Activities	Adjust spinal column and other articulations of the body to correct abnormalities of the human body believed to be caused by interference with the nervous system. Examine patients to determine nature and extent of disorder. Manipulate spine or other involved area. May use supplementary measures, such as exercise, rest, water, light, heat, and nutritional therapy.
Outlook	Faster-than-average-job growth
Median Income	$67,200 per year in 2010
Work Context & Conditions	Chiropractors work in clean, comfortable offices as they provide their service to clients. The average workweek is about 40 hours, although longer hours are not uncommon. Solo practitioners set their own hours but may work evenings or weekends to accommodate patients.
Minimum Education Requirements	D.C. or D.C.M.
Skills	Persuasion, Social Perceptiveness, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Instructing, Active Listening, Service Orientation, Time Management, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination
Abilities	Oral Expression, Problem Sensitivity

Job Category		Healthcare Practitioners & Technical
Job Description		Chiropractors, also known as doctors of chiropractic or chiropractic physicians, diagnose and treat patients whose health problems are associated with the body's muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems, especially the spine. Chiropractors believe interference with these systems impairs normal functions and lowers resistance to disease. They also hold that spinal or vertebral dysfunction alters many important body functions by affecting the nervous system, and that skeletal imbalance through joint or articular dysfunction, especially in the spine, can cause pain. The chiropractic approach to healthcare is holistic, stressing the patient's overall health and wellness. It recognizes that many factors affect health, including exercise, diet, rest, environment, and heredity. Chiropractors provide natural, drugless, nonsurgical health treatments, and rely on the body's inherent recuperative abilities. They also recommend lifestyle changes -- in eating, exercise, and sleeping habits, for example -- to their patients. When appropriate, chiropractors consult with and refer patients to other health practitioners. Like other health practitioners, chiropractors follow a standard routine to secure the information needed for diagnosis and treatment. They take the patient's medical history, conduct physical, neurological, and orthopedic examinations, and may order laboratory tests. X rays and other diagnostic images are important tools because of the emphasis on the spine and its proper function. Chiropractors also employ a postural and spinal analysis common to chiropractic diagnosis. In cases in which difficulties can be traced to involvement of musculoskeletal structures, chiropractors manually adjust the spinal column. Some chiropractors use water, light, massage, ultrasound, electric, and heat therapy. They also may apply supports such as straps, tapes, and braces. Chiropractors counsel patients about wellness concepts such as nutrition, exercise, lifestyle changes, and stress management, but do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. Some chiropractors specialize in sports injuries, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, nutrition, internal disorders, or diagnostic imaging. Many chiropractors are solo or group practitioners who also have the administrative responsibilities of running a practice. In larger offices, chiropractors delegate these tasks to office managers and chiropractic assistants. Chiropractors in private practice are responsible for developing a patient base, hiring employees, and keeping records.
Working Conditions		Chiropractors work in clean, comfortable offices as they provide their service to clients. The average workweek is about 40 hours, although longer hours are not uncommon. Solo practitioners set their own hours but may work evenings or weekends to accommodate patients. Chiropractors, like other health practitioners, are sometimes on their feet for long periods of time. Those who use X-ray technology take appropriate precautions against the dangers of repeated exposure to radiation. Chiropractic requires keen observation to detect physical abnormalities. It also takes considerable hand dexterity to perform adjustments, but not unusual strength or endurance. Chiropractors should be able to work independently and handle responsibility. As in other health-related occupations, empathy, understanding, and the desire to help others are good qualities for dealing effectively with patients.
Salary Range		The median annual wage of chiropractors was $67,200 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,270, and the top 10 percent earned more than $143,670.

