When you seek out any sort of medical care, you want to be assured that your provider has the right training and credentials. As you consider visiting a chiropractic doctor, you may be wondering what qualifications they need to have before they can practice. Knowing this can assure you of quality care and help you choose a fully qualified chiropractor.
Education Requirements
Doctors of Chiropractic first attend undergraduate education and complete a bachelor’s degree. To prepare themselves for Chiropractic College, they often major in the sciences. Courses in biology, chemistry, and even physics are required pre-requisites. Additionally, because they will be working with people, chiropractors often take classes in communication and interpersonal relations to build skills in these areas.
A Chiropractic Doctor then typically attends at least four years of advanced education in an accredited program. During Chiropractic College, chiropractors study many areas including anatomy, physiology, spinal biomechanics, orthopedics, and physiotherapy. They also receive general medical training including learning about pathology, histology, and radiology. They learn to use tools and technology to help achieve the best client outcomes.
If you associate chiropractic care with just the back and spine, you may be wondering why chiropractors learn about so many different areas during their time in school. In fact, Doctors of Chiropractic are trained to address the entire human body. Many could be considered generalists in their knowledge of health and medical care. They are also trained to work with different ages and populations.
Training and Licensure
After receiving their education, Doctors of Chiropractic must complete a clinical internship of approximately 1000 hours. This allows them to develop applied experiences and practice, while under supervision. After that is completed, then chiropractors must complete national and state licensing certification exams. These are rigorous and similar to the exams taken by other medical doctors.
Develop Specializations
Doctors of Chiropractic are given general training and they can also choose to specialize in specific areas. Some choose to specialize with certain age groups such as children or older adults. Others specialize in treating sports injuries or helping people with complex back conditions. Some also develop specializations in massage or alternative medicine. Others focus on prevention with the aim to promote back health and chiropractic care so that more people will access and utilize services.
Continuing Education
Many states and jurisdictions require Doctors of Chiropractic to continue their education even after graduation and licensure. They must complete so many classes annually or before they can renew their license. This allows them to review aspects of their training they may not use very often, and keeps them up-to-date on new advances in the field. It’s also a way for them to continue developing additional specializations to expand their skills and practice.
What you need to know
If you are considering chiropractic care or have been referred to a Chiropractic Doctor by your general practitioner, you want to make sure you are working with a reputable doctor. Many now have websites to learn about them and their training. When you schedule an appointment, you can also ask about where they were trained and whether they are actively licensed.
Understanding the training and qualifications of a chiropractor can help you understand the breadth and depth of their training, and promote greater trust and appreciation of chiropractic service.
Dr. Hawkins earned his BA in Psychology at Rhodes College, and his Doctor of Chiropractic from Life West Chiropractic College.
