How to Become a Chiropractic Assistant: You Can Have a Great Career in the Healthcare Field

This could be YOU!

Do you love helping others? Are you interested in joining the rapidly growing healthcare field, but not as a nurse or doctor? Wondering if there are any medical careers that don't involve blood? If surgery and injections aren't really your thing, don't give up; consider a career as a Chiropractic Assistant!

What is a Chiropractic Assistant (CA)? Similar to a Medical Assistant, the CA is the man or woman who assists the chiropractor. Here are some job duties you may perform as a Chiropractic Assistant:

- Assist the Chiropractor with adjustments by holding a patient in place if needed

- Perform various forms of therapy on patients, including Electrotherapy, Ultrasound, Spinal Decompression, Heat, Ice, and Traction

- Help individuals who have been in a car accident fill out an accident report

- Prepare files for lawyers and car insurance companies (to be used for disability claims and accident settlements)

- Verify health insurance benefits and file insurance claims

- Assist with X-Rays if needed

- Light medical transcription (this is where a knowledge of medical terminology will come in handy)

- Teach patients how to avoid injuries with stretches and simple exercises

- Wash and dry towels and gowns (if you work at a busy practice, you will do this MANY times a day)

- Disinfect tables (beds)

- Remove needles if working for a chiropractor who performs acupuncture


Still interested in becoming a Chiropractic Assistant? Not all states require (or even offer) formal training for this position, so it can be hard to figure out where to begin. Follow the steps below for tips on how to become a Chiropractic Assistant!

Things You'll Need

• intelligence
• compassion
• a sincere desire to help others
• a basic knowledge of medical terminology, particularly terms related to the neck and back

Instructions

1. 

   Enroll in a Medical Terminology course at your local college or tech school.

   This class is often offered to individuals seeking a medical certificate, as well as those interested in receiving a degree, so it should be easy to find a location offering this course. If you are having trouble getting into a class in your own state, Medical Terminology is a course that is also offered online at numerous colleges and universities.

   If all else fails, just buy a textbook and familiarize yourself with the terms.

2. 

   After completing the course with a "B" or better (because seriously, if you can't earn an "A" or a "B" in Medical Terminology, you should probably retake the course or reconsider a career in the medical field...harsh, but true), ask yourself if you still want to be a Chiropractic Assistant.

   If the answer is yes, proceed to the next step. If the answer is no, that's okay; not everybody wants to work for a chiropractor. You will find your calling eventually.

3. 

   Create a resume and a cover letter (yes, I know that you do not have any jobs to apply for yet...we'll get to that later).

   If you have medical experience, mention that. If not, use your cover letter to brag about how well you did in your Medical Terminology course. Mention any qualities and traits that make you a great potential CA, such as compassion, intelligence, and a strong work ethic.

   DO NOT SLACK ON YOUR COVER LETTER OR RESUME. Years ago, almost 50 people applied for a position at a local chiropractor's office. Want to know who got the position? ME. Want to know why? The doctor said he loved my "well-written cover letter".

4. 

   Do you have an awesome cover letter and resume ready to go? Good. Now it's time to find a job!

   But how do you find a job as a Chiropractic Assistant? I'm not going to lie; it isn't easy. Chiropractic care is becoming more popular, but it's still a lot easier to find work as a traditional Medical Assistant.

   Begin your job hunt by using Craigslist (a link is provided below under "Resources"). Craigslist is used by many alternative healthcare practitioners to list job openings. If that doesn't work, try your local newspaper or a job site designed specifically for your state (larger sites such as Monster and CareerBuilder usually don't have job listings for Chiropractic Assistants).

5. 

   No luck with Craigslist or the newspaper? It's time to network!

   Tell everybody you know that you are interested in becoming a Chiropractic Assistant. This may sound silly to you, but many people get great jobs by networking. Your mom's best friend's neighbor might just be the patient of a chiropractor who happens to be looking for a new CA. You never know.

6. 

   If Craigslist, newspapers, and networking are not getting you any closer to a career as a Chiropractic Assistant, visit every chiropractor in your area.

   DO NOT CALL, as chiropractors are often insanely busy (the one I worked for saw as many as 70 patients in one day). Stop by with a copy of your resume and cover letter, and drop them off at the front desk. Try to target newer practices, as the chiropractor might be overloaded (chiropractors often try to do everything on their own, without an assistant, when they first open a practice) and ready to hire additional help.

7. 

   Still not employed as a Chiropractic Assistant? Stay busy while you are waiting for an opportunity to come along!

   When I say "stay busy", I don't mean take shots of vodka and hit the clubs. Stay busy by working, particularly in a related field. Consider getting a job in a nursing home (over 50% of chiropractic patients are elderly), or volunteer to help individuals with disabilities. When you finally receive a call from a chiropractor, you'll have some great things to talk about during your interview!

Tips & Warnings

• Consider taking a CPR and First Aid class in addition to your Medical Terminology course.

• Do NOT give up if you cannot find employment right away!

• Many states do not require training or certification for Chiropractic Assistants; however, you may want to research the laws for your state!

• A career as a CA is very rewarding, but it can also be stressful. If you cannot handle long days on your feet, this is not the job for you.

Resources

• Craigslist
• More from this author, Missy Nolan