Even when you’re passionately attracted to patient care, you may have some questions about going into a healthcare profession today. Still, healthcare has a great future. There is a healthcare degree that’s proving to be right in line with what today’s patients want… and also is contributing to more efficient, patient-centered healthcare. This degree is the doctor of chiropractic degree (D.C) from a chiropractic college.
There is plenty of evidence that a chiropractic degree — the doctor of chiropractic – fits where today’s healthcare is going. Here are six ways a doctor of chiropractic degree may be what you’re looking for in a healthcare profession.
1. Chiropractic care is comprehensive care.
Spinal adjustments are just part of what chiropractors do. In truth, doctors of chiropractic concentrate on optimizing patient health in many different ways. Chiropractors focus on the preservation and restoration of health, so their approach is a whole-health, biopsychosocial approach, not just a narrow biomedical one. Chiropractic care starts with a comprehensive physical examination. When a problem is diagnosed, the treatment recommendations might include:
2. In a world of specialists, chiropractors are neck/spinal pain specialists.
The emergence of evidence-based studies shows chiropractors are a natural choice for neck, low-back, and other neuromuscular pain and disorders.
In 2017, the American College of Physicians sent out new guidelines for physicians to first treat acute or subacute low-back pain with non-drug therapies such as heat, massage, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation from those with a chiropractic degree.
Jonathan Cluett, M.D., writing for verywellhealth.com, said this: “Chiropractors have been shown to be most effective at treating acute back pain.”
Professional sports teams have also tapped into chiropractic for maintaining or improving performance and recovery from injuries. All 32 National Football League teams have a doctor of chiropractic on their medical staff, as well as 29 of 30 Major League Baseball teams.
3. Chiropractic colleges emphasize multidisciplinary healthcare.
Two things are true about the future of healthcare:
Multidisciplinary teamwork – meaning healthcare practitioners “uniting for the good of the patient” – is not a new concept, as this has been a key aspect of the Mayo Clinic since the early 1900s. When healthcare providers collaborate with other providers outside their own specialty, there are fewer medical errors and patient safety improves.
Medical doctors have the freedom to refer patients to chiropractors for diagnostic or therapeutic services. Meanwhile, chiropractors have a strong record for referring patients to medical doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, radiologists, and other medical specialists.
4. The multidisciplinary approach is a success.
A 2019 report includes examples of the success of multidisciplinary patient care. Another article, titled Paving the Road to Relief, details how the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs is moving to a multi-tiered healthcare approach centered on health and wellness. U.S. legislation enacted in 2018 now includes chiropractic services as a standard, permanent benefit for the nation’s veterans.
5. Most medical insurance plans already include chiropractic coverage.
According to the ACA, as many as 87% of all insured American workers have coverage for chiropractic services in their healthcare plans. All 50 states recognize doctors of chiropractic as primary care providers.
6. In a chiropractic college, it’s 3.3 years to a D.C. degree.
Typically, it takes a bachelor’s degree (or 90 hours minimum) before you can begin chiropractic college. Those who are eager to enter the chiropractic program as early as possible can research articulation agreements for their desired chiropractic college.
Once admitted, most students complete the D.C. degree in as little as 3.3 years. Chiropractic colleges operate on a trimester schedule, and clinical practice is part of the curriculum. After passing all parts of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) exam and obtaining a state license, the doctor of chiropractic is ready for the chiropractic workforce.
The College of Chiropractic at Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC)
Interested in chiropractic college and what it takes to earn a chiropractic degree? Reach out to an advisor at Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC), a nonprofit, private, healthcare-focused university in Overland Park, Kan., a suburb of the Kansas City metro.
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