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- Requires use of your hands, excellent verbal communication skills and sensitivity and understanding
- With experience, option to set up your own practice
- Option to move into education, or specialise in sports medicine, rehabilitation, neurology or research
As a chiropractor you'll use physical manipulation, massage and rehabilitative exercise to treat patients with a range of conditions, often related to the spine. Treatment is designed to encourage the body's natural healing process and doesn't include surgery or drugs.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Using your hands to treat disorders of bones, muscles and joints
- Manipulating the spine
- Treating neck, back and shoulder pain
- Treating sciatica and leg problems
- Helping clients with sports injuries, poor posture and joint and muscle pain
- Making sure your client's condition is suitable for treatment
- Discussing their symptoms and health problems in detail
- Carrying out examinations (sometimes using x-rays or blood tests)
- Designing a programme of treatment for each individual client
- Giving advice on lifestyle, diet and exercise to support recovery
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
As a chiropractor you'll usually work in a therapy clinic. You could provide services through the NHS. You might work in a private group practice or health clinic offering a wide range of therapies. If you're self-employed, you'll usually set your own working hours. You'll need to meet the needs of clients, so you may work some weekends and evenings.
You may also need to travel to clients' homes or sporting events to carry out treatments. The work can be physically demanding.
You'll need
To be a Chiropractor requires use of your hands, excellent verbal communication skills and sensitivity and understanding.
You'll need to complete a 4-year degree recognised by the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) and register with the GCC.
This training requires 3 years of full-time study and 1 year working under supervision.
You may be able to take an Access to Science course if you do not have the degree entry requirements.
You'll usually need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English, maths and a science and 3 A levels, including two sciences.
You'll need to get paid or unpaid experience of working with a chiropractor before applying for a course. You'll also find it useful to get experience of working in a health or care role. You could contact the voluntary services coordinator or manager at your local NHS trust for more advice.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience you could set up your own practice. You could also move into education, or specialise in sports medicine, rehabilitation, neurology or research.