You must meet the educational and licensing requirements of a chiropractor to become a chiropractic associate. When you first start your chiropractic career, you’ll often work as an employee for an experienced chiropractor. You will gain knowledge of how to treat patients as well as how to run a business as a result of this experience.
As an undergraduate, a chiropractic associate usually majors in pre-med and takes courses in physical and social sciences. Then, at an accredited chiropractic college, you must study a chiropractic curriculum for four to five years. You typically study the science behind healing and treating patients to become a chiropractic associate. Rehabilitation, anatomy, physiology, nutrition, and public health coursework is often more in-depth than that of physicians or physical therapists.
Chiropractic students spend a lot of time evaluating and caring for patients during their education. Chiropractic associates are frequently required to undergo intensive clinical training due to the precision required in learning the adjusting techniques of chiropractic care. To become a chiropractic associate, a minimum one-year clinical program involving actual patient care is often required, with at least 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory, and clinical experience.
You may need to obtain a license to practice chiropractic after earning your degree. You should apply for a license in the local or regional area where you plan to practice chiropractic. This license will almost certainly require you to pass an exam. In the United States, depending on the state, you will most likely be required to take the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners test as well as additional tests. You will most likely be able to practice only in the region where you are licensed, though some areas may allow you to practice without further testing if you meet the requirements of that area.
Following your license, you should join a well-established chiropractic practice. In most cases, an experienced chiropractor will serve as your mentor. As a chiropractic associate, you’ll need to learn how to apply the skills you learned in school to the realities of patient care. You should also gain experience interacting with clients and providing patients with the best, most appropriate treatment. A chiropractic associate also learns the business practices required to run a chiropractic practice.
Although you and your mentor should maintain a professional relationship, situations may arise as you develop your own clientele. To avoid legal repercussions, you should sign a pre-employment contract that spells out the job’s responsibilities. This contract addresses both compensation and conduct, allowing you to legally open a practice and take your own clients without compensating your mentor.