How To Become a Chiropractor
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A chiropractic physician is a medical professional who specializes in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders, injuries and conditions that affect the neuromusculoskeletal system. This includes bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves all through the body — not just in the spine.
Approximately three in four chiropractic patients describe their care as “very effective”1
Chiropractors diagnose and treat issues related to the neuromusculoskeletal system, with a focus on relieving pain in the back, neck and joints to improve overall function and mobility. They perform physical exams, adjust the spine and joints, use therapies like heat, cold or electrical stimulation and offer lifestyle advice. Some also specialize in areas like sports or nutrition and may manage their own practice.2 It is common knowledge that chiropractors are qualified to treat back pain. Yet, this is an oversimplification of what they do.
Chiropractors attend to holistic health — the patient’s overall wellness and can help them improve their well-being through:
Spinal adjustments
Their most well-known treatment is the spinal adjustment, which can provide rapid relief of symptoms.
Education
They can help patients lead a healthier lifestyle by educating them about nutrition, exercise and sleep habits.
Pain relief
They can accomplish this by aligning the body and educating individuals about ergonomics to maintain healthy posture and movement.
The road to becoming a chiropractor can seem complicated. However, it’s important to understand the steps to establish your educational and professional plan and make your dream a reality.
In high school, it can be useful to take more science, math and health-related courses. Some high schools offer anatomy and physiology classes, for example, which would be ideal for an aspiring chiropractor. You may also wish to explore job shadowing opportunities so that you can get an insider’s look at what a typical day looks like for a chiropractor.
You will begin your journey to becoming a chiropractor by enrolling in a related undergraduate program, ideally in a medical science field. Your undergraduate degree can teach you the foundational knowledge in physical and life sciences that you will need for admission to a chiropractic college and to get your chiropractic degree.
After you earn your undergraduate degree, you will need to apply to chiropractic school. Chiropractic school requires three to four years of intensive study.3 Like medical school, chiropractic school is a blend of classroom instruction and hands-on practice that occurs during internships and clinical rotations. In general, you can expect to learn about the philosophy and methodology of chiropractic medicine, the science of wellness and the chiropractic techniques that heal patients.
After you graduate from an accredited chiropractic school, there are a few more requirements to complete the process of becoming a chiropractor. Every state requires chiropractors to be licensed before they practice. Most states have their own chiropractic regulatory board and you can check the details of your state’s licensing requirements there.
In general, you will need to pass the national board exam, which is administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. There may be additional requirements to obtain licensure in the state in which you plan to practice. Once you have completed all your state’s requirements and successfully obtained your chiropractic license, you will be legally allowed to use the titles Chiropractic Physician, Doctor of Chiropractic or DC.
When selecting an undergraduate major, it may be ideal to choose one that includes a strong focus on the sciences, as these courses are often required for admission into chiropractic school.
Earning an undergraduate degree in one of the following fields may help best prepare you to enter chiropractic school:4
Biology
Kinesiology
Exercise Science
Although GCU does not offer a chiropractic degree program, you can enroll in one of our other bachelor's programs to gain the foundational knowledge you'll need for chiropractic school later in your studies.
Aspiring chiropractors are often drawn to this specialty because they have a strong desire to help other people achieve better health. While you’re working through the steps to become a chiropractor, you can cultivate certain skills and traits that can help you be more effective in your professional role.
Characteristics and skills of an effective chiropractor include the following:
Attention to detail
Dexterity
Interpersonal skills
Business sense
Decision-making skills