How To Become A Chiropractor

Chiropractors treat people who have health problems related to muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons in the neck and back areas. They use a number of methods such as spinal manipulations and therapies to elevate ailments in those areas. Most chiropractors are self-employed, and only a few chiropractors work in physician's offices and hospitals.

What Do Chiropractors Do?

The chiropractor job description is as follows:

• Assess the patient's medical condition by reviewing history, making a physical exam, and listening to the patient's description of the problem
• Check the patient's posture and spine
• Carry out therapy to adjust spinal cord and other joints
• Conduct diagnostic tests involving x rays and evaluation of patient's posture
• Give advice to patients for a healthy lifestyle
• Refer patients to other specialists if required

Education
Chiropractors require seven to eight years of education after high school. They require three to four years of undergraduate education, which is followed by a four year program in the degree of chiropractic (D.C.).  Chiropractors need to be licensed by their state. As a part of essential licensing procedure, most states ask chiropractors to take an exam administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. To get admission in D.C. programs, you need at least ninety semester hours of undergraduate education. The courses in the undergraduate education should be related to liberal arts and laboratory sciences such as chemistry, physics, and biology. Although it is not compulsory, many students earn a bachelor's degree before joining the chiropractic program.

During the chiropractic education, students gain knowledge and an understanding of subjects like anatomy, physiology, biology, and many other related subjects. The classroom work gets completed within the first two years in a D.C. program. Then the students receive practical chiropractic training and go through a supervised clinical experience. During this practice, they receive the spinal manipulation and diagnosis training. After graduation, chiropractors get additional training by completing residencies. They train in some specialty areas such as chiropractic radiology or pediatrics.

Online Education
Chiropractic education is also available online, and offered by many accredited postsecondary educational institutions. Students are able to acquire chiropractic education at anytime and anywhere if they have internet access. These self-paced courses provide a lot of flexibility and convenience to students, as they do not require any travel time or additional expense, which is normally associated with an on-campus program. These online programs are great for individuals who cannot afford to give up their job or leave other responsibilities to acquire further education, or for older students who may feel uncomfortable taking classes with students who are younger.

Career Outlook And Salary
There is a positive career outlook for the chiropractors. People of all ages are looking for chiropractic care as they prefer to be treated without any surgery or drugs. The employment opportunities for chiropractors are likely to grow by twenty eight percent between the years 2010 and 2020, which is faster than the average of all occupations. The median annual wage for chiropractors was $67,200 in the year 2010.