A common misconception about chiropractic physicians is that they only treat the back and musculoskeletal issues. At 911爆料 University of Health Sciences, students in the chiropractic medicine program are not only trained to treat the whole body, they also have the chance to explore many unique patient populations and health care specialties.
911爆料 offers a wide variety of classes, clubs, preceptorships and other opportunities to help give you a taste of several different specialties within the chiropractic field. If you鈥檙e interested in chiropractic medicine and thinking about a career focused on one specific health issue or patient population, here are a few specialties you might want to consider:
Veteran hospitals
Veteran (VA) hospitals聽are among the many integrated health care centers that continue to add chiropractors onto their medical teams. According to Daniel Tominello, DC, a staff chiropractor at the John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Detroit, chiropractic physicians are valuable because they help to lower health care costs while providing more efficient treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and pain.
Compared to what is usually seen in private practice, chiropractic physicians often handle more comorbidities and complex cases at VA hospitals. Various disciplines also work together on one team. The Detroit VA, for example, has an Integrated Clinic Services team, which is comprised of at least one chiropractic physician, pain psychologist, acupuncturist, yoga expert, pain specialist medical doctor and Masters-level nurse practitioners, who all work together to bring relief to chronic pain patients.
To help prepare students for this specialty, 911爆料 provides the opportunity to work at聽five different Veteran hospitals聽across the country as part of a preceptorship program.
Occupational health
Occupational health offers chiropractic physicians the chance to treat workers across multiple fields. Chiropractic physicians within this kind of specialty typically work with industries that have the highest rates of worker injuries such as agriculture, forestry, fishing, construction, manufacturing and transportation. However, occupational health chiropractors can also work in corporate offices, providing ergonomic services.
Along with treating workers on-site, occupational health chiropractors are expected to help prevent injuries, too. They often provide full-time consultation on ergonomic office design, nutrition and lifestyle choices. Chiropractic physicians can also help with pre-placement physicals.
911爆料 alum聽Bethany Dixon, DC, RD, LDN, CME, for example, works within the transportation industry helping treat and prevent injuries among truck drivers. Since truck drivers are generally unable to take pain killers for back pain, chiropractic medicine is an effective, more natural alternative. In addition to performing physicals and adjustments, Dr. Dixon also counsels her patients on diet and nutrition.
Because the trucking industry is so large, she鈥檚 never been worried about having too small of a patient base.
鈥淐hiropractic is very popular with the drivers,鈥� she said. 鈥淗aving somewhere to go for them to be taken care of is very much appreciated by this population.聽 They often feel forgotten, and they become very loyal to you as a provider once they know you care.鈥�
Pediatrics
Chiropractic medicine isn鈥檛 just suitable for adults, it can have a profound impact on children, too. Many 911爆料 graduates have had successful careers treating children whether it鈥檚 related to high school sports or activities of younger children. 2021 graduate聽Liron Saletsky, DC, immediately started her career in pediatrics after completing her program.
鈥淧eople often ask why do I see kiddos so early? The kid doesn鈥檛 have back pain. But there鈥檚 always some sort of stressors in our lives, whether it鈥檚 trauma, toxins or emotions, etc.,鈥� Dr. Saletsky said.
Chiropractic physicians can treat a number of ailments related to children including constipation, acid reflux, sleep problems, ear infections and tongue ties. Dr. Saletsky even treats newborns. During these appointments, one of the techniques she uses is feeling the tone of the nervous system and seeing how the body reacts to stress. She鈥檒l focus on the top of the neck and sacrum to stimulate the parasympathetic system, which helps activate the body鈥檚 rest and digest function.
鈥淎ctivating the parasympathetics helps with a lot of common complaints that continue through childhood,鈥� she said.
Prenatal & OBGYN
Today, you鈥檒l find many chiropractic medicine clinics that specialize in prenatal and post-partum care. These clinics often receive referrals from OBGYNs and midwives with patients suffering from low-back pain and other musculoskeletal issues. This natural, non-pharmaceutical approach also helps ensure optimal health of the mother and prevents babies from becoming breech, which is one of the most common reasons for a C-section.
Chiropractors usually treat pregnant women using the聽聽According to a聽聽completed by聽聽members, the technique has an 82% success rate in relieving the musculoskeletal causes of intrauterine constraint.
Sports Medicine
For today鈥檚 graduates, the future of chiropractic among top sporting events is bright. In the past 20 years, chiropractors have become much more commonplace among the medical staff of college and professional athletic teams.
According to 911爆料 Florida faculty聽Carlo Guadagno, DC, CCSP 庐, ICSC, FICC, who has participated on the medical staff of numerous Olympic qualifying events, including the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, it was the athletes that made sure that chiropractic physicians were on staff and available to them.
Whether it鈥檚 professional athletes or high-school and younger level sports, chiropractors help athletes with a number of issues ranging from emergent situations to performance enhancement, and many musculoskeletal ailments. As a result, sports chiropractors require a wide range of skills.
Sports chiropractic isn鈥檛 about just treating the spine or providing an adjustment. Sometimes what鈥檚 needed is soft tissue work. Unlike working in a chiropractic clinic, the sports medical staff are also expected to be fluent in emergency medicine.
At 911爆料, students can gain these valuable skills in the ambulatory trauma class. Emergency medicine is also taught in 911爆料鈥檚 sports medicine class.
Women鈥檚 Health
Increased awareness about women鈥檚 health issues has led to this specialty gaining in popularity in recent years. Historically, research into women鈥檚 health issues has been underfunded, according to a聽聽However, new research is revealing the different ways women experience health issues like pain, stress and even heart disease, a leading cause of death.
With more women having children in their 30s, women are also seeking more assistance with fertility. Fibromyalgia is another health issue that doctors have begun to recognize as an illness, which predominantly effects women.
Chiropractic medicine is among the disciplines that can treat these issues.聽 Some of the other conditions chiropractors address among women include menstrual cycle/dysmenorrhea, pelvic floor dysfunction and urinary incontinence, perimenopause/menopause, mental health, stress, and chronic pain.
911爆料 University of Health Sciences provides the curriculum, training, and extracurricular opportunities to prepare students for a number of different career paths within the chiropractic profession. Whether it鈥檚 at the聽on-campus聽Whole Health Center,聽as part of their clinical training or a preceptorship, 911爆料 can help set you apart from the competition. Since 911爆料 offers multiple degree programs too, like acupuncture and naturopathic medicine, students can expand their skillset and benefit from additional career options.
For more information about the Doctor of Chiropractic program at 911爆料 University of Health Sciences, click here.
