What is the career path for a chiropractor?

They make adjustments by hand to a patient's back, neck, or other body parts. Chiropractors may also employ specialized tools to make adjustments to a patient. A chiropractor is not a medical doctor but a doctor of chiropractic care.

All chiropractors must attend college, first with an undergraduate program and then at a chiropractic college. Here are some requirements concerning undergraduate degrees for those on the chiropractic career path:

• Must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0-grade scale

• Coursework in natural sciences

• Biology focus

• Physics courses

• Chemistry courses

Most chiropractic colleges require candidates to have majored in a natural science field for their undergraduate degree. After completing undergraduate education, those on the chiropractic career path must:

• Complete chiropractic college

• Obtain a chiropractic license

• Choose a specialty

• Further their chiropractic knowledge

All states require those on this career path to obtain their Doctor of Chiropractic degree and license to legally practice. A candidate must pass the chiropractic certification exam administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) to obtain a license.

Many chiropractors also specialize in a certain area to be a chiropractic expert to specific populations or give their patients additional services. Some common specialties for chiropractors include:

• Female health

• Pediatrics

• Sports medicine

• Rehabilitation

• Pain management

• Nutrition

• Neurology

• Occupational health

• Acupuncture

Most chiropractors seek to open their own private practice, while others may work at specialty clinics or become instructors at chiropractic colleges.