The Canadian Academy of Osteopathy offers a comprehensive four-year program that equips you to deliver safe, effective, and targeted treatments to patients. To do so, we’ve designed a curriculum that goes deeper than the practical techniques of osteopathy. Instead, we take a principles-based approach; students gain a true understanding of osteopathic principles and theory, with the clinical competency to apply those principles in their careers. 

You’ll gain expertise in a variety of areas, such as osteopathic anatomy and physiology, osteopathic history and theory, principles in practice, and more. With over 4400 hours of clinical and classroom training, we teach it all at CAO. Keep reading to learn what to expect from the curriculum at our osteopathy college!

Build a Foundation in Osteopathic Principles 

Osteopathy is its own branch of healthcare with a long history behind it. At CAO, we respect this tradition by teaching osteopathy as a profession in and of itself rather than as an ‘add-on’ to other modalities. That involves teaching students the founding principles of the practice. These principles govern the ‘who, what, where, when, and why’ behind osteopathic assessment and treatment. 

First and foremost, osteopathy acts as a complementary therapy alongside conventional medicine. Rather than using medicines to cure the symptoms of the body, osteopathy focuses on aligning the layers of the structure of the body through non-invasive manual therapy. This is based on a belief in the body’s ability to self-heal and self-regulate, which is why an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner does not see themselves as a healer but instead as a facilitator of health. 

At CAO, you’ll learn how to break down your findings into these natural principles–so you won’t have to memorize techniques from a book to know when to use them.

Examine Anatomy & Physiology Through an Osteopathic Lens

A good working knowledge of health sciences is an important part of osteopathy. But at CAO, we move away from the traditional allopathic model and toward a fully integrated osteopathic model that examines the body as a whole dynamic body of function. This model emphasizes the relationship between the many structures and systems of the human body. 

Throughout your training at osteopathy college, you’ll focus on facilitating the health of joints and muscles with the goal of returning the body to a state of normal health. With an in-depth understanding of osteopathic anatomy and osteopathic physiology, you’ll be ready to treat the layers of the body on a personalized, individual level. 

Develop a Mind for Osteopathic Thinking at Our Osteopathy College

As explained above, osteopathy is a completely new way of thinking about the body and approaching physical problems. Delivering effective treatments to clients requires you to adopt the right mindset when problem-solving and working with physical challenges. 

Rather than looking for symptoms and finding ways to alleviate them, osteopathy seeks the underlying cause of the problem. It requires you to think beyond the obvious signs of pain and examine how the whole body may be affected. If the self-healing and self-regulating mechanisms of the body are being obstructed, it is your job to remove that obstruction using manual therapy. Rather than searching for illness, osteopathy requires you to think about how you can revitalize areas where health is affected. 

At CAO, you’ll develop a mind for this approach during our classroom labs and put that mentality to practice in our clinical lessons. 

Are you ready to prepare for your osteopathy specialization? 

Contact the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy today!

The post Going Beyond Technique: 3 Things You’ll Learn at Our Osteopathy College appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

As a patient-centred profession, osteopathic manual practitioners need to develop a number of professional skills that can help them deliver safe, effective, and ethical treatments. Along with the practical techniques of the profession, you’ll need to know how to approach patients with care and understanding while arriving at the best possible solution for the individual. Interpersonal skills and critical thinking are essential qualities to build during your training. 

While working on challenging osteopathic problems and gaining real clinical experience, students at CAO learn firsthand the importance of applying these professional skills to their practice. Here’s a look at some of the top skills you’ll need to use during and after your osteopathy training. 

1. Good Communication Skills Are Important

When working with patients of any kind, good interpersonal and communication skills are essential. When it comes to osteopathy, your patients will be looking for you to assist them with a number of physical problems. Treating those clients with respect, empathy, and your full attention will reassure them that they’re in safe hands. At the same time, a big part of communication is listening to your client carefully. Let them explain what they are experiencing and their health history. In turn, you can customize a treatment just for them. By building a positive rapport with patients from the get-go, you can maintain good professional relationships with clients throughout your career.

2. Exercise Your Problem-Solving Skills

In an osteopathy specialization, you’ll be working with clients experiencing a variety of different challenges, from postural problems to sports injuries to long-term pain to sleeping difficulty. Every patient is different, and their symptoms will present in different ways. As an osteopathic manual practitioner, you’ll need to apply your knowledge of osteopathic principles and surgical level functional anatomy to pinpoint the osteopathic lesion. Often, a patient may be experiencing pain in one area of the body while the source of the pain is located somewhere else. In that case, good problem-solving skills will help you to consider all possibilities and arrive at the right course of action for your patient.

