Medical assistants work with physicians doing a wide variety of clinical and administrative tasks, helping deliver the best healthcare service possible. There are many specializations that medical assistants can work in, and one of those places is in a chiropractor's office. When a medical assistant is certified as specializing in chiropractic support, they are usually known as a chiropractor assistant.
Chiropractic medicine concerns the study, diagnosis, and treatment of mechanical issues with the musculoskeletal system, particularly involving the spine. Chiropractic doctors usually have a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree and are not required to have a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. Chiropractic doctors must pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) exams and meet any state licensing requirements.
What is a Chiropractic Medical Assistant?
A chiropractic medical assistant works in a chiropractic office helping with various administrative tasks and clinical procedures, preparing patients for their visit. They schedule patient appointments and contact patient insurance, and may have special training to assist with therapeutic massage and treatments with the TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) device.
What Does a Chiropractic Medical Assistant Do?
A chiropractic assistant does a variety of administrative and clinical tasks which help patient appointments run smoothly on schedule. Here are some of the administrative tasks they may do.
- Answering phone calls
- Scheduling patient appointments
- Gathering billing and insurance info
- Organizing office emails and replying to patients & insurance
- Cleaning and preparing examination rooms
- Managing office supplies
- Call patients for appointment reminders
- Updating patient records
These are some of the clinical tasks a clinical assistant may be responsible for.
- Taking vital signs
- Preparing patients for examination
- Stocking and cleaning exam rooms
- Helping take patient X-rays, set up X-ray machine
- Assisting with TENS treatments
- Relaying information from the chiropractor to patient, explaining procedures
Where Do They Work?
Chiropractic assistants mostly work in a chiropractic office, but they may also work for physical therapists.
How to Become a Chiropractic Assistant
These are the steps to becoming a chiropractic assistant (chiropractic medical assistant).
1. Become a Medical Assistant
When you complete a medical assisting program, finish an externship, and pass the certification exam, you have the skills to begin your career as a medical assistant, helping physicians in medical offices and clinics.
2. Satisfy the Experience / Education Requirement
Becoming a chiropractic assistant (with certification) requires you to work 2000 hours under the supervision of a licensed chiropractor OR to take a chiropractic assistant course of at least 24 hours.
3. Pass Certifying Exam
A certification exam is usually given through an organization such as the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB). Once you pass this exam, there is one more step.
4. Follow Up Hours and Hands on Experience
The second part of chiropractic assistant certification programs follows the exam, which is 300 hours of supervised practical chiropractic assistant experience (required). After successfully completing these hours, you are a certified chiropractic assistant.
Like medical assistants, chiropractic assistants in California are not required to be certified in order to work, but it is highly recommended. Certified chiropractic medical assistants are covered under a chiropractor's malpractice insurance in most policies. Non-certified medical assistants may not be covered in the physician’s insurance policies for malpractice.
Skills Required for Chiropractic Medical Assistants
Chiropractic medical assistants typically have these skills:
Interpersonal Communication
The chiropractic assistant is the first point of contact for the patient, and serves as a liaison between clients and the chiropractor. Effective communication is important whether you are helping a client set up a follow-up appointment, deal with delinquent bills, or express empathy for their physical pain.
Organization and Attention to Detail
Chiropractic assistants are typically running the front end of the office and dealing with all the paperwork, medical records, and insurance billing. Making sure the patient’s insurance is being billed correctly and bills are reimbursed promptly is crucial for revenue for the chiropractic office. Attention to detail is also important when updating patient medical records.
Job Outlook
According to data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for medical assistants are projected to increase by 152% between 2024 and 2034. Jobs for chiropractors are projected to grow about 11% between 2024 and 2034 by the BLS.
Ready to Start Your Medical Assisting Career?
If you’re ready to begin your career as a certified medical assistant, Campus Sacramento has a Medical Assisting program that will help you become a medical assistant in a matter of months. Class schedules are flexible, with both day and night schedules. Some of the coursework can be done online, with some mandatory in-classroom days. For more information on start dates, job placement rates, financial aid, or curriculum, contact our friendly Admissions department or call 888-675-2460.