Occupation Details
Chiropractors
Assess, treat, and care for patients by manipulation of spine and musculoskeletal system. May provide spinal adjustment or address sacral or pelvic misalignment.
Quick Navigation
Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$65,140.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$80,090.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$117,450.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
2,720
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
3,110
+39 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
104
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.1%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
More School - Graduate or advanced degree
Experience Requirements
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education Requirements
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Training Details
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, physician assistants, and veterinarians.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
New York State requires workers in this occupation to hold a license or certification.
Chiropractor
Learn MoreSkills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Adjustment tables
- Arthrodial protractors
- Babinski percussion hammers
- Balance boards
- Biofeedback equipment
- Blood pressure cuffs
- Carpal traction systems
- Cervical chairs
- Cervical collars
- Cervical traction devices
- Continuous passive motion CPM machines
- Desktop computers
- Discriminators
- Drop tables
- Dynamometers
- Electrical stimulation equipment
- Electromyographs EMG
- Electronic patient thermometers
- Elliptical trainers
- Fluidotherapy equipment
- Foot orthotics
- Free weights
- Functional capacity evaluation FCE systems
- Goniometers or arthrometers
- Hand dynamometers
- Hydraulic pinch gauges
- Inclinometers
- Infrared baker lamps
- Knee-chest tables
- Low-level laser units
Technology
- Advantage Software Chiropractic Advantage
- Billing software
- E-Z BIS Office
- EZClaim medical billing software
- GalacTek ECLIPSE
- InPhase Technologies Group InPhase Concept
- MicroFour PracticeStudio.NET EMR
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- Quick Notes QNotes Office EMR
- Scheduling software
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- counsel patients concerning diet
- observe patient condition
- conduct patient assessments
- analyze medical data
- analyze patient activity
- apply traction
- communicate technical information
- make presentations on health or medical issues
- interpret medical laboratory test results
- interpret x-rays
- write technical health or medical documents
- identify body response variations
- recognize childhood diseases
- use clinical problem solving techniques
- follow confidentiality procedures
- use counseling techniques
- use interpersonal communication techniques
- use medical diagnostic techniques
- follow dental or medical office procedures
- follow dental or medical x-ray procedures
- follow patient care procedures
- use physical therapy techniques
- use research methodology procedures in health care
- use sanitation practices in health care settings
- use knowledge of medical terminology
- follow clinical radiation safety procedures
- use darkroom procedures in radiology or medical or dental lab setting
- use knowledge of investigation techniques
- collect clinical data
- obtain information from clients, customers, or patients
- make decisions
- document medical prognosis
- administer medications or treatments
- diagnose spinal misalignments
- position patient for therapy
- treat medical condition of patient
- take vital signs
- diagnose medical condition of patient
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Evaluate the functioning of the neuromuscularskeletal system and the spine using systems of chiropractic diagnosis.
- Perform a series of manual adjustments to the spine or other articulations of the body to correct the musculoskeletal system.
- Diagnose health problems by reviewing patients' health and medical histories, questioning, observing, and examining patients and interpreting x-rays.
- Obtain and record patients' medical histories.
- Maintain accurate case histories of patients.
- Advise patients about recommended courses of treatment.
- Analyze x-rays to locate the sources of patients' difficulties and to rule out fractures or diseases as sources of problems.
- Counsel patients about nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, or other matters.
- Consult with or refer patients to appropriate health practitioners when necessary.
- Recommend and arrange for diagnostic procedures, such as blood chemistry tests, saliva tests, x-rays, or other imaging procedures.
- Suggest and apply the use of supports such as straps, tapes, bandages, or braces if necessary.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Chiropractors
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
Learn More