Becoming a chiropractor will allow you to help others while earning a good wage.
The biggest reason to become a chiropractor may be the ability to relieve the suffering of patients with back and other muscle pains. The job includes working with diverse clients such as the disabled, elderly, children and athletes. Helping people from different backgrounds enjoy life more is one reason to become a chiropractor, but there are additional perks. Predictable hours, a healthy salary and demand for services are other reasons to be a chiropractor.
Hours
Chiropractor offices follow a predictable schedule.
Most chiropractic offices run on a typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule. Medical emergency phone calls are a rarity in the chiropractic business, so you need not anticipate odd hours. In addition, approximately 44 percent of chiropractors are self employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Owning your practice gives a certain amount of additional flexibility. Among the benefits of self employment, you can schedule holidays and closures, and choose your hours of operation.
Salary and Insurance Rates
Chiropractors can earn a healthy income.
The median annual wage of chiropractors was $79,820 in 2009, translating to $38.38 an hour, according to the BLS. Chiropractors working in a physicians' office earn even more -- a median $99,570 per year. Salaries for chiropractors start low and increase with years of experience. Health insurance and retirement benefits are another perk for salaried employees. Malpractice insurance rates cost less for chiropractors than for medical doctors, making the cost of practicing more affordable.
Helping Others
Helping patients feel better is a reason some become chiropractors.
Providing pain relief for patients is one of the appeals of being a chiropractor. Patients seeking chiropractic care want a natural, drug-free healing experience. Working as a chiropractor is an opportunity to increase quality of life for others. Pain is a debilitating experience for many people. When patients leave your office feeling better, they may become loyal, grateful customers, As a result, you may receive word-of-mouth business, allowing you to rely less on costly advertisements.
Growing Demand
As more people seek natural healing methods, the demand for chiropractors increases.
The employment of chiropractors is expected to grow 20 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rise in demand comes from an increased interest in alternative healing. "Because chiropractors emphasize the importance of healthy lifestyles and do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery, chiropractic care is appealing to many health-conscious Americans," the BLS notes. The increase in demand means a certain amount of job security, even for the self-employed chiropractor.
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