So you want to be a chiropractor in France? This is really amazing: who wouldn’t want to live in the land of baguettes and croissants? Life in France is very pleasant: most places are full of history, with places to visit, museums and monuments to discover. The landscapes and climates are also very varied: from the sea to the mountains, from hot to cold temperatures, you can travel without going very far! Take your time to discover the local culture: each city has its own food specialty, its own monument, etc. You should also think about learning the language: no French person would consult a therapist who does not speak French, although in the large cities you can develop a foreign patient base according to the population. There are about 1500 chiropractors practicing in France, so there are a lot of possibilities to settle down.
First, here are some things you need to know!
We have some legal obligations, as the profession has been recognized by French law since 2002. You must hold a diploma issued according to the regulations in force: in France, the decree n°2011-1127 details the conditions of accreditation of the schools, a diploma issued abroad must meet these criteria, you will have to inquire according to the school. The diploma must then be filed with the Agence Régionale de Santé(regional health authority; ARS) to obtain an ADELI number. Without this number, the exercise of medical or paramedical practice is considered illegal. The second obligation is to be insured: you will have to discuss with the bank and the insurance services. The third obligation concerns the practice premises: they must meet the current accessibility standards.
That’s it for the legal part. Then there are all the things specific to the French healthcare system that may surprise you.
The French healthcare system allows anyone to receive basic healthcare for free: the care is covered by la sécurité sociale (social security). However chiropractic care is not considered essential care,and therefore not covered by la sécurité sociale: some mutual insurance companies or complementary health insurance may cover all or part of the care, depending on the contract. This part is specific to patients and does not concern you, but be prepared to answer questions on this topic, patients usually have a lot of them, and since they are used to receiving free care, you need to be able to explain it.
As chiropractic care is not reimbursed, we can choose our rates: they generally vary between 40 and 100€ per session, depending on the duration of the consultation, the place of practice (consultations are often more expensive in big cities), …You can also choose to vary your rates according to the categories of population: make a reduced rate for children, unemployed people, … The majority of French chiropractors declare an annual turnover of between 20,000 and 60,000€.
For the practice itself, you are required to practice in the interest of the patient, which means that you will have to contact other health professionals. You must keep in mind that the French chiropractor must remain within his field of competence, and must therefore know when and to whom to refer his patient if necessary. It is therefore to your advantage to be on good terms with your medical and physiotherapist colleagues and to have a well-developed address book. A chiropractor in France cannot prescribe X-rays or imaging, nor drugs, but by being on good terms with doctors, they can prescribe them for us by simple letter. So please, when you arrive, go introduce yourself to the local professionals! Plus they can send you patients when they feel it is necessary.
If you have any questions, you can go and see the website of the Association Française de Chiropraxie (AFC), you can contact them and they will have reliable information. If you want to contact French chiropractors (keep in mind that the information is not always up to date so not always reliable)you can join the Facebook group Le coin chiro! they can help you with more down-to-earth issues.
(The figures mentioned come from ifec.net, the website of the French school of chiropractic.
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