Why Chiropractors are Doctors and How to Become One

Communications Staff

Most complex topics defy easy yes and no answers. When considering healthcare professions, you might find yourself asking, “Are chiropractors doctors?” The answer is is “yes” when you have the facts about the profession, know the benefits chiropractic patients get, what research says about chiropractic care, and the next-level education chiropractors receive.

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 are devoted to providing non-invasive, personalized care and treatment.

Chiropractors study many of the same subjects and M.D.s, such as anatomy, physiology, microbiology, radiology, orthopedics, etc. The number of contact hours (classes, labs, patient experience time) for chiropractic students is similar to medical school students, more than 4,500 hours.

How Chiropractors are Doctors

Chiropractors hold a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree from an institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the same organization that issues accreditation for medical schools. By the time they graduate with their Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree, chiropractic students will have passed all parts of the rigorous National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) Exam.

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. Typical undergrad degrees are human biology, biology, exercise science, or kinesiology.
• Received a four-year healthcare degree from an accredited healthcare college or university. However, some chiropractic colleges have combined B.S./D.C. programs to shorten the total time in college by up to a year.
• Proved their competence in working with patients, which often begins in year one.
• Obtained the required state license to practice
• Continuing education requirements.

Chiropractors are designated as physician-level providers in most state and federal Medicare programs. The essential services provided by chiropractors are also available in national health delivery systems, including those administered by Medicaid, the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense, Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, Federal Workers’ Compensation, and all state workers’ compensation programs.

Chiropractors: Specialized Education, Extensive Clinical Experience

A doctor of chiropractic degree focuses on diagnosing and preventing disorders of the spine and other parts of the musculoskeletal system. 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.

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. As chiropractic students gain knowledge and skills, they advance from a student clinic to treating patients in a public clinic supervised by a licensed clinician.

Key Facts About Chiropractic Care

Ongoing evidence-based research supports the role of chiropractic care in meeting patient care expectations and helping to lower healthcare costs.

• Since 2017, the American College of Physicians has issued guidelines recommending “non-pharmacological treatment” for low back pain, including manual spinal therapy.
• In a Gallup/Palmer 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.
• A review published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2017 supported manual therapies by chiropractors as a first-line treatment for acute low-back pain.
• The Joint Commission, an organization that accredits more than 20,000 U.S. healthcare systems, emphasized the value of non-drug approaches by adding chiropractic to its pain management standard.

How to Become a Chiropractor

To apply for chiropractic college, students have an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree or at least 90 semester hours of college courses in the following areas:

• 6 hours of English or Communications
• 3 hours of Psychology
• 12 hours of Humanities or Social Sciences courses
• 24 hours of Life and Physical Sciences courses are appropriate for chiropractic education. At least half of these courses will have a substantive laboratory component. Coursework to include:
  • Biology, Anatomy, and Physiology
  • 8 hours of General and Organic Chemistry (recommended).

Students are expected to have a 3.00 or higher cumulative grade point average. As an example, one chiropractic college states the average GPA of incoming students is 3.27. Selecting chiropractic college is competitive, so the higher a GPA is, the better.

The Chiropractic Degree Program at Cleveland University-Kansas City

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 Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree from our College of Chiropractic.

CUKC is 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. CUKC offers a B.S. in Human Biology that feeds into the chiropractic program and has a B.S./D.C. degree program that reduces the total time in school.

Learn more about our doctor of chiropractic degree by contacting an admissions advisor. You’ll also want to get our free eBook: Your Complete Guide to the Chiropractic Profession.