Written by: Fred Miller
Copyright ©2009 caRearview.com LLC
Q.What do you do as a career? Please describe it.
A.Chiropractor. It is the science and art of assisting the body's natural abilites to heal from injury or disease through the use of spinal manipulations (adjustments that affect the nervous system )in conjuntion with modalities and therapies and exercise prtocols.
Q.What skills need to be mastered to perform at the highest level or require the most training?
A.Comprehensive understanding of anatomy and physiology. You do need to have decent people skills and you need to have good hand skills...much like a musician or artist. These can be developed, but it helps to have the basic gifts.
Q.Is this a career that you can be self employed in?
A.Yes
Q.What is the average starting salary/income?
A.$50,000-$75,000
Q.What is the average annual salary?
A.$100,000-$150,000
Q.How do you manage your time and what are your daily tasks?
A.My patient time is managed by appointments. Daily tasks include patient care, practice procedures, basic business and accounting functions. The non-patient hours are full of keeping a business operating as smoothly as possible. You become a doctor and a businessman.
Q.What is your favorite part of the job?
A.Patient interaction and care.
Q.What is the most distinguishing and/or rewarding part of your job?
A.Seeing incredible positive results for my patients that have suffered for years under the Medical Model of Health Care.
Q.What specialty in your career is the most lucrative?
A.Chiropractic is a specialty
Q.Is your career challenging?
A.yes
Q.Do you get to travel?
A.Very little
Q.Is your career people oriented?
A.Yes
Q.Who benefits from your career?
A.People who suffer from physical pain related to spinal origination.
Q.What benefit/fullfillment do you get from your career?
A.Taking care of people is an honor and a responsibility. Although the work is difficult at times, the body has an amazing ability to heal itself. Being a part of releasing the body's natural healing ability is very rewarding. I go home at the end of each day knowing that I made a difference in someone's life.
Q.Please describe the environment in which you perform your career?
A.A chiropractic office is usually very open, upbeat, positive and enthusiastic. Because of the results we get, patients are happy.
Q.How much time do you get to take off every year for vacation?
A.2-4 weeks
Q.How many clients/patients/customers do you work with per day? (If applicable ie: MD/Atty)
A.Usually between 200-225 patients per week.
Q.How many clients/patients/customers does the average person in your career have?
A.119 visits per week
Q.How do you get to first meet your clients/ patients/customers (i.e.advertising, referrals)
A.I have a referral practice, but times are changing and insurance compaines are directing the insureds to participating providers.
Q.Who or what kind of people do you get to work with?
A.I treat babies to the very elderly. Most chiropractors do the same. Some specialize in certain age groups or cross sections.
Q.Is your career hard work?
A.Physically hard
Q.Can you live in one place or do you have to move around to be promoted?
A.That is a great aspect of this kind of health care. I live in the same community I get to serve.
Q.What is the best part of the country for your career?
A.It is all about the same. Some state practice laws make certain states more inviting to practice in. Louisiana is a great state for chiropractic.
Q.How do you compete against others in your career?
A.The health care market is getting more and more competetive, so advertising is becoming necessary. The best advertising is done by happy patients through word of mouth.
Q.What companies hire people with this career?
A.Some large practicioners hire doctors, but most chiropractors practice solo.
Q.How many hours a week do you work? Does this change over time?
A.I typically work between 40-42 hours per week. Patient hours are less. The business hours take a substantial amount of time.
Q.Is this career everything you expected it to be?
A.Yes
Q.How do you see your occupation/field evolving over the next 10 years? Please list any changes you expect regarding training/education/duties/ or demand.
A.The whole health care industry is mutating to a socialist system. I see health care professionals working for the government. Independence of the physician will be limited. Those that choose not to work through the National system will have to try to figure out how to run a cash only practice. The good old days of medicine are over.
Q.Is your career stressful?
A.Yes
Q.Is it hard to make a living or difficult to find a job?
A.There is a 50% failure rate for ANY doctor who goes in to private practice after 7 years.
Q.If you could change one thing about your profession what would it be?
A.I would like to be able to prescribe medication for people who need it short term to get through a painful crisis.
Q.What problems, if any, exist with work schedules? (On Call, Night shifts, pool shifts, work on holidays)
A.There is some after hours calls and emergency calls, but they are rare. The long hours come into play with the same intensity of anyone else who owns a business
Q.Can someone in your career be sued if they make a mistake? Does this happen often to people in your career?
A.Yes, people do sue chiropractors but our malpractic premiums are relatively low because of the low settlements and the rarity of an actual malpractice.
Q.How is your family affected by your career? Is it hard to make time for your family?
A.Yes, it is hard to make time for a family, but because I run my own practice, I make time in my scheduel to leave room for family. I make the choice, a boss or supervisor does not make that choice for me.
Q.What are the sacrifices and/or regrets someone may have in your career?
A.To be successful in any endeavor, sacrifices have to be made. The trick is to balance the sacrifice with the reward. Regrets...health care is not doing well in the United States at this time. After 25 years in practice, I am shocked at the lack of compassion, integrity and skills of most physicians.
Q.What is your least favorite part of your career?
A.paperwork associated with insurance companies
Q.What level of computer skills do you need?
A.Basic
Q.What college GPA is needed for this career?
A.2.0-2.49
Q.Can you do this with on the job training without graduating from college or technical school?
A.No
Q.What high school GPA is needed to get in this field?
A.3.0-3.49
Q.Please name colleges/tech schools that specialize in your field?
A.There are many chiropractic colleges in the United States and a few internationally. I attended Life Chiropractic College in Marrietta Georgia near Atlanta.
Q.What majors and/or courses in college do you recommend for preparation for this career choice?
A.It is a Pre-Med program.
Q.What way can the training process be streamlined? (The most direct pathway)
A.Talk to the guidance counselors at the various chiropractic colleges and ask them the best way to streamline your educational process so that you can enroll in their program at the earliest opportunity.
Q.What amount of debt, if any, does the average person incur getting trained or educated in your field? (your answer may simply be the cost of college)
A.Most graduates leave chiropractic college with $150,000 or more in school loan debt.
Q.Where is the best place to work after college/technical school to learn more about your career?
A.Serve a high school intership at a chiropractic office
Q.What advice do you have for high school kids considering your career?
A.Become a chiropractor if you love people and want to make a difference in the lives of people. Do not go into the profession "for the money". There are easier ways to make a great living.
Q.How long does the training/education take and is it difficult?
A.8 years and it is academically challenging
Q.When did you know what you wanted to do as a career?
A.During high school
Q.Where did you get your training/education?
A.Undergraduate training at LSU and UNO