Chiropractors Are Doctors

Are chiropractors really doctors? Yes.

All chiropractors have earned the clinical degree Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) and become licensed in the state in which they practice. There are four clinical doctorates- MD, Medical Doctor, DO Doctor of Osteopathy, DDS Doctor of Dental Surgery, and DC. The same undergraduate prerequisites apply to all of them. The four-year curriculum to earn the DC degree includes graduate level instruction in all aspects of the systems of the body, diagnostic procedures, and internship in the chiropractic approach to restoring health. We pass several National Board examinations as well as a State licensing exam in every state in which we wish to practice. Chiropractors are licensed in all 50 states and many countries around the world and are subject to the same state and federal regulations regarding standards of care, privacy and record keeping. We earn the right to call ourselves doctors!

On a personal note, I am periodically asked why I became a chiropractor rather than a medical doctor. I did have to make that decision- an acquaintance at Southern Illinois University really wanted me in his family practice program, and as a National Merit Finalist and Eagle Scout I was a prime candidate. As I considered the option, I had to think beyond school and on to what I would actually be doing in my career. In medicine these days, after all the diagnosis, the options for making things better are few- counseling on lifestyle changes, prescribing drugs, or removing something with surgery. The first I can do as a chiropractor; the other two I didn’t care to do. In chiropractic, I can make people’s lives better immediately using my hands and my brain or refer people to the care they need. I have skill and talent for the chiropractic profession, and that’s what I chose for my career.