What It Takes To Become A Chiropractor
Chiropractors are primary care physicians
Chiropractors are primary care physicians. They treat the physical body with an emphasis on the spine, nervous system and muscles; also known as the musculoskeletal system. While terms like back cracking are often used to describe this medical specialty, spinal adjustments are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of chiropractic diagnosis and treatment.
People often wonder what it takes to become a chiropractor and it might surprise you to know just how much education is required for this exciting profession. In many cases, a chiropractor will attend school longer than a traditional or allopathic doctor. If you are interested in pursuing a career in this natural, hands-on method of healing, the following is intended to acquaint you with the basic steps you will need to take.
The first step a chiropractor takes on the road to his practice is to attend college and acquire a bachelor's degree. Students aspiring to attend chiropractic school will major in one primary science field like biology, chemistry or physics along with minoring in the areas of humanities, social sciences, biomechanics and communications. Occasionally colleges accept undergraduates who have completed 90 credits, or 3 years of undergraduate work but, typically chiropractic schools and state licensing boards require a four-year undergraduate degree. Along with your BSC degree, the Association of Chiropractic Colleges also requires that you achieve a 2.5 grade point average before you apply to chiropractic school.
After completing your undergraduate degree, you can apply to a school of chiropractic. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) lists 18 accredited chiropractic schools operating throughout the United States. Each of these offers a four-year program including coursework in physiology, microbiology, anatomy and pathology.
The next step is a one-year clinical apprenticeship-style experience allowing you to learn and hone your skills with manipulation while under the supervision of a licensed doctor of chiropractic medicine. Once you complete all coursework and these clinical rotations successfully, you will graduate with a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree.
Additionally, you will also need to pass a licensure exam in the state where you plan to practice. Each state has different requirements and tests but each state does require you to acquire a license before you are allowed to practice. Once you get your license, you will also be required to complete some form of continuing education, this is standard for the medical community and varies from state to state.
The goal of continuing education is the make sure chiropractors are aware of current research and up-to-date techniques within their practice. Generally, while core requirements may vary from state to state, it is a typical requirement that you attend a specific number of hours yearly or every other year. You will often study topics like ethics, medical error reduction, risk management as well as documentation and other areas of hands-on work.
In addition to a general expertise level, there are some specialist areas within chiropractic medicine. For example, a chiropodist will specialize in such treatments as sports medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, neuropathy or geriatrics. To become such a specialist, a chiropractor will undertake a substantial amount continuing education in the specialty of their choice. Depending on state requirements, they will usually spend the majority of their clinical time treating patients within the chosen field.
Since chiropractors treat the bodies soft tissues (muscles) as well as the spine, many doctors also take up the field of therapeutic massage to further assist patients with pain relief and healing.
While chiropractic is a demanding career it is also a very fulfilling and rewarding profession. Salary levels depend on specialties and experience but range from $30,000 to over $100,000. It will take time to establish a thriving practice but there is a unique opportunity to set your own pay scale.
Dr. Joseph Nicola DC
by: Dr. Joseph Nicola
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