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.

At the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, students not only gain osteopathic skills and techniques–they come to understand the founding principles and theory that those techniques rely on. This unique approach is what distinguishes training at CAO.

By focusing on the theory and application of these principles, students gain a comprehensive understanding of osteopathy and are better able to assess and treat their patients. As a graduate of CAO, you’ll feel confident in your knowledge of the practice of osteopathy as a whole. Read on to learn more about what a principles-based education has to offer.

Develop a Deeper Understanding of Osteopathic Theory and Principles 

Some osteopathy taught around the world focuses on a series of memorized techniques for different parts of the body. However, this kind of approach lacks the founding principles and theory that manual osteopathy relies on. CAO is proud to stand as Canada’s Premiere principles-based osteopathy school, offering a curriculum that aims to meet or exceed the international standards for osteopathy education. 

Our students are given a solid understanding of a variety of areas, such as clinical anatomy and physiology, osteopathic theory, principles in practice and much more. They not only learn the appropriate techniques to use but also examine the osteopathic history and debate the applications of these theories in practice. In preparing for an osteopathy specialization, students come to examine everything about the body–its anatomy and functions–through an osteopathic lens. 

Problem Solve Using Osteopathic Reason as an Osteopathy Professional

Osteopathy is a manual form of therapy that emphasizes the relationship between the structure and function of the human body. The practice is grounded in a belief in the body’s ability to self-heal and self-regulate; osteopathic manual practitioners work as facilitators of health. 

Above all, this practice requires you to work with complex layers of bodily structure. Osteopathic manual practitioners must take into account all the systems and mechanisms of the body to understand how one affects the other. The principles-based training at the CAO provides this essential knowledge of anatomy and physiology, allowing you to problem-solve issues on an individual level. 

Build Your Confidence as an Osteopathy Professional

As with any healthcare profession, it’s important to understand more than just the application of techniques; you need to understand the why and how of the practice. With a true understanding of osteopathic principles, students find themselves able to see the body through an osteopathic lens and think osteopathically. You’ll have the chance to put these principles and theories to practice in CAO’s Osteopathic Principles & Practice Lab, led by our experienced faculty. As you work towards your osteopathy career advancement, this kind of confidence in your own knowledge base is essential to helping you deliver safe, effective and individualized treatment. 

Are you interested in training as an osteopathy professional?

Contact the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy to get started.

The post Why Choose a Principles-Based Education for Your Osteopathy Specialization? appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

The Canadian Academy of Osteopathy delivers a rewarding and challenging program that prepares graduates for successful careers. We support each and every student on their path to working in a practice alongside other healthcare professionals or opening their own private practice in osteopathy. 

Our students come from different educational and professional backgrounds with different skill sets, and we give them the resources and learning environment they need to practice safe, ethical and effective osteopathy. From experienced instructors to community activities and peer-to-peer support, students at CAO are able to make the transition into an exciting new field of study. Learn more about the kind of support that awaits at our osteopathy school!

Build a Foundation for Your Studies With Our Prep Course

Students come to CAO from all different backgrounds, ranging from no healthcare experience to a degree in Health Sciences. To make the transition for all students easier, we offer an optional Year 1 Prep course to help you learn and review essential anatomy and physiology content before entering Year 1 of the program. The Prep course is a great option for students who have no healthcare background or limited experience in areas such as personal training, yoga, pilates or nutrition. 

Alternatively, many students come to our osteopathy college with a degree in Health Science or as a Licenced Health Professional. This includes those working as nurses, chiropractors, physicians, physiotherapists, and more. Those students may be eligible to bypass the Prep course and go directly into Year 1 of the program, with a Prep workbook to help you review essential content before classes begin. By ensuring that you have the foundation you need, we set you on the path to success now and in your future career. 

Learn at Your Convenience

Many students are unsure whether they can make the adjustment back to school while upholding other work or personal commitments. At CAO, we make the transition to your studies and a new career as convenient as possible. Flexible program delivery is a key benefit of studying with us. Students enjoy a full-time schedule made up of online and in-person learning. You’ll attend in-person classes once a month for hands-on practice, while online lecture days are lumped together for added convenience. You can be sure you’ll get the training you need while easing the adjustment to the demands of full-time school. 

