Chiropractor Job Outlook & Growth
Chiropractors deal with problems of the musculoskeletal system. They diagnose and treat these problems in relation to how they affect the overall health and nervous system of the patient. Some deal with only manipulations of the spinal column and how it affects the body.
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School Degree
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Chiropractors must undergo at least 4,200 hours of schooling to receive their doctor of chiropractic (D.C.) degree. Some chiropractors earn bachelor's degrees prior to going to a chiropractic institution or program, but all must complete at least two to fours years of an undergraduate education.
Course Work
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The course work includes two years of learning spinal manipulations and clinical experiences and two years of classes on such topics as pathology, public health, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and microbiology.
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Growth
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The job market for chiropractors is expected to have a 20 percent average growth between the years 2008 and 2018, according to the Occupational Outlook website.
Self-Employed
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Approximately 44 percent of the chiropractors work solo and have their own businesses. Others join practices with a team of doctors or work on staff at hospitals.
Specialties
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Many chiropractors specialize in sports medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, diagnostic imaging, nutrition, internal disorders or neurology.
Wages
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The median salary for a chiropractor in May of 2008 was $66,490 a year, according to the bls.gov website.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Tony
