Believe it or not there is considerable commonality between the educational requirements of chiropractors and medical doctors.  Undergraduate and specialized graduate school studies in basic sciences (like biochemistry, pathology, anatomy, physiology, etc) are required for both practitioners.  

The largely defining difference between the two types of health care providers is in their focus of training and treatment.  Medical doctors spend more time studying pathology immunology, and pharmacology, which is the study of what makes man sick and the use of pharmaceutical drugs to treat symptoms.  

Much of the educational focus for chiropractors is on how the human body works and natural ways to restore its natural physiology. 

Research into this comparison of education shows that chiropractic students receive more training in anatomy, physiology,  diagnosis, radiology, orthopedics, adjusting and kinesiology.  Not including the required clinical practice or “residency” period,  chiropractic students complete more classroom hours from an accredited chiropractic college than students at accredited medical schools. 

Before sitting at the state level examination to receive a license to practice, chiropractors must pass four levels of national board exams and a physical therapy exam.

I share this information to bring light to the intensity of our education and training as there is great unawareness of the standards our profession holds on education for Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.).   Our profession takes great pride in spending much of our training in how to support human homeostasis (natural balance) and finding solutions that allows the body to heal itself.

Just like modern medicine, there is no magic pill or adjustment to restore continued damage from unhealthy daily habits.  This is also why a portion of our education involves studying the supportive healthy lifestyle choices that support human physiology. 

While the main path of chiropractic education is similar for all students, it also allows for areas of different focus depending depending on the desire of the doctor.  There is additional training in nutrition, pregnancy and pediatrics, neurology, sports, rehab and spinal curve correction, and so many more.  

Another area that creates different types of chiropractic treatment options is in the area of adjusting techniques.  There are many different techniques and modalities available for chiropractic treatment, allowing the doctor different options in their “toolbox” to help different people and different conditions. 

Continue on for a list of different techniques Dr. Lauren is proficient in!