More and more young people are pursuing educations in natural healing, and at the top of the list is the Doctor of Chiropractic degree, the D.C.
With this four-year professional course of post-graduate study, chiropractors can start or buy a private practice, associate with an established practice, or fulfill any number of different professional opportunities, like teaching, speaking, running for office, writing, or marketing, among many others.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that chiropractic employment is expected to grow 17% from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Because the health care consumer is more interested than ever in natural and alternative healing approaches, becoming a chiropractor is an increasingly wise career choice.
Practicing chiropractic requires a doctorate, and most chiropractic schools accept students with either an undergraduate science degree or at least sufficient exposure to the basic sciences to succeed in the program. It’s a demanding educational process, but it’s the most interesting and awe-inspiring material you can learn about, the inner workings of the human body and how the brain and body function together to create good health.
Chiropractors are trained in anatomy and physiology, the parts of the body and how they operate. They especially concentrate on the brain, spine and nerve system, because this is the central control system of the body, and is the chiropractor’s specialty and primary domain.
Some chiropractors focus on resolving painful conditions like back pain and headaches, while others help their patients with wellness services and lifestyle counseling. Most chiropractic practices do some of each, in addition to many sub-specialties that depend on the doctor’s preferences – sports, personal injury, pediatrics and geriatrics, for example, to name just a few.
Chiropractors study the chemistry of the body, so they are well-equipped to make nutritional recommendations and offer dietary advice.
Chiropractors understand the nerves, muscles and bones, so they are often experts in peak performance, helping athletes to heal from injuries and reach their optimal physical condition.
Chiropractors recognize that the brain must be healthy for the body to be healthy, and through adjustments, nutrition, exercise, counseling and other stress reduction techniques, chiropractors help their patients to get well and stay well, using only natural means.
Chiropractors practice without prescribing drugs and without doing surgery. Instead, chiropractors learn special techniques to help the body to heal naturally and function optimally.
Who becomes a chiropractor?
Most students have earned some kind of undergraduate science degree from a college or university, though some chiropractic colleges will accept students who have simply completed the pre-requisite science courses.
But a significant number of chiropractic students come from the many miracle cases that happen every day in chiropractic offices worldwide. Many patients who were impressed with their results from chiropractic care, or friends and relatives of those patients, made a life decision and changed direction to attend chiropractic college.
There has never been a better time to be a chiropractor – as our population gets older, more and more people are seeking to retain their vitality and extend their lives with the best quality of life available.
Wellness professionals like chiropractors can play a major role in serving the health care needs of many millions of people – if you or someone you know is curious about becoming a doctor of chiropractic, ask your chiropractor for information on the many fine schools that are located throughout the US and around the world.
Everyone who completes a course of chiropractic study can change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of families. Chiropractors help people, often people who couldn’t find help elsewhere – it’s a rapidly growing profession whose doctors can earn a fine living while maintaining fair fees for their patients.
That’s why it’s so great to be a chiropractor – you can be your community’s most trusted wellness advisor, make a significant difference in people’s lives, and help your neighbors to be healthier and live better.
To read why I became a chiropractor – click here. (FYI – I was a “miracle” case. I had so many health issues that I tried chiropractic as a last result, and the rest, as they say, is history!)
