Assess, treat, and care for patients by manipulation of spine and musculoskeletal system. May provide spinal adjustment or address sacral or pelvic misalignment.
U.S. Workers
37,630
Median Salary
$79,000
10-Year Growth
+9.5%
Annual Openings
2,800
Typical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
10 of 11 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Obtain and record patients' medical histories.
AI: Fully automatable - Conversational AI and digital intake systems can reliably obtain and record patients' medical histories into EHRs, enabling full automation of this administrative task by 2025.
Analyze x-rays to locate the sources of patients' difficulties and to rule out fractures or diseases as sources of problems.
AI: Fully automatable - State‑of‑the‑art deep‑learning tools can detect fractures and many pathologies on x‑rays with high accuracy and are already used clinically, although human oversight is commonly retained.
Evaluate the functioning of the neuromuscularskeletal system and the spine using systems of chiropractic diagnosis.
AI: Partial - AI can assist by analyzing imaging and sensor data to support chiropractic diagnostic reasoning, but comprehensive hands-on neuromusculoskeletal evaluation cannot be fully automated.
Diagnose health problems by reviewing patients' health and medical histories, questioning, observing, and examining patients and interpreting x-rays.
AI: Partial - AI can synthesize histories, suggest differential diagnoses, and interpret images as decision support, but complete medical diagnosis requiring physical exam and clinical judgment remains clinician-driven.
Maintain accurate case histories of patients.
AI: Partial - AI can reliably transcribe, structure, and prefill patient case histories from encounters but still requires clinician verification and legal accountability for accuracy.
Advise patients about recommended courses of treatment.
AI: Partial - AI can generate evidence‑based treatment recommendations and patient education, but individualized clinical judgment, consent, and professional responsibility remain with the chiropractor.
Counsel patients about nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, or other matters.
AI: Partial - AI can provide tailored nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress‑management counseling and behavior‑change support, but lacks full clinical rapport and should be supervised by a practitioner.
Consult with or refer patients to appropriate health practitioners when necessary.
AI: Partial - Automated triage and referral suggestion systems can identify appropriate specialists, but formal consultations and referral orders require clinician sign‑off and coordination.
Recommend and arrange for diagnostic procedures, such as blood chemistry tests, saliva tests, x-rays, or other imaging procedures.
AI: Partial - AI can recommend appropriate diagnostic tests and can automate ordering workflows and scheduling, but legally binding orders and final decisions must be made by a licensed provider.
Suggest and apply the use of supports such as straps, tapes, bandages, or braces if necessary.
AI: Partial - AI can recommend suitable supports and provide application instructions, but the physical application and fit assessment of straps, tapes, or braces require a human practitioner.
Perform a series of manual adjustments to the spine or other articulations of the body to correct the musculoskeletal system.
AI: Not automatable - Manual spinal and joint adjustments are hands-on therapeutic procedures requiring skilled human touch and real-time physical feedback that AI cannot perform autonomously in 2025.