Chiropractic care is now considered as one of the most acknowledged forms of alternative therapeutic care in the United States and Australia. The discipline focuses on the intrinsic ability of our bodies to heal itself albeit the absence of drug use or invasive surgeries.
According to the CollegeGrad, chiropractors in the United States account to at least 45,000 jobs in the country. The number is quite small considering that the country is among the most populated nations in the world. With this, there’s an increasing demand for chiropractors in and out of the country. If you are interested in becoming a chiropractor, here are some things that you ought to know:
- Education
Those who pursued to be a career chiropractor will work in busy clinics or hospitals. But before you get there, you need to obtain a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. In the United States or Canada, applicants who wish to be a chiropractor need to have at least three years of secondary education or 90 credit hours before getting admitted to the program. Ideally, you should have a strong background in biology, chemistry and physics, so having a science degree or pre-medical degree program will help.
Most of the coursework are on kinesiology, biology, anatomy and chemistry. Moreover, students will be exposed in spinal assessment, spinal adjustment technologies, diagnosis, and sometimes in business management and finance. There are also those who continued studying leading to specialisation on orthopaedics, paediatrics, massage therapy, and nutrition and sports rehabilitation.
- Licenses, Trainings and Registrations
As per study.com, those who want to practice as a chiropractor in the United States must first pass the certification exam. In the United Kingdom, practitioners should first register to the General Chiropractic Council. There are also special trainings designed on chiropractic care for the disabled.
Qualities of a Good Chiropractor
If you want to do well in this field, it is important that you are interested in providing chiropractic care. In addition, you should have empathy, especially to your patients, and detail-oriented to avoid misdiagnosis and errors that may put your patients at risk. Moreover, having excellent interpersonal skills and good initiative skills, being physically fit, and an interest in continued learning will immensely be of help in this line of work.
Working Conditions and Salary
On average, a chiropractor works 40 hours a week. If you have your own private practice, you can set your own hours and schedule. In addition, chiropractors usually spend their time on their feet and employ hands-on approach in fixing the imbalances in a person’s skeletal system.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary in 2015 for chiropractors is around $66,000. In the United Kingdom, entry-level chiropractors can earn at least £20,000 in a year. For experienced professionals, bringing in £50,000 to £80,000 in a year is as easy as pie.
