Assistants, Licensure, Continuing Education, and Professional Conduct
Assistants
Maine Board rules define what a chiropractic assistant may do and the supervision level required. Assistants may prepare patients, record histories, apply delegated modalities, and handle administrative work. They may not diagnose, perform spinal adjustments, or independently plan care. Direct supervision means the chiropractor is physically present and available; general supervision is not enough for clinical procedures.
Licensure and renewal
Licensure requires graduation from an accredited chiropractic program, passing the examinations the Board accepts, including the jurisprudence examination, and a complete application. Renewal depends on timely fees and continuing education. CE must come from Board-approved sponsors and include required subject areas such as ethics and recordkeeping. Practicing on an expired license is unlicensed practice.
Professional conduct
Boundaries, informed consent, honest advertising, confidentiality, and reporting impairment are conduct issues. A chiropractor who suspects a colleague is practicing impaired may have a duty to report to the Board.
Worked example
An assistant applies ultrasound to a patient's low back while the chiropractor is at lunch. Even if the assistant was trained, the procedure is delegated clinical care requiring direct supervision. The chiropractor, not the assistant, is subject to discipline for inadequate supervision.
Traps
Letting assistants adjust; counting unapproved CE; practicing during a lapsed license; assuming a national certificate replaces Maine licensure; ignoring the jurisprudence exam.