Chiropractor Practice Management: Justifications for Business Degree Program in Chiropractic Curriculum

A chiropractor is considered a Professional as well as a Businessperson. The history of chiropractic profession has been shaped with myriad of specific claims within healthcare environment which led to desire to ‘fit into the perceived exigencies and requirements of the health care system'. However, the strategy to organize ethics within a profession exemplifies the need to be compliant with professional requirements and to exhibit integrity within the context of that profession. This study investigates the relationship between successful chiropractic practice and attainment of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. A survey was completed by 150 practicing chiropractors in four (4) states of Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and New York combined using an online survey instrument. Questions about additional earned degree in Business, its impact on financial and physical growth of business practices and establishments were quantified in order to rank the individual chiropractors as highly successful, having strains on practice (moderately successful), and no growth (least successful). Each of the independent variable responses from the research questions was analyzed for each success group of Chiropractors to determine whether the success level was related to any of the independent variables. Correlation analysis, coefficient of determination, and chi-square tests of independence were performed on the independent variables and on the demographic variables of age of respondent, location of business, cost of practice, attainment of an earned MBA degree, implication of the earned degree to progress of the practice and length of time in practice. Significant statistical findings were obtained and significant statistical correlation was found between the success variables and most of the independent variables. Relationships between attainment of an MBA using certain demographic factors and success level were also significant. The research provided answers to questions regarding attainment of an additional MBA degree and success aspect of a chiropractic business practice.