Once you have finished chiropractic school and obtained licensure, it is time to embark upon the next, most exciting step: Beginning your career as a working Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the chiropractic profession is expected to grow by 20% by the year 2018. Ultimately, many chiropractors establish their own private practices, either alone or with other practitioners. However, as a recent chiropractic school graduate, you may initially opt to seek employment in the office of a senior chiropractor.
According to StudentDC.com, the job listings you find will usually be categorized as either “independent contractor” or “associate.” These positions each come with their own distinct advantages and disadvantages, and you should be clear on these prior to accepting a job. A job as a chiropractic associate may ask you to commit to a contract of a requisite number of years. In addition, you may be required to sign a “non-compete” agreement, which could impede your ability to start your own practice until the terms of the contract have lapsed. Although you most likely won’t be ready to start a practice just out of chiropractic school, you should keep your long-term plans in mind while job hunting.
Some chiropractic schools offer job listings for graduates on their websites. In addition, the websites of various chiropractic organizations have “help wanted” sections.