Chiropractic medicine is a mix of medical expertise and bodywork, medical knowledge with a holistic approach. One of the major reasons patients opt for chiropractic is if they’ve already tried medication and traditional medical avenues, but haven’t found relief. Here are a few tips about what to expect along your personal journey to becoming a doctor of chiropractor medicine.
1. What to Expect
Training as a chiropractor, even though it’s also in the field of bodywork, takes much longer than a massage therapist. It can range from three to four years, depending on the program you choose to enroll in and how much time you can dedicate to study.
Chiropractic is all about understanding the body as a whole, and where pain comes from using clinical expertise. For example, Natural Healers defines neuroanatomy as the understanding of the central and peripheral nervous systems. These are essential components of how chiropractic is practiced. Basically, you’ll need to be able to both understand a holistic approach to wellness while integrating the clinical side of things.
2. How to Choose a School
There are many affiliations and reputable associations of chiropractic doctors that vary from state to state. Check with them to review accreditations and standard degree processes. For example, Southern California University of Health Sciences School of Chiropractic Medicine offers a comprehensive course roster that last three years. Each year focuses on different aspects of the degree, ending with a residency in the third year. The three different types of chiropractic medicine you can choose to enter include Sports Medicine, Primary Spine, and Diagnostic Imaging. Each of them have their own requirements and possibilities based on the direction you choose to take.
3. Other Certifications and Specialties
Best Colleges details the other types of certifications that you can obtain in chiropractic medicine, ranging from specialties in orthopedist chiropractic (DACO/DABCO) to chiropractic clinical neurologist (DACAN/DACNB) which deals with the nervous system. Many such focused specialties are covered in post-graduate work, and help to narrow down your field of expertise. Much like traditional medical doctors, chiropractors also have areas that they specialize in.
4. Possible Career Paths
There are many things you can do with a doctor of chiropractic degree under your belt. Some graduates form their own private practices and treat clients individually. Others go into the sports side of things, helping athletes to deal with specific types of pain or injury. It depends on the specialty you choose to pursue after you earn your regular degree. You’ll be treating a wide variety of patients, but people are more likely to be referred to your practice if they’re having a joint problem and that’s what you specialize in.
It’s possible to also be mobile with a degree in chiropractic, but much like a massage therapist, you need to be licensed in each state in order to practice. Keep this in mind if you’re looking for a change of scenery.
Chiropractic is a burgeoning field. According to statistics compiled by the American Chiropractic Association, 95 percent of recipients of chiropractic treatment reported satisfaction in 2016. These are hard numbers that back up the fact Americans are looking more to natural, holistic approaches to pain, rather than simply relying on drugs to solve physical problems today.
For more information about school of Chiropractic, visit at: scuhs.edu/academics/los-ang...
