How Much Training Does a Chiropractor Actually Need?
Becoming a licensed chiropractor typically requires 7 to 8 years of higher education, including a bachelor’s degree and a 4-year Doctor of Chiropractic program, before treating patients independently. Some chiropractors, including both doctors at Genesis Chiropractic, complete additional certification beyond that baseline.
It’s a fair question, and one patients don’t always think to ask before their first visit: how much training does the person about to adjust your spine actually have? The answer involves more schooling than most people assume, plus a second layer of training that isn’t required for licensure at all.
The Actual Education Path to Becoming a Chiropractor
Chiropractors complete a bachelor’s degree — Dr. Maycee’s was in Exercise Science, Dr. Alex’s in Applied Health Sciences — before entering a four-year Doctor of Chiropractic program. That program covers anatomy, physiology, neurology, diagnostic imaging, and hands-on adjustment technique, along with supervised clinical hours treating real patients before graduation. After graduating and passing national board exams, a chiropractor is licensed to practice, which is the baseline every chiropractor meets, not the ceiling every chiropractor stops at.
That baseline alone is a significant undertaking on top of an undergraduate degree, and it’s often more schooling than patients assume when they picture a chiropractic visit. What varies more from one office to the next is what a doctor chooses to pursue after licensure, which is where meaningful differences between practices tend to show up.
What Additional Training Some Chiropractors Complete
The Gonstead Technique isn’t taught as the default method in most chiropractic programs. It requires additional, hands-on certification through the Gonstead Methodology Institute, covering the specific X-ray analysis, palpation, and instrumentation the method is built around. Both doctors at Genesis Chiropractic completed this additional training, which is part of why a Gonstead-focused evaluation looks different from a general chiropractic visit — it leans more heavily on measurable analysis before any adjustment happens.
Dr. Alex also brings a background as a U.S. Army medic, and an ongoing interest in biomechanics and anatomy that shapes how he approaches evaluation. Dr. Maycee’s athletic background, along with her Webster Certification through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, informs her approach to pregnancy-related care specifically.
What This Means for Your Care
Understanding a chiropractor’s specific training can help you decide whether their approach fits what you’re looking for. Genesis Chiropractic’s doctors completed additional Gonstead certification beyond standard licensure, and our team is happy to answer questions about that training during your first visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a chiropractor a real doctor?
Yes — chiropractors earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree after a 4-year professional program following undergraduate study, and are licensed through state board exams.
What’s the difference between a general chiropractor and a Gonstead-certified one?
A Gonstead-certified chiropractor has completed additional training through the Gonstead Methodology Institute beyond standard licensure, specific to the X-ray analysis and adjustment technique the method uses.
Dr. Alex and Dr. Maycee Sturino are the chiropractors at Genesis Chiropractic, a Gonstead-specific clinic in Appleton, Wisconsin serving patients throughout the Fox Cities. They use full-spine X-rays and hands-on analysis to pinpoint the exact source of a patient’s pain before making a precise, individualized adjustment. Dr. Alex is a U.S. Army veteran who served as a medic in the 82nd Airborne, and Dr. Maycee is Webster Certified through the ICPA for prenatal chiropractic care — together bringing a specific, patient-centered approach to every exam.
