This is the second in a three-part series on the chiropractic profession.
Part 1: Chiropractic: Healing with a Human Touch
Part 2: Chiropractic Education: Do You Have What it Takes?
Becoming a doctor of chiropractic is among the most rewarding professions one can pursue. A chiropractic education allows you to help others live a more productive life. Each day offers a level of personal satisfaction that is unmatched by most other professions. In part 1 of this series, we learned that chiropractors focus on maintaining proper spinal alignment and joint function to aid in the restoration, preservation, and optimization of health.
When considering any career, the appropriate amount of research is necessary to know if it’s right for you, and if so, how you can make it happen.
How to Become a Doctor of Chiropractic
Just as medical doctors devote several years to their education, the same can be said for chiropractic education. Candidates for the Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree are required to have 90 semester hours of undergraduate coursework, with 24 of those hours being in life and physical sciences with labs. Those entering a chiropractic program often have an undergraduate degree in a health sciences field, such as kinesiology, exercise science, or biology.
It’s not uncommon for those with other degree majors to be admitted, but those lacking the appropriate science courses would be required to complete these prerequisite classes as a condition of admission.
There are 15 educational institutions offering the D.C. degree at locations around the United States. Each is accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE), a nonprofit entity recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
A Look Inside the Chiropractic Degree
The core competencies within chiropractic education are challenging and include numerous classes in the basic sciences, including:
Clinical science courses include diagnosis, skeletal radiology, clinical neurology, physical examination and chiropractic adjustive technique and case management.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, the time spent by chiropractic students in classrooms, labs, and the clinical setting totals a minimum of 4,200 hours. Chiropractic education is remarkably similar to that of a medical student in all areas except pharmacology, which is not part of the practice for the doctor of chiropractic.
A clinical internship component must also be completed during the senior year of study. Then, similar to medical students, chiropractic students must also pass state board exams to become licensed to provide patient care.
Reasons to Consider the Chiropractic Profession
The degree is a rigorous program and not one to be taken lightly, but with desire and commitment, it is a career that has many advantages, including:
Most importantly those with a chiropractic education will enjoy the genuine gratitude of men, women and children of all ages: chiropractors treat more than 44 million people every year in the U.S. alone.
The Doctor of Chiropractic Degree at CUKC
If you are serious about helping others and help move toward non-opioid ways of relieving pain, perhaps a career as a doctor of chiropractic is a better path for you. Cleveland University-Kansas City has been educating healthcare professionals for nearly a century and has more than 8,000 chiropractic alumni practicing in all 50 states and overseas.
For more detailed information, contact the Office of Admissions. Click on the button below to request the FREE ebook, Your Complete Guide to the Chiropractic Profession.
