Why Chiropractors are Doctors and How to Become One

Communications Staff

Posted November 6, 2017

Most complex topics defy easy yes and no answers. One such question when considering health care professions is “Are chiropractors doctors?” Of course, the answer is “yes” when you have a solid knowledge of the profession, know the benefits chiropractic patients get, and what research says.

For many, the term doctor refers to a person who holds a medical doctor (M.D.) degree, which means med school, an internship, a residency, and a license. Because chiropractors do not have an M.D. degree, they aren’t medical doctors. They are doctors of chiropractic care – professionals who care about people and dedicated to providing non-invasive, personalized care and treatment.

How Chiropractors are Doctors

Chiropractors hold a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree from an institution that’s accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the same organization that issues accreditation for medical schools.

Medical doctors and doctors of chiropractic are also similar because graduates in both M.D. and D.C. schools have:

• Earned an undergraduate degree with a focus on the sciences or a “pre-med” emphasis
• Received a four-year healthcare degree from an accredited healthcare college or university
• Proved their competence in working with patients
• Obtained the required license to practice by passing an exam
• Continuing education requirements.

A Specialized Education, Extensive Clinical Experience

A chiropractic degree is focused on the diagnosis, care, and prevention of disorders of the spine and other parts of the musculoskeletal system. That’s why chiropractic education is intensive in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, and human biology. Doctors of chiropractic study spinal anatomy in-depth and learn to diagnose neuromusculoskeletal conditions. This depth of study is more evidence that chiropractors are doctors.

An undergraduate degree, usually in the sciences, is a good start to this career. After acceptance into a chiropractic school, students take on at least 4,200 hours of education, covering classroom and laboratory time, as well as clinical time with patients. In fact, the emphasis on hands-on techniques in chiropractic care demands extensive experience in working with patients.

Chiropractic students, along with patient care experience through internships or at area treatment facilities, do additional work in labs, independent and group study projects, and research studies.

Satisfaction: A Chiropractic Degree Delivers Results

Medical care may be more well-known, but research continues to also support the benefit of chiropractic care:

• Consumer Reports in June 2016 ranked chiropractic care as the number one “preferred treatment” for low back pain.
• 2017 guidelines from the American College of Physicians recommended “non-pharmacological treatment” for low back pain, including “spinal manipulative therapy.”
• In a 2016 poll of those who had visited a chiropractor in the previous year, 95% said chiropractic treatment was effective, and 97% said they would recommend it to a friend.

Choosing the Right Chiropractic Degree Program

Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a national leader in chiropractic and health sciences education. More than one in every 10 chiropractors in the U.S. received a chiropractic degree from the CUKC College of Chiropractic.

The University offers other degree options: an Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Biological Sciences, a B.S. in Human Biology, plus the Concurrent B.S./D.C. degree program that reduces the total time in school.

CUKC is located in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of 190,000 within the Kansas City metro area. In 2015, Cleveland Chiropractic College expanded into Cleveland University-Kansas City. To learn more about the doctor of chiropractic degree, get our free eBook: Your Complete Guide to the Chiropractic Profession.