How to Become a Chiropractor in Taylorsville
Have you ever wanted to become a chiropractor? Maybe, you just want to know what your chiropractor had to do in order to become one. Well, that’s what we’re here to talk about. Chiropractors specialize in the treatment of the neck and spine, including alignments, massage and pain relief. What exactly does it take to become a chiropractor? How much education and training does it take? Well let’s find out…
Requirements to Become a Taylorsville, UT Chiropractor
Education
Chiropractors are not medical doctors. They do require a great amount of education and training in order to get their proper certifications. Before being able to enroll in a specialized chiropractic school, you must have at least 90 undergraduate credit hours. While doing the undergraduate hours, it’s important that you study the right courses. I suggest taking classes such as anatomy, organic chemistry, biology, communications, humanities, English, and math. These are classes that will help you throughout your chiropractic training. If you plan to open your own chiropractic practice, it would also be wise to take some undergraduate business and accounting classes.
Licensing and training
In order to become a licensed chiropractor, you must put in at least 4200 hours of combined lab, clinical, and classroom experience. Chiropractic schools are typically 4-year schools the first 2 years are usually devoted to classroom training, focusing on biology, anatomy, physiology, pathology, and microbiology. The last 2 years are devoted to hands on learning.
Hands on learning
In your last 2 years of chiropractic schooling, you will do a lot more in person training. This is where you will learn how to adjust and manipulate the spine and other joints. At this time you will also learn how to diagnose patients. You’ll also take more specialized classes like physiotherapy, nutrition, orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics and geriatrics. At this time, you will also complete your clinical hours and work with a licensed, trained chiropractor helping actual patients.
Graduation and state testing
Upon completion of chiropractic school, chiropractors are given the degree of D.C. which stands for Doctor of Chiropractic. The next step is to complete their state and national chiropractic exams. You can then become a licensed chiropractor and start accumulating your own patients. You can also choose to specialize in certain areas of chiropractic service. These areas include radiology, family practice, neurology, pediatrics, sports medicine, nutrition, rehabilitation, and orthopedics.
Work and continuing education
Once you’ve completed your education, training, and licensing, the next step is to start working. You can either go to work for a chiropractor or you can open your own practice. Nearly all states require chiropractors to complete a certain number of continuing education credits every year in order to maintain their licenses.
Being a chiropractor can take a lot of work but if you truly enjoy helping people and improving their quality of life, it’s absolutely worth it. I’ve never regretted my decision to become a chiropractor because of the impact I’ve made on other people’s lives. If you want to become a chiropractor, hopefully this blog will help you learn what it takes. If you don’t want to become a chiropractor, hopefully this inspired you to change your mind or, at the very least, appreciate your chiropractor more.
Dan Berlin is the owner of Berlin Chiropractic in Taylorsville, UT and spent years learning his craft in order to ensure that all of his patients enjoy higher quality of life and comfort. For more information, please visit http://berlinchiropractic.com/new-patient-center.html.