Chiropractor Career
Spinal manipulation and the alleviation of neck and low-back pain is what most people associate with the chiropractic profession. However, chiropractors also work with nearly every part of the human body except the internal organs.
The bones and their accompanying nerves and muscles are all part of the focus of this hands-on physical therapy which is aimed at diagnosing and treating a range of musculoskeletal health problems.
Chiropractor’s offices are similar to doctors offices in professional cleanliness yet are often well appointed with decorative elements to give them more of a relaxed feel. Some practitioners prefer to work out of an office building that includes others, but self-employed and individual chiropractors are much more common. Chiropractors set their own hours, averaging about 40 hours a week plus overtime if desired.
Chiropractor Career Snapshot
Further details on a career as a chiropractor are listed below (statistics from the May 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics and Onet Online):
is the average annual salary for chiropractors.
increase in employment between 2014 and 2024.
have a Doctoral degree while 8% have a Professional degree.
Chiropractor Education
Regulations of the profession vary from state to state but all practitioners must complete at least 3 years of study to earn a bachelor’s degree. The candidate must then earn a 4-year Doctor of Chiropractic degree from a college accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education in order to have a practice.
Chiropractor Job Duties
A chiropractor’s job consists of hands-on manipulation and adjustment of the patient’s body to facilitate better comfort and to encourage the body to heal damage done to those areas. The profession also includes extensive amounts of patient consultation in order to assess the client’s healthcare needs. This helps patients learn how to choose the best diets and physical activities for their optimal health.
Chiropractor Salaries
As of May 2015, the BLS.gov reported that salaries for the chiropractic profession ranged from $31,310 to $140,580; the median annual wage for that year was $64,440. Chiropractors with more time under their belts and whom are either part of a group practice or self-employed tend to make the salaries on the higher end of the scale.
Chiropractor Job Outlook
According to BLS.gov, from 2014 to 2024 the projected growth of the chiropractic profession is 17 percent. Graduating with a Doctorate of Chiropractic puts students in a profession with a 95 percent placement rate for employment. In 2014, only one out of every 1,000 practitioners were out of work. The current move towards the public’s acceptance of alternative medicine plays a large part in helping to fuel the rise in the number of chiropractors.
Chiropractor Skills & Traits
| Chiropractor Skill Set: | Required Abilities: | Tools Used by Chiropractors: | Typical Work Activities: |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Active Listening • Critical Thinking • Reading Comprehension • Speaking • Social Perceptiveness | • Deductive Reasoning • Inductive Reasoning • Oral Comprehension • Oral Expression • Problem Sensitivity | • Head/neck traction supplies • Platforms for rehabilitation • Ophthalmoscopes • Back traction supplies • Physiological recorders | • Caring for Others • Recording Information • Getting Information • Decision Making • Updating Relevant Knowledge |
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