Chiropractor

Job Description:

Chiropractors manipulate joints, bones and soft tissue to help clients control pain or prevent injuries from re-occurring.

Job Category:

Health Care & Social Assistance

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What you will do:

As a chiropractor you could:

talk to client’s about their symptoms, make sure their condition is suitable for treatment and design a treatment programme
treat back, leg, neck and shoulder pain
help clients with sports injuries, poor posture or joint and muscle pain
carry out examinations like X-rays or blood tests
give advice on lifestyle, diet and exercise to support recovery

Skills:

You’ll need:

knowledge of how the human body works (human anatomy, endocrinology, musculoskeletal, neuropatholgy and neurophysiology for example)
customer service skills
thinking and reasoning skills
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

As well as:

sensitivity and understanding
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations (leadership skills)
to be thorough and pay attention to detail (organisational skills)
the ability to work well with others (teamwork skills & people skills)
excellent verbal communication skills
ability to manage time

Illustration of employee looking at workspace

Entry Requirements:

To become a Chiropractor, you will typically need to complete extensive post-secondary education and meet specific prerequisites, including coursework in science and biology. While there are no specific subjects required, the following subjects can be beneficial in preparing for the educational path leading to a chiropractic career:

Science Subjects: courses in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics can provide a solid foundation in the sciences, which is essential for understanding human anatomy, physiology, and related concepts that are crucial in chiropractic education.
Mathematics (Maths): Basic math skills are important for various aspects of chiropractic practice, including managing patient records, understanding research data, and financial aspects of running a chiropractic clinic.
English Language: Effective communication skills, including written and verbal communication, are essential for interacting with patients and documenting their medical histories and treatment plans.
Physical Education (PE): Courses related to physical education and fitness can provide a basic understanding of exercise, physical health, and wellness, which are concepts integral to chiropractic care.

Post School

You can get into this job through a university course.

University

You’ll need to do a degree or postgraduate master’s course.

Volunteering

You’ll need to get paid or voluntary experience of working with a chiropractor before applying for a course.

You’ll also find it useful to get experience of working in healthcare. You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator at your local public hospital trust for more advice.

Working Hours and Environment:

A typical week consists of 37-39 hours of work. You could be required to work in your own business managing your own hours.

You could work in a therapy clinic.

Career Path & Progression:

Most chiropractors are self employed.

With experience you could:

set up your own practice
move into education or research
specialise in an area like sports medicine, rehabilitation or neurology