One question that many people seem to have about chiropractors is the amount of schooling required in order to practice. It wasn’t too long ago that some people referred to chiropractic as “quackery,” or at best, an incomplete healing discipline. Times have changed, and today people from all walks of life utilize chiropractic treatment, but the educational requirements are still a source of mystery to many. The truth is chiropractors in Santa Cruz have extensive schooling that enables them to treat a wide range of health issues effectively and safely.
Extensive Educational Requirements for Chiropractors
In order to become a chiropractor, you are required to meet some of the most demanding educational requirements of any healthcare profession. Most chiropractors have already taken close to four years of pre-med undergraduate courses before they even apply to chiropractic college. This includes biology, physics, psychology, inorganic and organic chemistry, and all of the associated lab work.
If you are accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, then the really demanding work begins. You’ll work through four to five academic years, which includes a lot of time learning the hands-on adjusting techniques that will become a big part of your practice. A chiropractor has no room for error when recommending a treatment path and adjusting a patient’s spine, so the training must be comprehensive and detailed.
The complete educational curriculum for chiropractors includes minimum classroom, laboratory, and clinical experience of 4,200 hours. The accrediting agency that approves the courses is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for over 25 years. Chiropractors must be able to assess a specific health condition, provide appropriate advice and treatment, and refer patients to other healthcare professionals when necessary.
Chiropractors have classroom requirements equal to or greater than traditional medical professionals. This in-depth training allows doctors specializing in chiropractic treatment to be considered primary care physicians. Primary care physicians are considered point-of-entry physicians and do not require a referral.
We hope this information was helpful. Our team at Sawyer Chiropractic Group is here to help with any questions that you might have.