The doctor in front of a chiropractor’s name is a bit confusing. Some people question if that means the person can prescribe medication but chooses not to. They wonder whether the practitioner opts to treat people with a holistic approach. And some people think it’s simple to become a chiropractor and only takes a few years. However, neither is correct, and there’s a good reason why chiropractors get the “Dr.” in front of their names. Let our chiropractor at Premier Chiropractic Center discuss!
General Information
A physician must complete medical school to become a doctor after finishing his or her undergraduate studies. Then, he or she must complete medical school, which takes an average of four years. The physician then needs to take the medical licensing examination and complete a residency and possibly a fellowship if he or she plans to specialize.
These requirements aren’t the same for a chiropractor. To enter this field, the practitioner doesn’t need to attend medical school, though some chiropractors do have their MDs. The practitioner also doesn’t have to complete a residency or fellowship.
Requirements to Become a Chiropractor
A chiropractor must complete an undergraduate degree program, usually in a field like biology. Once he or she has a bachelor’s degree, he or she may enter chiropractic school. This part of his or her education takes four years, just like medical school. However, in chiropractic school, a person will learn extensively about the body, including anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry, among other subjects. Individuals will also gain a comprehensive understanding of etiology – the study of the cause of disease. During chiropractic school, the person will learn how to conduct physical examinations and perform alignments and other treatments. The individual must complete training under the direct supervision of a currently licensed chiropractor, which is a clinical internship.
Upon completion of chiropractic school, the person will receive a doctorate in chiropractic because he or she will have the necessary credits to earn a doctoral degree, thus the title.
Extensive Training
While a chiropractor isn’t a medical doctor, he or she does have adequate training to take care of patients and specialize in his or her scope of practice. He or she did complete enough credit hours of education to receive a doctorate and earn the title of “Dr.” He or she doesn’t have a medical degree, though, so he or she can’t prescribe medication. A chiropractor can’t perform surgery or various diagnostics that are beyond his or her area of expertise.
In terms of his or her scope of practice, chiropractors receive adequate information to help treat issues related to the nerves, soft tissue, etc. They’re experts in their field and holistic medicine.
And if you have a problem that’s out of their area of expertise, chiropractors will refer you to a general practitioner or specialist who can assist.
When you visit a medical doctor that professional doesn’t have the extensive knowledge about holistic care that a chiropractor does. He or she has training in medicine. As a result, when you visit a chiropractor, you get someone whose main specialty is natural pain relief and holistic health in general. Therefore, you do get someone with a doctor’s level of training, only in their particular medical specialty. And if you’re interested in natural care, someone who has this level of training is suited for your needs.
While chiropractors might not have MD after their names, they definitely deserve the “Dr.” before their names because of how long they attend school and all the time and effort they put into gaining knowledge about their area of interest.
Book an appointment with our practitioner at Premier Chiropractic Center, serving Bessemer, AL, and the surrounding area, today to see how chiropractic care can change your life by calling 205-519-4024. You may also use our online form.
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