If you are passionate about helping people lead healthier lives with less pain, a career as a chiropractor could be right for you. With the proper education and training, a vast range of chiropractor careers allow you to put evidence-based chiropractor care into practice to improve patient quality of life.

To determine whether this career path is suited to your interests and goals, gain a better understanding of the various careers in chiropractic healthcare and what they entail.

Introduction to Chiropractic Careers

Whether you’re interested in something more traditional or a role that’s a little less conventional, there are numerous careers related to chiropractic care to explore.

Definition and Scope of Chiropractic Practice

First, it’s helpful to understand exactly what chiropractic care and practice is. Chiropractors are licensed healthcare professionals focused on the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal system injuries and disorders. In most cases, these disorders are related to the spine and vertebrae, though this is not always the case.

Oftentimes, chiropractic care revolves around the proper alignment of joints to minimize unwanted effects, such as pain and inflammation. However, chiropractic care can also be used to improve mobility and even overall quality of life.

Specializations in Chiropractic

Within the overarching field of chiropractic care, there are many specializations or areas of expertise. Chiropractors may choose to focus their studies on these specific areas of chiropractic medicine as a means of advancing their careers and pursuing more specialized roles.

According to the American Board of Chiropractic Specialties (ABCS), some of the common recognized ACA board certifications include:

  • American Board of Chiropractic Acupuncture Diplomate (SABCA)
  • American Board of Chiropractic Pediatrics Diplomate (DABCP)
  • Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition Diplomate (DCBCN)
  • American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board Diplomate (DACRB)

Diverse Career Paths for Chiropractic Graduates

Depending on where your specific interests lie and what your professional goals may be, there are various routes to take with a formal education in chiropractic care. From starting your own private practice to working in sports chiropractic or in Veterans Affairs, the expansive nature of this field allows you to explore your passions.

Private Practice

One of the most popular paths chiropractic professionals take is that of starting their own private practices. Benefits of this option include the freedom that comes along with running your own practice and doing things your own way. Likewise, private chiropractic practices can be very profitable; still, there are certain factors to consider before going this route.

Starting Your Own Clinic

First, understand that just like starting any other type of business, launching your own chiropractic practice comes with some inherent risks. In most cases, there are substantial costs associated with starting a clinic—so there’s a good chance you will need to finance some or all the expenses. From there, you’ll need to understand the ins and outs of how to bring in patients and market your business.

Generally, starting a private clinic is something that chiropractors do after they’ve gained practical, hands-on experience working in the field. This way, they can learn some of the nuances of the industry and leverage that knowledge to fuel the success of their own clinic. Even if you don’t decide to take this path right away, though, it’s a possible career goal worth keeping in mind for the future.

Integrated Healthcare Facilities

Another route many chiropractors pursue is working in an integrated healthcare facility, such as a hospital or other medical office. Instead of working in a dedicated chiropractic office, you will work in a larger healthcare facility that also offers chiropractic care as part of its services.

Working in Multidisciplinary Clinics

Many chiropractors enjoy the environment of integrated healthcare facilities because it gives them an opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary setting. Rather than working only alongside other chiropractors, this type of work allows you exposure to other core areas of healthcare. As a result, you can learn a great deal about the connections between chiropractic care and complementary areas of health and wellness.

Collaborating With Other Healthcare Professionals

Another appealing aspect of working in an integrated healthcare facility or multidisciplinary clinic is the ability to work alongside other healthcare professionals. This is an ideal opportunity to put your collaboration and communication skills to work in uniting with other healthcare professionals to best serve your patients.

Sports Chiropractic

Another major area of chiropractic care is that of sports chiropractic, which helps athletes stay in the best condition while treating common sports-related injuries and conditions. This can be an excellent career path for those who are passionate about sports or enjoy working with athletes from all walks of life.

Keiser University’s own Dr. Jennifer Illes, Vice President of the College of Chiropractic Medicine, shares how she got into sports chiropractic at an early age herself. As part of Canada’s national health insurance, national-level athletes could see chiropractors for free. This allowed her to start seeing a sports chiropractor at an early age—which ignited her interest in chiropractic care as a profession. After she finished chiropractic school, she says she mentored with her sports chiropractor, Dr. Mark Scappaticci, which was “a 10-years-in-the-making kind of move.”

Working With Athletes

Many sports chiropractors spend the majority of their time working with individual athletes suffering from any number of injuries or medical conditions. Using chiropractic techniques, it may be possible to improve the alignment of the spine, relieve pain, and even improve range of motion. This, in turn, can help athletes recover from their injuries more efficiently and return to their sports.

