Career: Chiropractors
Athletes. Dancers. Office workers who sit for long hours each day. Movers who lift and carry heavy furniture. These are just some of the people who suffer from back- and spine-related injuries. Some consult with medical doctors, but others prefer the expertise of chiropractors because of their overall approach to health.
Chiropractors evaluate and treat a patient’s muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems. They also explore how diet, exercise, environment, and heredity contribute to a patient's pain and injuries.
Chiropractors assess the total health of their patients and use nonsurgical, drug-free treatment methods that include manipulating the spinal column.
Did You Know?
- Some chiropractors specialize in areas such as sports injuries, pediatrics, or nutrition.
Are You Ready To...?
- Treat patients with therapeutic techniques, including water, electricity, heat, massage, and ultrasound
- Encourage patients to adopt better eating, exercise, and stress-management practices
- Take classes throughout your career to keep up with advances in the field
- Work long hours, sometimes in the evenings and on weekends
It Helps to Be...
A compassionate, careful, and thoughtful observer as well as a good detective. You’ll need to read between the lines and ask the right questions to understand a patient’s overall health.
Make High School Count
- Take plenty of math and science classes including AP® courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and calculus.
- Sign up for psychology to study human nature and learn about the mind-body relationship.
- Enhance your communication skills through English composition, drama, and speech classes.
- Volunteer at a health clinic, hospital, rehabilitation center, or chiropractic office.
Did You Know?
- Many chiropractors who own their own practice or are part of a group practice take on some of the administrative tasks of running a business.
Outlook
Government economists expect jobs for chiropractors to grow faster than the average for all careers though 2014. Consumer demand for alternatives to traditional Western medicine makes chiropractic care increasingly appealing. An aging population of Americans with structural problems and injuries may also increase the demand for chiropractors.
Though many insurance plans now cover chiropractic services, the extent of the coverage and the ability of patients to pay remain key factors for future employment opportunities.
Compensation
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that chiropractors earned an average salary of $81,390 in 2007.
Self-employed chiropractors usually earn more than salaried chiropractors, although they must provide for their own health insurance and retirement. The geographic location of a practice will influence both costs and earnings.
