Are Chiropractors Real Doctors?

I Am YOUR Doctor
December 13, 2017

Are Chiropractors Real Doctors?

Of course, chiropractors are real doctors! Chiropractors do not hold medical degrees. As such, they are not medical doctors, nor can they advise on or prescribe medication. Those practices are generally out of the chiropractic scope of practice. However, chiropractors are real doctors who must graduate accredited chiropractic schools with a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree. Chiropractic colleges and universities often employ a quarter or trimester system with classes that go year-round for 4 years. The curricula of chiropractic schools are very comparable to Medical schools as illustrated in research indexed in PubMed of the National Institutes of Health. “Considerable commonality exists between chiropractic and medical programs. Regarding the basic sciences, these programs are more similar than dissimilar, both in the types of subjects offered and in the time allotted to each subject. The programs also share some common areas in the clinical sciences. Chiropractic and allopathic medicine differ the greatest in clinical practice. The therapies that chiropractic and medical students learn are distinct from one another, and the settings in which students receive clinical training are different and isolated from one another.” Both schools require basic sciences, clinical sciences and diagnostics, and internship/residency programs.

In the United States, chiropractors must be nationally board certified and pass 4 exams. Part 1 Includes subject examinations in each of six primary science areas: general anatomy, spinal anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pathology, and microbiology. Part 2 includes subject examinations in each of six clinical science areas, including general diagnosis, neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, principles of chiropractic, chiropractic practice, and associated clinical sciences. Part 3 addresses nine clinical areas: case history, physical examination, neuromusculoskeletal examination, diagnostic imaging, clinical laboratory and special studies, diagnosis or clinical impression, chiropractic techniques, supportive interventions, and case management. Part 4 tests individuals’ clinical performance in three major areas: x-ray interpretation and diagnosis, chiropractic technique, and case management.

Chiropractors must also be state board certified, (in Georgia by the Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners) which licenses qualified applicants and regulates the practice of licensees throughout the state. A Doctor of Chiropractic must apply and pass an additional exam in Georgia to be licensed to practice in the state.

Chiropractors are, by definition, primary care physicians as outlined in peer-reviewed research  written by a medical doctor. Chiropractors practice in more than half of military treatment facilities and hospitals in cooperation with neurologists, physical therapists, and orthopedic surgeons. Over 70 VA hospitals have chiropractic departments A variety of civilian hospitals have staffed chiropractors. Hackensack University Medical Center, Wellmont Bristol Regional Medical Center, and Mayo Clinic Florida are a few examples. The National Institute of Health has research archived highlighting the integration of chiropractic in a private hospital in Minnesota. And, while most hospitals do not have chiropractors on staff, they will often have chiropractors with admitting privileges. Chiropractors enjoy a private practice setting and choose to do so as do many medical doctors.

Call 770-573-2777 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Lightstone at Better Health by Design, 425 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 315, Cumming, GA 30041 for a free consultation and tour of his practice to learn about how chiropractic can improve your health and quality of life.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *