Do chiropractors have a doctorate?

Question

my friend and i have a dissagreement about whether chiroprators are "real" Dr.s or not/ please help us not kill ea/other.

we are trying to figure out whether they actually have a doctorate of ANY kind...HELP!

:D

Answer 1

Yes and no. Most chiropractors have a doctor of chiropractic degree issued by a chiropractic school which has been legally licensed by the state to give such degrees. But all that proves is that they had the political clout to get the legislature to authorize the degree.

If you mean a doctorate earned at a real university - a PhD or MD - absolutely not.

For detailed information, see www.chirobase.org

Answer 2

stormy,

DC's degree is Doctor of Chiropractic.

In Florida, DC's are primary care physicians and referred to as Chiropractic Physician...they study the same basic sciences as MD's or DO's, have diagnostice courses that are the same and are taught by MD and PhD instructors.

The study of medication is referred to as "toxicology" (study of poisons). They have the same information but use it differently.

The schools are accredited by the same Federal agency which accredits the medical and osteopathic schools.

Answer 3

No, they do not, in most states.

The equivalent with a doctorate is an Osteopath  DO which at least in Texas is given the same rights as an MD and has to have the same medical training with the bone manipulation of the chiropractor added on.  

  Traditional chiropractors believe all diseases are caused by "subluxsations' and other problems of the spine and all can be cured with the proper manipulation.  Some of them are "diplomated" after two years of training after high school.

  DO's must have 4 years of college and 4 years of medical school.  I don't know about requirements for internship like MD's

Answer 4

yes they do.

previous poster gave erroneous info on education of DC

2 years pre-med

4 academic years professional school

Diplomate status requires additional 320 to 400 didactic hours of post graduate training, testing and recertification

Answer 5

Most of them do have doctorates.  

The important thing is: do they get rid of back pain?  

Yes, they do.  

Do MD's get rid of back pain?  

Only temporarily, through pills.

Answer 6

Yes DC - doctorate in chiropractory. Whether they have a doctorate or not does not make them an MD though. They don't usually go though med school etc. They study different, more focused topics related to their field.

"real" doctors is a diff answer though. Yes, they have doctorates. But so does my history professor.

Answer 7

Chiropractors do not have the title MD or PhD.  If they did have one of those titles, they definitely wouldn't be calling themselves a chiropractor.  It takes much more education to earn the status of MD (medical doctor).

Answer 8

They call themselves "doctor" but they are not physicians.

Answer 9

If they were real doctors they wouldn't be wasting their qualifications on this.