When you’re interested in a healthcare career, a chiropractic degree (D.C. – Doctor of Chiropractic) deserves consideration. Evidence shows that where chiropractic services are included as part of a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, there is a shift from a high-cost, high-tech, low-patient satisfaction model to a low-cost, low-tech, high-patient satisfaction model.
Multidisciplinary healthcare means using healthcare professionals from various fields to deliver comprehensive care that addresses as many of the patient’s needs as possible. This whole-person approach to care ensures comprehensive, coordinated care by doctors of chiropractic, medical doctors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners.
Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) are primary healthcare professionals focused on the diagnosis, care, and prevention of disorders of the spine and other parts of the musculoskeletal system and the associated effects of disorders on the nervous system and general health.
In a Journal of the American Medical Association article, one clinical trial demonstrated that chiropractic care combined with traditional medical care for low back pain provided greater pain relief and reduced disability better than medical care alone.
Employers across the country are taking a more direct approach to improving the health and well-being of their employees by providing access to on-site corporate health clinics.
A U.S. Dept. of Labor/Dept. of Health and Human Services report found 80% of businesses with 50+ employees offered corporate wellness programs. Employer-funded on-site care programs providing chiropractic services include Google, Cisco Systems Inc., Cerner Corporation, and Amazon.
This interest by the corporate community is driven by favorable outcomes. Chiropractic care can result in lower costs for employee care, reduction in pain, and less reliance on medicines and radiology procedures.
As stated in Chiropractic: A Safe and Cost Effective Approach to Health, Katelyn Johnson, Integrated Health Manager at Cisco Systems, said, “At Cisco’s Life Connections Health Center, having doctors of chiropractic working closely with the medical team has helped reduce our musculoskeletal spend, and patients consistently give high patient satisfaction scores.”
That level of acceptance also extends to the U.S. military and the U.S. Veterans Administration. Today, chiropractic care is available to all eligible U.S. military members and veterans as part of the standard medical benefits package, and care is available at most major medical centers and some outpatient clinics.
1. Focus on life and health sciences classes.
Chiropractic education encompasses more than 4,200 hours of class time, lab sessions, and learning patient care skills. You can be prepared for the fast pace of becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic by focusing on science and life science coursework in high school.
Don’t settle for the minimum – look for advanced biology coursework like “human biology,” plus chemistry, chemistry labs, anatomy, and physiology.
2. Earn a B.S. in biology, human biology, or exercise science.
Common preparation for a chiropractic degree is the Bachelor of Science in Biology. However, due to the complexity of the human body and its musculoskeletal system, the B.S. in Human Biology offers advantages.
The goal of this specialized degree is to understand the interconnected aspects of the human body’s processes and development.
3. Take a stepped approach.
For some, starting with the basics makes sense, like earning an associate degree in biological sciences, then continuing to a B.S. in Human Biology if being a healthcare professional is your calling.
Always keep your end goal in mind. Most, if not all, pre-med type coursework should transfer to your choice of chiropractic college.
4. Choose your D.C. program and maximize opportunities.
Do all the above, and you’ll be ready for the academic challenges of becoming a doctor of chiropractic. When searching for a chiropractic college, expect yours to have faculty invested in seeing students succeed and a supportive university environment.
Participating in student clubs, asking questions in class, joining a study group, and pursuing shadowing opportunities are a few ways to get all you can from a chiropractic education.
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUIC) is a nonprofit, private, chiropractic and health sciences university in Overland Park, Kansas, within the Kansas City metro area.
For more than 100 years, CUKC has been educating and developing leaders in health promotion. More than 11,500 alumni have earned their Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree through the CUKC College of Chiropractic.
To meet the prerequisites for our chiropractic degree, CUKC offers an A.A.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.S. in Human Biology. Some CUKC students choose our B.S./D.C. degree program, where they earn a B.S. in Human Biology while concurrently completing the Doctor of Chiropractic program. This program can reduce time in school by up to a year.
Points of distinction of our D.C. program:
For a comprehensive look at earning a chiropractic degree, request information now to receive our FREE eBook: Your Complete Guide to the Chiropractic Profession.