Even in athletes who aren’t suffering from injuries, chiropractic care can be useful for optimizing performance and even preventing common sports-related injuries.

Sports Teams and Organizations

In some cases, sports chiropractors may even be responsible for providing care to entire sports teams or organizations. Being hired by a sports team or league can be a wonderful way to focus your care and sharpen your expertise. However, these kinds of roles can be somewhat demanding, often requiring extensive travel during the season. Still, it could certainly be a dream job for those who are passionate about sports chiropractic.

Corporate Wellness Programs

It is increasingly common for larger companies and organizations to bring in chiropractors as part of implementing corporate health and wellness programs. Such programs aim to help employees lead happier and healthier lifestyles through improved nutrition, exercise and general healthcare.

Role of Chiropractors in Corporate Health

Chiropractors can have a critical role in corporate health by introducing evidence-based care practices to help employees reduce their risk of injury and improve overall health and wellness. For example, chiropractors may be brought in to educate office staff on the importance of proper posture as well as proper lifting techniques for warehouse workers. This can thereby reduce the risk of workplace-related injuries—along with potentially cutting down on insurance premiums and workers’ compensation claims.

Benefits of Corporate Wellness Programs

Chiropractors can also play a part in the creation of corporate wellness programs, which can help enhance workplace safety through education and training. These wellness programs may even improve employee morale and overall job satisfaction, too, making them a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes and across a range of industries.

Veterans Affairs Work Relations with VA Hospitals

Many Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and facilities hire chiropractors to help veterans with a range of underlying health conditions and injuries. This type of work can be highly rewarding for chiropractors who want to help others. As Keiser University’s Dr. Illes explains, “One of the most fulfilling aspects of working with the VA is the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in veterans’ lives. This often involves collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to create personalized treatment plans that address each veteran’s specific healthcare goals and challenges.”

Non-Traditional Chiropractor Careers

In addition to these more conventional careers in chiropractic healthcare, there are plenty of less traditional careers related to chiropractic you can explore while still putting your clinical skills and expertise to use. From roles in research and academia to health and wellness coaching, below are just a few alternative careers for chiropractors to consider.

Research and Academia

There is an ongoing need for continued research throughout the chiropractic field, especially as new technologies and innovations emerge. If you’re interested in being involved in research that could impact the entire field, then you may want to consider pursuing a research-based role or even a teaching position in this dynamic field.

Career in Chiropractic Research

Universities and independent agencies may hire experienced and knowledgeable chiropractors to conduct research in the field; this could delve into anything from new chiropractic techniques and tools to the musculoskeletal system and beyond. In this type of role, you can expect to work alongside other researchers to develop methodologies, conduct in-depth research and review findings. From there, you might create detailed reports and communicate your findings to others.

Teaching Chiropractic

Some chiropractors may go on to teach in the field, usually at a college or university. Typically, those who teach need to have a lot of experience under their belts, so this is more of a long-term career goal for many. Still, if you like the idea of working in a classroom setting and preparing the next generation of chiropractors for successful careers, this could be a career option worth exploring.

Health and Wellness Coaching

Finally, you might consider pursuing a role as a health and wellness coach with a background in chiropractic care. These days, many individuals seek health and wellness coaches to achieve their wellness goals while leading healthier lifestyles.

Specifically, health and wellness coaches may meet individually with clients to review their goals and develop detailed plans of action for achieving them. This could include making changes in diet and nutrition or implementing an exercise regimen to improve mobility, lose weight or achieve any number of other goals.

Many chiropractors enjoy working in health and wellness coaching because it allows them to put their evidence-based techniques into practice while essentially working as their own bosses and setting their own schedules. As a health and wellness coach, you can also enjoy the flexibility of taking on as many (or as few) clients as you want to accommodate your goals and lifestyle needs.

Ready to Explore Chiropractic Degree Programs?

From traditional chiropractic roles to alternative careers for chiropractors, there are many ways to make a difference in this growing field. If you’re interested in any of these career paths, the first step is pursuing a formal education.

At Keiser University, we are proud to offer a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) program that combines traditional lectures with small-group learning and weekly seminars to teach evidence-based chiropractic techniques. This 217-credit-hour degree program consists of 70 courses and can be completed in anywhere from 40 to 72 months.

Want to learn more? Get in touch with a Keiser University graduate admissions counselor today, or get started with your online application.