Education Required		Becoming a chiropractor requires earning a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree and getting a state license. Doctor of Chiropractic programs take 4 years to complete and require 3 years of previous undergraduate college education for admission. Prospective chiropractors are required to have a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree, a postgraduate professional degree that takes 4 years to complete. Admission to D.C. programs requires at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate education, with courses in the liberal arts and laboratory sciences, such as physics, chemistry, and biology. Although not required, many students earn a bachelor’s degree before going on to a chiropractic program. Chiropractors also may gain master’s degrees in related areas, such as nutrition or sports rehabilitation.  Chiropractic education consists of classroom work in anatomy, physiology, biology, and similar subjects. This work is completed during the first 2 years of a D.C. program. Chiropractic students then get supervised clinical experience, in which they train in spinal manipulation and diagnosis. Following graduation, some chiropractors complete residencies to get additional training in specialty areas, such as chiropractic radiology or pediatrics. The Council on Chiropractic Education has accredited 15 programs to award D.C. degrees.
Recommended High School Courses		Biology, Mathematics, English, Chemistry, Physics
Postsecondary Instructional Programs		Education and Training, Therapy and Counseling, Biology, Customer and Personal Service, Medicine and Dentistry
Certification and Licensing		All states and the District of Columbia require chiropractors to be licensed. Although specific requirements vary by state, all jurisdictions require the completion of an accredited Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) program. All jurisdictions also require passing exams, either their own specific exams or those administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners or both. These exams include written tests and, usually, a practical evaluation. States usually require continuing education to keep the license. Check with your state’s board of chiropractic examiners or health department for more specific information on licensure.

Interest Area		Investigative Involves working with ideas and requires an extensive amount of thinking. Realistic Involves working on practical, hands-on problems and solutions, often with real-world materials, tools, and machinery.
Work Values		Social Status Looked up to by others in their company and their community. Achievement Get a feeling of accomplishment. Social Service Do things for other people. Creativity Try out your own ideas. Security Have steady employment. Ability Utilization Make use of individual abilities. Working Conditions Good working conditions. Activity Busy all the time. Autonomy Plan work with little supervision. Recognition Receive recognition for the work you do. Compensation Get paid well in comparison with other workers. Responsibility Make decisions on your own.
Skills		Persuasion Persuade others to approach things differently. Social Perceptiveness Be aware of others' reactions and understand why they react the way they do. Monitoring Assess how well someone is doing when learning or doing something. Critical Thinking Use logic and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches. Instructing Teach others how to do something. Active Listening Listen to what other people are saying and ask questions as appropriate. Service Orientation Actively look for ways to help people. Time Management Manage one's own time and the time of others. Active Learning Work with new material or information to grasp its implications. Complex Problem Solving Solving novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings. Judgment and Decision Making Be able to weigh the relative costs and benefits of a potential action. Coordination Adjust actions in relation to others' actions.
Abilities		Oral Expression Able to convey information and ideas through speech in ways that others will understand. Problem Sensitivity Able to tell when something is wrong or likely to go wrong. This doesn't involve solving the problem, just recognizing that there is a problem.

Related Jobs		Therapist, Physical, Optometrist, Technician, Emergency Medical, and Paramedic, Dentist, Orthodontist, Therapist, Occupational, Physician Assistant, Dentist, Podiatrist, Therapist, Respiratory, Technician or Technologist, Veterinary, Nurse, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational
Job Outlook		Employment of chiropractors is expected to increase by 28 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. Chiropractors held about 52,600 jobs in 2010. People across all age groups are increasingly seeking chiropractic care, because most chiropractors treat patients without performing surgery or prescribing drugs. Chiropractic treatment of the back, neck, limbs, and joints has become more accepted as a result of research and changing attitudes about alternative healthcare.    The aging of the large baby-boom generation will lead to new opportunities for chiropractors, because older adults are more likely to experience musculoskeletal and joint problems. Demand for chiropractic treatment is related to the ability of patients to pay, either directly or through health insurance. Although more insurance plans now cover chiropractic services, the extent of such coverage varies among plans. Chiropractors must educate communities about the benefits of chiropractic care to establish a successful practice.
More Information		International Chiropractors Association, World Chiropractic Alliance, American Chiropractic Association
References		Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Chiropractors, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/chiropractors.htm O*NET OnLine, on the Internet at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/29-1011.00