3. Pay Attention to Detail as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner

Strong attention to detail will help you look beyond where symptoms may be expressing themselvews and consider the whole body. At CAO, we focus on teaching principles-based osteopathy in which students get an in-depth understanding of anatomy and physiology so they can treat the layers of bodily structure on a personalized level. Our students learn to closely examine all the interrelated symptoms and functions of the body–including the bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, systems, viscera and fascia. By developing this kind of attention to detail, our students are able to look beyond the surface of pain and find ways to return the body to normal health so it can self-heal and self-regulate.

4. Practice Adaptability When Working With Patients

A good osteopathic manual practitioner doesn’t see themselves as a healer but as a facilitator of health. You’ll be working with the body to restore its natural balance and functions rather than imposing treatments upon it. Working with the body in this way requires a certain level of flexibility. You’ll need to adapt your practice to the physical condition, medical history, and personal preferences of the patient. Often, you may have a solution in mind that does not work with a specific patient’s body. In that case, keeping an open mind when trying a new course of action will help you better accommodate the needs of the individual. 

Are you interested in training as an osteopathy professional?

Start your career with the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy today!

The post 4 Professional Skills You’ll Use as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

The faculty at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy is passionate about inspiring the next generation of osteopathic manual practitioners. At CAO, we promise you a challenging, engaging, and rewarding learning experience that exceeds your expectations–and this is all thanks to the commitment of our instructors.

Throughout the four-year program, your classes will be led by experienced educators who are passionate about what they do and experts in their fields. Whether you’re learning about osteopathic theory and principles or getting hands-on training in our clinic, our instructors are there to support your understanding at every stage. Here’s a closer look at what distinguishes the faculty at CAO.

Working Professionals in the Osteopathy Field

A unique quality of the faculty at our osteopathy academy is that all of our instructors are industry-experienced professionals; they actively work (or have experience working) as osteopathic manual practitioners. Many even run their own private practices alongside their work at CAO. In a learning environment that is led by professionals with a foot in the industry and an understanding of current osteopathic practices, you can be sure that your training is tailored to the needs of clients today. 

Diverse Backgrounds and Experiences

Each instructor at CAO has taken a different path to become an osteopathy professional. Each one has now built a successful and rewarding career as an osteopathic manual practitioner and is able to guide students of all backgrounds and experience levels. 

Their various interests in the field of osteopathy allow them to offer more specialized training to our students. For example, CAO Professor Cole Ruston opened a clinic with an emphasis on educating patients on the value of general movement and other health practices.

Many of our instructors are even alumni of CAO. They know the curriculum inside out and are able to offer more focused support to help you navigate the program. Students can learn from the personal experiences of those who came before them and gain inspiration for their own professional pathways.

Ready to Offer Personalized Support at Our Osteopathy Academy

Our outstanding teacher-to-student ratio ensures you get the individual attention and academic support you deserve, allowing you to achieve the highest level of comprehension and achievement possible. Whether you’re working in the classroom or our free public clinic, the instructors are there to supervise and guide your training with hands-on support. 

You’ll gain expertise in a variety of areas, such as clinical anatomy & physiology, osteopathic history & theory, principles in practice, and more. In each area, our instructors will make sure you’re progressing through your education at the right pace and understanding how each topic feeds into the next. You’ll feel fully supported throughout your education, with access to lifelong career support after graduating. 

Ready to start your career as an osteopathic manual practitioner?

Contact the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy today!

The post What Makes the Faculty at Our Osteopathy Academy Special? appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

Here at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, we are experts in guiding students toward successful careers as osteopathic manual practitioners. We offer a comprehensive four-year program that prepares graduates to take up both business and job opportunities across Canada. 

However, we also understand that the road to success isn’t always easy. Many students face challenges throughout their studies, from personal commitments to academic struggles to financial pressures. Luckily, the community at CAO is here to help through hands-on instructors, student support services, a flexible learning format, and more. Keep reading to learn more about the resources that are available to help you navigate your osteopathy training.

Hands-on Attention from Our Faculty

Academic support is available in different forms at our osteopathy school. In the classroom, it starts with our team of dedicated instructors who are passionate about what they do and experts in their field. 

Whether you’re examining the principles and theories of osteopathy or applying osteopathic principles in our on-campus clinics, your instructors will be there to answer your questions, review any material, and offer hands-on support. Our small class sizes allow for more individualized attention and academic support from instructors, allowing you to reach the highest level of comprehension possible. 

