Everyone loves a win-win situation, and U.S. armed forces veterans have one when it comes to increased access to covered chiropractic care. Recent legislation expands the ability of veterans to seek a chiropractic physician’s non-drug approach to pain relief but includes a requirement that 50% of all Veterans hospital districts include access to chiropractic care. If you’re a veteran who wants a healthcare career, why not become a chiropractor?
It’s not surprising that veterans want to explore how to become a chiropractor after leaving the service. Most veterans already know the value of a chiropractor. Medicare and Tricare patient polls indicate veterans seeking a chiropractor’s non-pharmacological approach to spine care give satisfaction ratings nearing 90%.
A 2016 study by the Veterans Administration showed an 822% increase in the number of patients seen in its chiropractic clinics from 2004 to 2015. Plus, in the U.S. alone, back and neck pain, joint pain, headaches other musculoskeletal complaints affect nearly 45 million people yearly.
Another reason to become a chiropractor is the increasing body of evidence that chiropractic care is effective. You may have missed hearing about it, but new guidelines from the American College of Physicians (ACP) and a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) advocate first treating pain conservatively, including proper spinal alignment as performed by chiropractors.
Did you realize chiropractors are at the forefront of the move toward integrative care? The profession’s collaborative, whole-person-centered approach means finding the right combination of specialists and treatments for effective patient care. According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), this focus leads to clinical efficiency, patient satisfaction, and cost savings.
The appeal of earning a Doctor of Chiropractic degree means you appreciate:
If you’re a veteran seeking a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, you also have financial aid options beyond any scholarships, federal and private loans, or grants. The G.I. Bill.® (and the enhancements in the GI Forever Bill)® offer tremendous advantages you should explore.
Universities that choose to participate in the VA’s Yellow Ribbon Program can open the way for the Veterans Administration to pay tuition and fee expenses that exceed the maximum amounts specified by the Post-9/11 GI Bill ®.
New benefits of the program will include:
The decision to become a Doctor of Chiropractic is a very personal one. If it sounds right to you, it’s good to know chiropractors have the third-highest salary outlook among physician-level professionals – the median salary for experienced chiropractors is more than $145,000, according to Salary.com.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 10% job growth for the profession through at least 2031.
Chiropractors hold a Doctor of Chiropractic degree (D.C.) from an institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the same organization that issues accreditation for schools of medicine. The number of “clock” hours is similar – more than 4,200. Interestingly, chiropractic school includes more hours in anatomy, physiology, and the basic sciences.
A D.C. program takes 3.3 years using a year-round, tri-semester schedule. Most students accepted into a chiropractic school have already earned at least 90 college hours or an undergraduate degree, usually in the sciences or with a “pre-health care” focus.
In addition to classwork, there’s laboratory training, clinical experience, and an internship. Licensing is achieved through the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE).
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a private, nonprofit, chiropractic, and health sciences university in Overland Park, Kansas, a vibrant, highly rated suburb of the Kansas City metro. Founded in 1922, the University’s mission is educating and developing leaders in health promotion.
CUKC is a participant in the VA’s Yellow Ribbon Program, which provides qualifying students educational support beyond those provided through GI Bill® programs.
In addition to the Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree, students may earn a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology degree while completing the D.C. degree through a combined B.S./D.C. program.
CUKC also has multiple Force Sensing Technology Tables (FSTT) in our Technique Simulation Lab, which improves students’ mastery of effective adjustment techniques by displaying and recording the amount of adjusting force being applied.
CUKC also helps its chiropractic students prepare for business through its Success Strategies seminars and club. Participants receive guidance, resources, and materials to help them:
Get your questions answered. Request the free eBook, Your Complete Guide to the Chiropractic Profession today!
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
