Doctor of Chiropractic Degree: See if it’s a Good Fit for You

Trying to figure out your best role in today’s healthcare landscape? According to the article How to Choose a Healthcare Career That Perfectly Fits You, the process demands asking the right questions, fully exploring the healthcare industry, and getting information from reputable sources. Among the 200-plus healthcare choices are earning a doctor of chiropractic degree. One way to get a complete picture of this profession is to look at data collected from the 2020 Practice Analysis of Chiropractic report.

A True Picture of the Doctor of Chiropractic Degree, Profession

The 150+ page Practice Analysis report is published by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE). The NBCE establishes and maintains the standards of excellence required in the chiropractic profession and chiropractic education.

For chiropractic students, the NBCE scores the standardized exams that assess knowledge, higher-level cognitive abilities, and problem-solving in basic science and clinical science subjects. Chiropractic college students take various parts of the exam during their time in school.

Data gathered via the NBCE report is designed “to provide an overview of chiropractic and its growing importance and effectiveness as a healthcare profession.”

Defining the Doctor of Chiropractic Degree 

Chiropractors approach patient care in a way that’s very much like conventional medicine. Chiropractors first review the patient’s health history, perform a comprehensive examination, initiate tests if conditions indicate, and develop a working diagnosis. They then recommend therapies to maintain and restore function or reduce or eliminate pain from the source.

Chiropractic colleges focus on patient assessment and diagnosis and teaching students conservative, non-pharmaceutical solutions. These solutions may include manual treatments to address biomechanical dysfunction, constructive exercise, nutrition and lifestyle changes, posture improvements, and wellness counseling.

Although chiropractors most often treat problems related to the musculoskeletal system, they refer patients to other healthcare professionals when symptoms or conditions indicate it’s best for the patient.

The Practice Analysis report is full of intriguing data about the chiropractic profession. When choosing the “right fit” for a healthcare career, examining these facts and figures should help any interested in a healthcare career make a better decision.

Points of Information About the Chiropractic Career

Here are 13 key takeaways from the NBCE’s 2020 Practice Analysis report:

• Earning a Doctor of Chiropractic degree leads to a licensed and regulated healthcare profession. Chiropractors are licensed to practice in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Colombia, and all U.S. territories.
• There are approximately 103,500 chiropractors worldwide. About 74% of them (77,000) practice in the U.S.
• Doctors of chiropractic in the U.S. are portal-of-entry providers. This designation means chiropractors can serve as primary care providers – no need for a referral from another health professional.
• Underserved and rural areas in the U.S. that are typically first affected by healthcare professional shortages benefit from the inclusion of chiropractic care.
• 15.1% of chiropractors are employed by a multidisciplinary healthcare facility. A multidisciplinary scope to care uses and coordinates health professionals from various specialties to improve patient outcomes.
• More than 65% of those choosing the chiropractic career put wellness and maintenance of health as the focus of their practice.
• Chiropractors spend 64.3% of their office hours in patient care and treatment. In contrast, an American Medical Association study showed that physicians spend 52.9% of their time directly discussing patient concerns.
• Just over one-third (31.2%) of chiropractors practice in small cities or towns. Another 5.4% chose to practice chiropractic in rural areas.
• Healthcare systems integrating chiropractic services may see decreased clinical use, lower costs, and improved health outcomes compared with conventional medical approaches.
• The Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) is recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education as the accrediting agency for chiropractic college programs.
• As noted in the NBCE report, Doctor of Chiropractic degree programs is subject to “key quality indicators” covering mission, planning, faculty, student admission standards, and student support services. Chiropractic colleges are also subject to regular re-accreditation. (Learn more about the CCE accreditation process here.)
• It’s typical for health insurance plans to cover chiropractic, the report says, but coverage may be partial rather than complete. According to the American Chiropractic Association, more than 80% of U.S. healthcare plans offer chiropractic services. Also included are reimbursements through Medicare, most state Medicaid Acts, Workers’ Compensation programs, and other federal agencies.

Earn Your Doctor of Chiropractic Degree at Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC)

ClevelandUniversity-Kansas City (CUKC) is a private, nonprofit, chiropractic and health sciences university in Overland Park, Kansas, a large suburban city within the Kansas City metro. Through our full-year trimester schedule, most students earn their Doctor of Chiropractic degree (D.C.) in 3.3 years.

Features of the CUKC College of Chiropractic:

• Students begin hands-on classes as early as the first trimester.
• Students have access to a Techniques lab using force-sensing technology tables.
• Students learn a variety of manual techniques to treat a full scope of patient conditions.
• After students intern in the on-campus student chiropractic clinic, they advance to serving the public at the CUKC Chiropractic Health Center under the guidance of licensed chiropractic clinicians.
• Students can enter the program in spring, summer, or fall.

Request information on our Doctor of Chiropractic degree here and get this free eBook: Your Complete Guide to the Chiropractic Profession.