Outside of the classroom, you’ll also have access to our Student Success Coordinator, who can discuss any challenges you may have with the coursework or nature of the program. 

Tutoring from Upper-Year Students

CAO offers a community-centred learning environment–one in which students work together and support one another at every stage of the program. You’ll not only have the chance to form close connections with your classmates, but you’ll also be able to learn from them. For example, upper-year students regularly act as table tutors in the under-year clinic. In the process, under-year students are able to learn from their peers further along in the program, receive guidance from those who have been in their position, and practice assessing and treating their fellow students. In a safe, supportive environment, you’ll have the freedom to make mistakes, ask questions, and overcome any barriers to your knowledge.

Flexible Scheduling to Suit Your Commitments 

Many students at CAO are already working full-time or part-time. Other students may have personal or family commitments to uphold. Whatever your current circumstances, we want to make the path to becoming an osteopathic manual practitioner as easy as possible. That’s why we offer a flexible, full-time format that allows you to continue working while studying, with added support for those commuting from out of province. Students attend in person once a month for intensive hands-on training, and online lecture days are condensed together for easy scheduling. You can rest assured that you’ll get the training you need while balancing your work and home life.

Financial Assistance at Our Osteopathy School

We understand that school comes as a major financial burden for most people. However, your training is also a valuable investment in your future as an osteopathic manual practitioner, and we want to reduce the challenges that come with it. As a small college, we are able to give personalized advice to each student to help them identify opportunities for financial assistance. 

At both our Hamilton and Calgary campuses, the CAO is proud to announce that students enrolled in the M.OMSc program may be eligible for loans, grants, or awards granted under the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). Private lending institutions are also very supportive of our students since our tuition is low and our graduate incomes are high.

With the right level of support and guidance, you can progress seamlessly through our program and into your professional career.  

Are you looking to become an osteopathic manual practitioner?

Start your training with the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy today!

The post 3 Ways Our Osteopathy School Helps You Overcome Challenges in the Program appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

The Canadian Academy of Osteopathy offers engaging, high-quality training for students at every stage of the four-year program–whether they’re just getting to grips with osteopathic principles or taking the lead in patient treatments. Students in the upper years of our osteopathy program will find a particularly useful learning experience in our Apprenticeship semester. 

During this time, upper-year students act as teaching assistants in our under-year clinic and the classroom lab. This is their chance to monitor other students and gain a practical understanding of the osteopathy clinical practice as a whole. Continue reading to learn more about the value of completing an Apprenticeship semester at CAO.

Learn by Teaching 

One of the biggest advantages of the Apprenticeship semester is the chance to learn by seeing the material reviewed again and monitoring other students in the under-year clinic at our osteopathy college. You’ll be overseeing students as they learn the information for the first time in the classroom, refine their information in the clinical semester, practice interview and intake procedures, learn to report patient history, assess and treat their peers, and understand how to catch red flags or symptoms of the body. 

Assisting these students is an additional opportunity for you to increase your exposure to different osteopathic scenarios. Every patient and circumstance is different, and the more exposure you get, the better equipped you’ll be in your own practice. At the same time, you can see how your fellow students approach each case and apply different osteopathic techniques.

Solidify Your Knowledge of the Program Material

Working as an osteopathic manual practitioner requires you to bring together all your knowledge of functional anatomy, physiology, osteopathic principles, and techniques. While there’s a lot to learn, CAO is here to support you in reviewing and applying this essential knowledge at every stage of the program. 

The Apprenticeship semester is a great opportunity for upper-year students to go over some of the foundational material that’s covered in the lower years. While monitoring other students, you have the chance to fill in any gaps in your comprehension of the program material. At the same time, you’ll see how the osteopathic principles, history, and theories you learned come together in a clinical setting.

Improve Your Confidence in a Clinical Setting 

As a hands-on profession, an osteopathic manual practitioner will need to feel confident taking the lead on patient treatments. During the Apprenticeship semester, you’ll familiarize yourself with work in a clinical setting, guiding other students in their practice. During this time, you’ll hone in on observing and evaluating patients, deliver real results to patients, and foster relationships. By practicing with your fellow students in the classroom lab and clinic, you have the chance to make mistakes, learn from new experiences, and improve your confidence in a real clinical environment. Upon graduating, our students are ready to practice safe, effective, and informed osteopathy. 

Are you ready to start training in an osteopathy specialization?

Get started with the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy today!

The post 3 Benefits of the Apprenticeship Semester at Our Osteopathy College appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

As an osteopathic manual practitioner, your job is to support the body’s ability to self-heal and self-regulate. Osteopathic manual practitioners don’t see themselves as healers but rather facilitators of health. Instead of imposing treatments on the body, you’ll work with the body to return it to its normal state of function and health. That means a fundamental understanding of the body, its systems, and structures are essential to offering the right support to your clients. 

At CAO, anatomy and physiology are built into the curriculum at every stage of learning. Students gain an in-depth understanding of the body, so they are able to treat its layers on an individual level. Here’s a closer look at the importance of studying anatomy and how CAO supports your knowledge. 

Understand Different Physical Challenges as an Osteopathy Professional

In your osteopathy career, you’ll be working with clients experiencing a number of different physical difficulties. Some people may come to you with a sports-related injury or long-term pain. Other clients may be experiencing digestive issues, postural problems, sleep problems, stress and more. In each case, your understanding of anatomy–the joints, muscles, and systems of the body–will guide you in diagnosing and treating different physical problems. 

To ensure that every student is up to speed with their anatomy and physiology knowledge, CAO offers a Year 1 Prep course to help you learn and review this essential content. This is a great option for those with limited experience in healthcare. You can be sure you have the fundamentals down as you prepare to become an osteopathic manual practitioner. 

Work with the Interrelated Systems of the Body

As a non-invasive manual therapy, osteopathy aims to improve health across the body by manipulating and strengthening the musculoskeletal framework. Instead of just targeting the area where a client feels pain, an osteopathic practitioner will try to locate the root cause of the problem and work to restore balance in all the body’s systems. This approach requires you to understand how physical problems in one area can impact another and how the different joints, muscles, and bones in the body support one another. 

Our curriculum is designed to comprehensively cover clinical anatomy and physiology. Our focus on anatomy moves away from the traditional allopathic model and toward a fully integrated osteopathic model that examines the body as a whole dynamic body of function. This is key to not just treating pain in the short-term but providing overall good health and wellbeing. 

Treat the Body on a Personalized Level

A good osteopathy professional understands that every client’s body and physical experience of it are different. The approach you take with each patient will be based on the individual, their health history, and the symptoms they describe. Having an in-depth understanding of anatomy –including its variations–will help you to treat the layers of bodily structure on a personalized, individual level to better support each patient. 

You’ll have the chance to apply your knowledge of anatomy and physiology to real-life patients in our free public clinic. Here, you’ll learn how to catch red flags, signs or symptoms of the body and hone in on evaluating physical problems. With the right theory and practice, you’ll be ready to embark on a specialized career in the healthcare field. 

Are you looking to train as an osteopathic manual practitioner? 

Start your career with the program at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy today.

The post 3 Reasons Why Studying Anatomy Is Important to Become an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

If you’re embarking on a career as an osteopathic manual practitioner, you have an exciting and rewarding path ahead. But it all starts with choosing the right school for your needs and goals. 

In Canada, there’s good demand for osteopathy professionals across the country, and getting the right training will position you at the forefront of that demand. 

Depending on your experience and circumstances, you might be wondering what to look for in an osteopathy school. Perhaps you’re a working professional looking to upskill with a flexible program. Or perhaps you’re looking for a course in line with international standards. 

Choosing the right osteopathy school is no easy decision, so here’s a look at some key things to consider as you prepare for your osteopathic education!

Does the Curriculum Meet Professional Standards?

Since osteopathy schools are not regulated by the government in Canada, it’s important to do your own research to ensure you’re choosing a school that offers a reputable and qualified program. 

At the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, we are proud to offer a curriculum that aims to meet and exceed international standards. Our program is recognized and monitored by OSTCAN and Osteopathy Canada.

Specifically, all graduates of our osteopathy college are eligible to become a member of OSTCAN, an association open to practitioners with a world-class education in osteopathy. Members must have a minimum of 4200 hours of osteopathic education, including supervised clinical training, which is what you’ll get during your time at CAO. 

While learning from a team of professionals who are actively working as osteopathic manual practitioners, you can be confident you’re getting the training and qualifications you need to start a reputable career. 

What Kind of Support Will You Get During Your Training?

The path to an osteopathy specialization can be challenging, and it’s important that you feel comfortable and supported along the way. Given the work and commitment it requires, you’ll want a school that facilitates the training process and accommodates the needs of different students where possible. Think about your current professional and personal commitments and whether the school offers a learning environment that is convenient for you. 

At CAO, we offer a flexible, full-time program that allows you to continue to work while in the program. The combination of in-person and online lectures also allows flexibility for those commuting from out of the province. 

We understand that adjusting to a full course load can be a challenge, which is why we have plenty of support systems available for students at CAO’s community-centred campus, including access to a Student Success Coordinator, opportunities to form connections with classmates and small classes taught by passionate faculty.

Does the Osteopathy College Offer Real-World Experience? 

A good osteopathy school should ultimately prepare you for a professional career as an osteopathic manual practitioner. You’ll want to graduate with the confidence to deliver safe and effective osteopathic treatment to patients. The best way to achieve that is through a program that offers real-world experience for you to put your knowledge to the test.

Students at CAO are required to complete supervised clinical training and practice prior to graduation. This takes place in our dedicated clinical environments that are insured and supervised by professional osteopathic manual practitioners. Real-life patients come to the clinic for assessments and ongoing care, at which point you’ll practice intake procedures, take the lead on treatments, learn how to catch signs or symptoms of the body, and more. With hands-on experience under your belt, you’ll graduate as a more qualified and confident practitioner.

Want to learn more about training as an osteopathic manual practitioner?

Contact the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy today!

The post Interested in Osteopathy College? How to Choose the Right School for Your Training appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

Osteopathy is a manual form of therapy that helps to strengthen the framework of the body and support the health of joints and muscles. By treating the layers of bodily structure on a personalized level, osteopathy can be very beneficial to many people with a variety of physical strains. 

Osteopathic patients include young people, older people, manual workers, office professionals, pregnant women and athletes. As an osteopathic manual practitioner, you may be assisting these patients in overcoming pain from strain, recurring conditions, headaches, and more. Here’s a closer look at some of the physical problems that you may be treating as an osteopathic manual practitioner.

Physical Strain

Sports are some of the leading causes of strain on the body. Activities like running can cause stress on the joints and muscles, particularly those in the hips and knees. Likewise, weight lifting can lead to muscular strain in the back. Using non-invasive manual techniques, as an osteopathic manual practitioner you can help to support and strengthen the affected area. 

At the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, students explore hands-on practices in the classroom labs, with the chance to put those skills to work on real patients in our free public osteopathy clinic. Our students are given a solid understanding of the founding theory and principles of osteopathy, paired with an in-depth look at functional anatomy and physiology. By understanding the relationship between the structure and function of the human body, you can help your patients return to a normal level of activity and advise them on ways they can reduce the chance of repetitive discomfort. 

Long-Term Discomfort and Healing

Many people who seek osteopathy treatment are dealing with consistent, long-term pain or recurring problems. This includes things like headaches, difficulty sleeping, prolonged stress, low energy levels, or bodily pain. When a patient experiences this kind of long-term discomfort, it can often affect the efficiency of the whole body and its ability to function on multiple levels. 

As an osteopathic manual practitioner, you’ll look beyond the immediate symptoms and aim to restore the balance between the underlying systems of the body. This includes things like the nervous system, the lymphatic system and blood flow–which are vital to the body’s ability to heal and self-regulate. 

Students at our osteopathy academy will dive into clinical anatomy and physiology, moving away from the traditional allopathic model and toward a fully integrated osteopathic model that examines the body as a whole dynamic body of function. This prepares you to treat complex problems on a deeper and more sustainable level. 

Posture and Relaxation

The stresses of modern life can take a huge toll on the body. Many people spend hours sitting at a desk and computer or working manual labour jobs. All of these activities can result in poor posture and eventually lead to hip, neck or back pain. That’s why it’s become increasingly common for people to seek osteopathic treatment to manage the effects of their work or personal lives. As an osteopathic manual practitioner, you can help to realign the structures of the body and restore it to its natural state. With a strong understanding of osteopathic theory and principles, you’ll be ready to assess and treat the body on a personalized, individual level. 

Are you interested in a career as an osteopathy professional? 

Get started with training at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy!

The post 3 Patient Issues You May Encounter as An Osteopathic Manual Practitioner appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

Osteopathic manual practitioners open the door for their patients to pursue healthier and happier lives. By addressing the root causes of each ailment, these professionals can change the quality of life for anyone needing physical relief. 

Osteopathy is a patient-centred practise by nature. This means that osteopathic manual practitioners treat every patient as a unique individual, and provide an extensive and holistic approach to address their every need. This can come in many forms, so continue reading to learn more about how to adopt this technique as you complete your studies at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

Osteopathic Principles Allow for Customized Techniques

Here at the CAO, you will receive a hands-on, principles-based curriculum. A comprehensive understanding of the founding osteopathy principles will allow you to determine the ‘who, what, where, when and why’ behind each osteopathic treatment. 

Sticking to the principles-based curriculum, you’ll learn how to break down your findings into natural law once you complete osteopathy college. This saves you from resorting to simply memorizing techniques from a book and allows you to dive into the history and intricacies of the body. Having the freedom that comes with understanding the overarching principles of the practice, you will be able to better assess each patient to come up with a unique and effective treatment plan that will best help them on an individualized level. 

Providing More Than Simple Physical Care as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner

While physical treatment is important as an osteopathic manual practitioner, it is essential to deeper than simple, surface-level care. Adopting a true patient-centred approach includes a personalized treatment that is customized based on the patient’s unique anatomy and lesioning patterns.

Taking the time and care to fully assess each individual patient, you will base your treatments off of objective findings in the patient’s body once you begin your osteopathy career. Working thoroughly and carefully, you can palpate the body and create valid reasoning for treatment based on your foundational knowledge of osteopathic principles. Deeply assessing every part of the body allows for an individualized experience for each patient, keeping each patient and their health at the centre of your practice.

Cultivating Trust and an Ongoing Relationship

Practicing listening, connecting and communicating effectively with your patients will help you build a strong relationship with each one. When a patient feels seen and heard, they will begin to trust you as their care provider. 

Trust is essential to any osteopathic manual practitioner and patient relationship. By working with the interrelated systems and functions of the human body, osteopathic manual therapy can return the body to normal health so it can self-heal and self-regulate. However, if the patient doesn’t trust their professional, they may not continue to seek healing. While working in the student lab at the CAO, you will be able to practice your osteopathic techniques, as well as your patient-centred approach to your craft.

Interested in exploring an osteopathy specialization?

Contact the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy for more information!

The post How You Can Adopt a Patient-Centred Approach as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

Not every profession is the perfect fit for every individual, which is what makes pursuing a fulfilling career so exciting. If you’re thinking about beginning a career as an osteopathic manual practitioner, then you’ll want to make sure that you feel confident in your abilities as well as the reasoning for your choice.

Successful graduates of the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy are caring, organized, and patient-oriented people who love connecting with the individuals that they work with. These qualities don’t always come naturally, and are often refined during schooling and practical experience. Discover four signs that will help you decide if osteopathy school is right for you.

1. You Enjoy Working with Your Hands

Human body-related or not, if you love working with your hands, then an osteopathy specialization will satisfy your desire to keep your hands busy. A traditional office job, requiring you to work for 8 hours at a computer, may seem unnatural to you if you are more heavily drawn toward movement, human interaction, and working with your hands.

Manual work allows you to connect more closely with your craft, which creates a rewarding working experience. Osteopathic manual practitioners especially enjoy their jobs because they learn to understand the ‘why’ behind what they do with each movement and each touch of their hands, further connecting them to their work.

2. You Are a Natural-Born Problem Solver

The field of osteopathy is full of challenges, surprises, and complexities. This is a great career path for you if you want to make sure that no two days on the job are the same. At CAO, students gain over 1,000 hours of supervised clinical experience that prepares them for work in the real world.

Treating each client as a unique individual with a unique set of ailments helps osteopathic manual practitioners get to the bottom of their complaints to help them along on their healing journey. If you love getting to the root cause of issues, you’ll enjoy life after osteopathy school.

3. You Love Anatomy and Physiology 

If you already love anatomy and physiology, then you’ll thoroughly enjoy diving deeper into the interrelated processes of the human body. During osteopathy training at CAO, students learn how to recognize signs and symptoms that they can address to help their clients. A deep understanding of the human body, and the principles that relate bodily systems to osteopathy, adds a needed level of context to the osteopathy techniques that students learn to use.

4. You Want to Help Others After Osteopathy College

If you love helping people, then you know that osteopathy college is a great option for you. An important aspect of an osteopathic manual practitioner’s job is to connect with patients to help them feel seen, heard, understood, and cared for.

At CAO, you can look forward to individualized learning that will help you recognize your strengths and adopt the skills you need to best care for your future clients. All CAO graduates can uphold safe, effective, and ethical osteopathy practices to better the health and wellness of others.

Are you interested in becoming an osteopathic manual practitioner?

Contact the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy for more information!

The post 4 Signs a Career as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner Is Right for You appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.