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Surgeons, All Other

SOC 29-1249.00Job Zone —v.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers chiropractic and related surgical/manual-medicine practice contexts including patient intake, neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis, spinal adjustment, clinical documentation, and interdisciplinary care coordination in outpatient and group practice settings.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Patient medical histories — collect and record under direct supervision using standardized intake forms in a clinical setting.
  2. Neuromusculoskeletal assessment terminology — recognize and apply when documenting findings under clinician guidance.
  3. Chiropractic diagnostic protocols — follow established steps to observe and evaluate basic spinal alignment under supervision.
  4. Patient health and medical history questionnaires — administer and organize using office suite software in an entry-level clinical role.
  5. Active listening techniques — apply during supervised patient interviews to capture reported symptoms accurately.
  6. Electronic health record (EHR) software — enter patient data and update basic medical records under direct oversight.
  7. Spinal anatomy and basic biology — identify key structures and relate them to common musculoskeletal complaints during orientation training.
  8. Clinical reading comprehension — interpret procedure guidelines and treatment protocols under clinician direction in a supervised practice setting.
  9. Patient communication basics — relay simple health information clearly and respectfully under practitioner supervision.
  10. Manual adjustment safety principles — demonstrate awareness of contraindications and patient positioning during observed clinical demonstrations.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Patient health histories — review, question, and synthesize with reduced oversight to identify relevant patterns in a routine outpatient clinic.
  2. Neuromusculoskeletal system functioning — evaluate using chiropractic diagnostic systems with growing independence across common case presentations.
  3. Spinal and articular adjustments — perform a structured series of manual techniques on routine cases following established clinical protocols.
  4. Diagnostic reasoning — apply critical thinking to differentiate common musculoskeletal conditions based on history, observation, and physical examination findings.
  5. Patient progress monitoring — track treatment responses over successive visits using medical software and document outcomes systematically.
  6. Written clinical documentation — compose accurate SOAP notes and patient correspondence using word processing software in a chiropractic office.
  7. Social perceptiveness — recognize patient emotional state and comfort level during examination and adjust communication style accordingly.
  8. Referral and coordination protocols — identify cases requiring additional evaluation and initiate referrals following practice guidelines.
  9. Anatomy and physiology knowledge — apply understanding of biological systems to explain diagnoses and treatment plans to patients in plain language.
  10. Office technology suite — manage appointment records, generate reports, and maintain scheduling using integrated practice management software.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex neuromusculoskeletal evaluations — conduct autonomously using advanced chiropractic diagnostic systems across a full range of routine and non-routine presentations.
  2. Comprehensive patient histories — obtain, critically analyze, and synthesize across multiple visits to inform individualized treatment plans without supervisory input.
  3. Manual spinal and articular adjustment sequences — execute with precision and clinical judgment across diverse patient populations including those with comorbidities.
  4. Differential diagnosis — apply deductive and inductive reasoning to distinguish musculoskeletal, neurological, and referred-pain conditions in a busy outpatient practice.
  5. Treatment outcome evaluation — monitor and interpret patient progress data using medical software to adjust care plans proactively.
  6. Patient education and counseling — deliver clear, evidence-informed guidance on posture, ergonomics, and rehabilitation exercises tailored to individual patient needs.
  7. Clinical writing — author detailed case reports, referral letters, and insurance documentation meeting professional and regulatory standards.
  8. Integrity and judgment in care decisions — exercise independent ethical decision-making when navigating sensitive diagnoses or treatment disagreements.
  9. Interdisciplinary collaboration — coordinate care with physicians, physical therapists, and specialists using electronic communication tools and shared records.
  10. Psychology and behavior awareness — recognize psychosocial factors influencing patient recovery and incorporate counseling-informed communication into clinical practice.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Clinical practice standards — establish and refine diagnostic and treatment protocols for neuromusculoskeletal care across an entire chiropractic organization or group practice.
  2. Practitioner development — mentor and evaluate emerging and developing clinicians in spinal assessment, adjustment technique, and patient history-taking skills.
  3. Organizational quality assurance — design and lead systematic monitoring programs using medical and administrative software to measure and improve patient outcomes practice-wide.
  4. Strategic patient care models — direct the development of evidence-based treatment frameworks that integrate chiropractic, counseling, and interdisciplinary approaches.
  5. Professional judgment standards — set the ethical and clinical decision-making expectations for the practice, modeling cautiousness and integrity in complex or high-risk cases.
  6. Clinical education leadership — develop training curricula and continuing education programs that build staff competency across all O*NET knowledge domains relevant to the practice.
  7. Health information systems governance — oversee implementation and optimization of EHR and practice management platforms to ensure documentation accuracy and regulatory compliance.
  8. Community and professional advocacy — represent the practice in professional associations, contributing to policy discussions on scope of practice and chiropractic standards.
  9. Complex case consultation — lead multidisciplinary case conferences for patients with refractory or atypical neuromusculoskeletal conditions, synthesizing input across specialties.
  10. Practice innovation and growth — identify emerging chiropractic diagnostic technologies and therapeutic modalities, guiding adoption decisions aligned with patient safety and organizational goals.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

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Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Show O*NET source anchors38 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Brain Surgeon · Cardiac Surgeon · Cardiovascular Surgeon · Colorectal Surgeon · Neurological Surgeon · Neurosurgeon · Plastic Surgeon · Reconstructive Surgeon · Surgical Oncologist · Thoracic Surgeon · Vascular Surgeon
RAPIDS apprenticeships
—
O*NET skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingWriting
Knowledge domains
Medicine and DentistryCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageBiologyPsychologyEducation and TrainingTherapy and CounselingComputers and Electronics
Abilities
Oral ComprehensionProblem SensitivityOral ExpressionWritten ComprehensionDeductive ReasoningInductive Reasoning
Work styles
Attention to DetailDependabilityCautiousnessIntegrityCooperationSelf-Control
Technology
Spreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareElectronic mail softwareWord processing softwareMedical softwareWeb page creation and editing software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Evaluate the functioning of the neuromuscularskeletal system and the spine using systems of chiropractic diagn
  2. Diagnose health problems by reviewing patients' health and medical histories, questioning, observing, and exam
  3. Perform a series of manual adjustments to the spine or other articulations of the body to correct the musculos
  4. Obtain and record patients' medical histories.
CIP education codes
51.120151.120261.010161.019961.029961.100161.109961.170161.170261.179961.210161.210261.210361.219961.270161.270261.270361.270461.270661.270761.270861.279961.280161.289961.9999

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.