From the Research
A DC, DABCI is a Doctor of Chiropractic who has earned additional certification as a Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Internists, representing a chiropractor with extensive postgraduate education in internal medicine from a chiropractic perspective, as supported by the most recent study 1 in 2021. This designation requires at least 300 hours of additional training beyond the standard chiropractic doctorate, covering areas such as laboratory diagnostics, physical diagnosis, clinical nutrition, and functional medicine approaches. The DABCI certification is focused on identifying and addressing the underlying causes of health conditions rather than just treating symptoms, and these practitioners typically use non-pharmaceutical approaches including dietary modifications, nutritional supplementation, lifestyle changes, and chiropractic adjustments to help patients with chronic health issues. Some of the key areas of focus for DABCIs include:
- Laboratory diagnostics
- Physical diagnosis
- Clinical nutrition
- Functional medicine approaches While they maintain a holistic approach to healthcare, DABCIs are trained to recognize when medical referrals are necessary and often work collaboratively with medical doctors and other healthcare providers, as noted in studies such as 2 and 3. This specialized training allows them to serve as primary care providers within the scope of chiropractic practice, with particular expertise in natural approaches to managing chronic conditions, and is supported by the most recent and highest quality study available 1.