Skip to Content

Chiropractic Residency Program

The Chiropractic Integrated Clinical Practice residency programs focus on providing chiropractic care in integrated healthcare systems, collaborating with primary care, specialty care, and other medical and associated health providers and trainees.

The Chiropractic Integrated Clinical Practice residency programs focus on providing chiropractic care in integrated healthcare systems, collaborating with primary care, specialty care, and other medical and associated health providers and trainees.

The residencies provide advanced clinical training in multimorbid case management, allowing recent graduates to increase their scope and depth of clinical knowledge, experience, and acumen. Residents are mentored by senior VA chiropractors, national leaders in integrated chiropractic practice. These clinicians share their expertise in patient care, academics, and research to provide a robust educational experience.

The hospital-based training programs improve residents' ability to collaborate with other healthcare professionals in a team-oriented environment. Trainees engage with and learn from various healthcare providers during interdisciplinary rotations. As a result, residents gain a deeper understanding of hospital practices, policies, and procedures, better preparing them for future positions within the VA, other healthcare systems, or academic settings.

Mission Statement

The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS) Chiropractic Residency Program is designed to prepare chiropractic residents for clinical practice in hospitals or other medical settings and/or academia by providing them with hospital-based clinical training, interprofessional education, and scholarly activities.

Location

VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System:

Clinical Facilities

The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS) chiropractic clinics are designed to offer top-tier care to our Veterans. Each clinic is outfitted with state-of-the-art exam/treatment tables, computers, and other essential equipment to ensure excellence in patient care. At the VA Medical Center (VAMC), there are four dedicated chiropractic treatment rooms within the Pain Clinic and a specialized treatment room within the Women’s Clinic that serves only female Veterans with a female provider. Additional space is available as needed. The Southeast location features two dedicated chiropractic rooms, while the Southwest and Pahrump locations each have one chiropractic room. Library support is available through VASNHS and the VISN 21 Online Library and through the academic affiliates of the University of Western States, Palmer College of Chiropractic, and Parker University. 

Duration

The programs are full-time (40 hours/week) for 12 months. Additional weekly time may be needed for scholarly or other training activities. The programs run from July 1 to June 30.

Number of Positions

One resident per year. 

Compensation

The VA Office of Academic Affiliations sets the resident stipend annually based on geographic location. For the academic year 2026–2027, the estimated stipend for a VASNHCS chiropractic resident is $48,725. Residents receive paid Federal holidays and accrue vacation and sick leave. They are also eligible for life and health insurance. This stipend is not contingent upon resident productivity, and residents are paid on a biweekly salary schedule. Time served as a resident qualifies for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. 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).

Resident 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 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 collaborate with other chiropractic residents to complete online didactic courses and group assignments
    • Residents will attend scholarly presentations among available hospital and/or academic affiliate offerings
    • Residents will engage in research activities, present scholarly material, and/or conduct clinical workshops to staff and/or trainees at VA and/or academic affiliate venues

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be U.S. citizens and meet all VA employment requirements, including Selective Service registration when applicable. Before starting the residency program, they must hold or be scheduled to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree from a CCE-accredited institution, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Licensure is not required before the start of the program; however, accepted residents must obtain a full, active, and unrestricted chiropractic license in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia before completing the program. Applicants must be eligible for or currently possess such a license. They must also demonstrate sufficient written and spoken English proficiency to ensure safe and effective patient care. Additionally, applicants must provide three references' names and email addresses, preferably individuals who have directly supervised them or can attest to their clinical and professional abilities. Recent clinical experience, such as rotations during chiropractic school, is required; observer or non-clinical graduate work does not meet this criterion.

Application Process

The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System chiropractic residency program participates in the national chiropractic residency's common application and match process. The application process opens in the first week of December each year. Applicants are assessed on academic background, relevant experience, personal statement, letters of recommendation, telephone, video, and/or in-person interviews. A review committee ranks applicants, including the residency director and DC faculty.

For further information and to apply: https://natmatch.com/chiro/

The VA National Chiropractic Program website provides information on the overall VA Chiropractic Program and DC career opportunities.

Residency Program DC Faculty

Arnold Jovillar, DC, DACRB

Chiropractic Section Chief

Residency Program Director

VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS) Main Campus 

Email: arnold.jovillar@va.gov

 

Dr. Arnold Jovillar is the Section Chief of Chiropractic Services and the Assistant Chief of Pain at the VASNHS. He brings over 28 years of clinical experience to his role, including 17 years in leadership positions within the VA. Dr. Jovillar served in the Navy for eight years. This military background gives him a unique understanding of the needs and care of our veterans.

 

Jonathan Danner, DC

Chiropractic Attending

VASNHS Main Campus 

Email: jonathan.danner@va.gov

Dr. Jonathan Danner is a skilled chiropractor with significant experience in the VA Healthcare system, having worked at both VA Southern Nevada and VA Western New York. He served as faculty and Chair of the Clinical Competency Committee for the Chiropractic Residency Program while at VA Western New York. He has also served as Chair of the Resident Common Curriculum Committee for the past six years. 


Matthew Boetcher, DC, MS, CCSP 

Staff Chiropractor 

VASNHS Main Campus 

Email: matthew.boetcher@va.gov

Richard Wright, DC, CCSP, PSP

Staff Chiropractor 

VASNHS Main Campus 

Email: richard.wright@va.gov


Kelsey Boetcher, DC, MS, CCSP

Staff Chiropractor 

VASNHS Main Campus 

Email: kelsey.boetcher@va.gov

 

Jennifer Shiley, DC 

Staff Chiropractor 

VASNHS Southwest CBOC 

Email: jennifer.shiley@va.gov
 

Tiffany Longoria, DC

Staff Chiropractor 

VASNHS Southeast CBOC 

Email: tiffany.longoria@va.gov


Clarice Wallert, DC, MS 

Staff Chiropractor 

VASNHS Main Campus 

Email: clarice.wallert@va.gov


Jessica Tom, DC, MS 

Staff Chiropractor 

VASNHS Southeast CBOC 

Email: jessica.tom@va.gov


Aimee Tanner, DC, MS

Staff Chiropractor 

VASNHS Pahrump CBOC 

Email: aimee.tanner@va.gov

Additional Information

Detailed VASNHS Chiropractic Residency Program material is available in our program handbook.

For additional information on the VASNHS Chiropractic Residency contact: 

Arnold Jovillar, DC, DACRB 

Email: arnold.jovillar@va.gov


Information on the overall VA Chiropractic Program and DC career opportunities is available on the VA National Chiropractic Program Website:

https://www.rehab.va.gov/chiro/

Last updated: