Chiropractors in Puerto Rico is may not something you had ever considered before.
However, according to the most recent information provided by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Board (FCLB) Puerto Rico Board of Chiropractic Examiners, there are 453 chiropractic licenses issued on this 3,515 square mile island.
While only 187 of them are categorized as “active,” what’s interesting is that 45 of these are actually non-resident licenses. In other words, approximately one out of every four chiropractors in that area aren’t living there on a long-term, permanent basis. How does this compare to other places in the U.S.?
As of January 2016, Alabama had 742 active chiropractic licensees, 72 of which were non-resident—or one out of about 10—according to the FCLB. At this same point in time, California had 12,225 active residence licenses with 989, or roughly 8 percent, being non-resident. And the last known numbers for Connecticut, which were in 2014, indicated that there were 881 active resident chiropractic practitioners in this state. Of these, 105 of them were non-resident in nature, or about 12 percent.
But it’s not just chiropractors themselves that find Puerto Rico so appealing; it’s chiropractic organizations too.
Puerto Rico receives organizational-level chiropractic support
In recent years, many chiropractic-based agencies and associations have found Puerto Rico to be a great place to hold professional conferences. For instance, in June of 2015, the Association for the History of Chiropractic (AHC) held their 35th Annual Conference on this island off the southeastern side of the U.S., a move which the Latin America Chiropractic Federation indicated was supported by the Puerto Rico Chiropractic Association (PRCA).
A few months later, in early February 2016, the New York Chiropractic College Department of Postgraduate and Continuing Education, Standard Process, Inc., and the National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company hosted “A Chiropractic Winter Getaway in Puerto Rico 2016” in conjunction with the PRCA. During this two-day getaway, attendees were offered seminars on topics ranging from nutrition to medical emergency response to properly caring for pediatric patients.
What makes Puerto Rico so appealing to chiropractors and chiropractic associations alike?
Puerto Rico’s appeal
Welcome to Puerto Rico’s website shares one possible clue, and that’s that the cost of living in this area is “way below the national average,” making it cheaper to live there as opposed to other areas in the U.S. Furthermore, while housing prices are comparable to other states like Florida, North Carolina, and Texas, this site states that property taxes tend to be lower, offering another incentive to move there to practice if your goal is to buy a home that requires less of an annual financial commitment.
Living in Puerto Rico is another website which shares the numerous advantages of moving to this region of the world, some of which include constant exposure to beautiful weather, friendly people, and a plethora of water and beach-based activities year-round. As far as working in Puerto Rico is concerned, it also apparently offers some amazing business tax benefits.
According to Sotheby’s International Realty, these benefits were created by Act No. 20 and 22 of 2012, both of which provide as much as 100 percent tax exemptions in certain cases. Act No. 73 of 2008, which was reportedly created “to provide the adequate environment and opportunities to continue developing a local industry, offer an attractive tax proposal, attract direct foreign investment and promote economic development and social betterment in Puerto Rico,” is another one which offers business owners in this particular area some welcome financial relief.
Not all pros
Despite these pros to living on this island, Living in Puerto Rico does indicate that there are some cons as well. For instance, you lose your ability to vote in U.S. elections if you choose to become an official resident. Plus, the economy may be poorer than you’d like, certain items are more expensive, and local news is delivered in Spanish, which may be tough to understand if you don’t speak the language.
Traffic in certain areas can be stressful, there aren’t a lot of poor public transportation options, and hurricanes are a distinct possibility from end of spring to late fall. Internet usage tends to be less than in other places in the U.S., making it harder to find local resources, and activities like going to the store or doctor tend to take a lot longer than you may be used to.
Puerto Rico’s chiropractic requirements
That being said, if you’re still ready to pack your bags and join the emerging DC market in Puerto Rico, it’s important to know the practice requirements first. Regarding education, the FCLB states that attending a an institution fully accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education is a must.
Additionally, you must also engage in 45 hours of continuing education every three years, participate in three contact hours in AIDS awareness and risk prevention training, and undertake three contact hours on risk management. You’re required to carry malpractice insurance if you practice in this region as well.
If you’d like to learn more about taking your practice to this Caribbean region, you can contact the Puerto Rico Department of Health at P.O. Box 10200, Santurce, Puerto Rico 00908-020 for further information.