, go to Chiropractic Residency Match.
The application process opens the first week in December each year. Applicants are assessed on characteristics such as academic background, relevant experience, personal statement, letters of recommendation, and telephone, video, and/or in-person interviews. Applicant rankings are made by a review committee including the residency program director and DC faculty. Additional information is available on the VA Chiropractic Program website
Integrated Clinical Practice Residency Program Faculty
Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services, Chiropractic Residency Program Director
VA Butler health care
Phone:
Email: Zachary.Cupler@va.gov
Associate Chief of Staff of Diagnostics & Specialty Care, Whole Health Clinical Director, Chiropractor
VA Butler health care
For more information, please contact the Butler VA Chiropractic Residency Program Director Dr. Zachary Cupler .