Chiropractors vs. Physician: Pros & Cons

In spite of the fact that both physicians and chiropractors are called doctors, there are some big differences. Chiropractors insist that a disease is related to spine alignment, and improving it will alleviate your condition. A doctor believes in treating a particular disease with help of medications and even surgery. In either case, whether a doctor or chiropractor would require a license.

Pros and cons of being a chiropractor

• The career of a chiropractor is much less tedious than becoming a doctor.

• A three year undergraduate degree followed by chiropractor training is all that is required.

• Chiropractors do not need to visit hospitals. But they maintain regular office hours and work much less than physicians.

• But chiropractors have student loans that cannot be subsidized.

• Small business owners make up most of the practicing chiropractors.

• There are not many specialization options for a chiropractor. They can specialize in sports medicine.

• They also tend to earn much less than their physician counterparts.

Pros and cons of a physician

• A physician can practice in a wide area of specialties like ophthalmology, neurology, pediatrics, cardiology and many more.

• There is a wide range of salaries based on the specialization. Also physicians are eligible for subsidy on their medical school loans.

• Employment opportunities are available for physicians outside of private practice. They can work in hospitals.

• Being a physician is much more prestigious than being a chiropractor.

• Physicians spend at least 11 years in training, and up to 15 years.

• Physicians may be required to work for long hours, do night shifts and need to be available for emergencies, even during holidays.

• They graduate with enormous student debt and they would be required to put in more money to be board-certified and even maintain their certification.