Chiropractors care for patients ailing from problems with their musculoskeletal systems. This purview is perhaps broader than it might sound because this includes nerves, bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons. These professionals use spinal adjustments and manual manipulations to address these concerns. Chiropractors will also often advise patients on lifestyle issues, including exercise, nutrition and sleep. 

Dr. Robert Hayden, a spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association and owner of a private practice in Griffin, Georgia, spent 18 years as a critical care nurse before making the switch to chiropractic. "I’ve been very blessed to have two careers that I really enjoyed and loved," Hayden says. "I probably had some degree of burnout – not with what I did in critical care. You’re confined in a room with a very sick patient and hissing ventilators, IV pumps, bouncing green balls. It was very stressful, though I enjoyed it." 

But he was enjoying the hospital politics less and less. Right about that time, Hayden was attending a Bible study group, and he watched one of the members hobble into the house where they were meeting. The man was suffering from so much sciatic pain that he couldn’t sit on a chair; rather, he perched awkwardly on the ground. At the end of the meeting, another member, who was a chiropractor, adjusted some of this man’s lumbar bones and the man was able to stand up nearly straight and walk out of the house. "With the knowledge in his head and skill in his hand, [that doctor] was able to take pain away," Hayden says. "I was fascinated." 

Eventually, Hayden was fascinated enough to go back to school and begin a second career. Interestingly, chiropractic was also the answer to Hayden’s annoyance with office politics. "I wanted to create my own little microcosm of health care that was holistic, patient-centered and user-friendly, and I knew that I couldn’t do that anywhere other than private practice." The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8.8% employment growth for chiropractors between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 4,900 jobs should open up.

Chiropractors are required to have at least three years of undergraduate education – or 90 hours of undergraduate credit – before they can apply to an accredited Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) program. However, most chiropractors complete a four-year bachelor’s degree before applying to D.C. programs. The D.C. programs usually take about four years of coursework and clinical work to complete. Some chiropractors choose to specialize with postdoctoral programs in pediatrics or orthotics. Others choose to specialize by getting a master’s degree in nutrition or sports rehabilitation. All chiropractors are required to obtain their license. Although specific licensure requirements vary by state, they usually require graduation from an accredited program and passing the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners exam. Some states may also require that chiropractors pass state-specific law exams.