Support from Your Peers and Instructors at Our Osteopathy College

While the coursework and nature of our osteopathy program may be challenging, there are many support services available for students on our campus. These include a Student Success Coordinator, assistance with registration and admissions processes, Office Administration Service and Financial Aid Services. Our courses are taught by faculty who are passionate about the subject and are highly invested in your osteopathy career advancement. They are there to offer you a wealth of knowledge and experience from their own time working as osteopathic manual practitioners. 

As a community-centred institution, our Student Council regularly works together to create engaging events, such as potlucks, pub nights and more. In small classes, under-year students also volunteer as “backup patients” in upper-year clinics, upper-year students act as Teaching Assistants and tutors for under-year students, and students rely on their friends in class to study together and push each other. With opportunities to form valuable connections with both your peers and instructors, you’ll find the support you need to adjust to life at our osteopathy school.

Are you interested in attending an osteopathy academy?

Contact the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy today!

The post How Our Osteopathy Academy Helps Students Adjust to the Program appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

The Canadian Academy of Osteopathy is here to set students on a path to success as osteopathic manual practitioners. Our students come from backgrounds as personal trainers, yoga instructors, holders of a Health Science degree or no healthcare background at all. Once enrolled at CAO, they’ll dive into the principles, practices, history and theory of osteopathy. 

Regardless of their experience in healthcare, our students find the support and resources they need to develop specialized knowledge in the field of osteopathy. Read on to learn how CAO prepares students of all backgrounds for a new profession.

Those With a Degree in Health Science

Have you graduated from a University or College program in Health Sciences? Many of our students come from programs in Human Kinetics, Biological Medicine, Pre-Med or Life Sciences. These are students who have chosen to take their prior knowledge of anatomy and develop a new understanding of the body and dysfunction through an osteopathic lens. 

Before you begin at our osteopathy academy, students with a degree in Health Science can use their pre-existing knowledge of anatomy and physiology to bypass our Preparation Course. This allows them to proceed directly into Year 1 of the osteopathy program. 

Similarly, many students come from practicing careers in the healthcare field, including chiropractors, physiotherapists, nurses and paramedics. Those students will also be eligible to bypass the Preparation Course and get started on their path to a new career. 

Those With Limited or No Healthcare Experience

If you’re considering osteopathy school as someone with no background in healthcare, not to worry! At CAO, we welcome students with little to no healthcare experience at all and equip them with a comprehensive understanding of a highly specialized field. 

This includes students who have a limited understanding of anatomy and physiology through work as personal trainers, pilates instructors, nutritionists and more. It may also include those who have graduated from a program in fitness or health, such as physiotherapy assistant or occupational therapy assistant. 

In these cases, our Prep Course will help you learn and review essential anatomy and physiology content, allowing you to apply to Year 1 of the program. Whatever your level of understanding, CAO has a pathway that will allow you to safely and effectively progress to a rewarding career in the field of osteopathy. 

What to Expect at Our Osteopathy Academy

At CAO, we believe that osteopathy must be taught as a profession in and of itself, rather than as an ‘add-on’ to other modalities. That’s why, regardless of your experience, we focus on equipping all students with a true understanding of clinical anatomy and physiology, osteopathic principles in practice, osteopathic history and theory and much more. 

With expert instruction from professionals actively working as Osteopathic Manual Practitioners, our students have the support and resources they need to develop a clear understanding of osteopathy treatments. At the same time, our clinical experience gives students the chance to treat real-life patients in CAO’s free public clinic. With the right combination of theory and practice, students of all backgrounds will be ready to practice safe, effective and ethical osteopathy in their careers.

Are you interested in working towards an osteopathy specialization?

Contact the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy to get started!

The post How Training at Our Osteopathy School Caters to Students Coming from a Variety of Backgrounds 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.

Osteopathy is a hands-on profession that demands a strong understanding of the relationship between the structure and function of the human body. As they work with patients to address any physical challenges they are facing, osteopathic manual practitioners benefit from practical training in working with real-life patients. 

At the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, students focus on getting the first-hand experience they need to practice safe, effective and ethical manual osteopathy in their career. You’ll have access to a practice student clinic and a free public clinic in which you’ll try your hand at treating real-life patients. This practical component ensures that graduates are career-ready, possessing a competitive edge over other candidates. Here’s what you can expect from the clinical experience at CAO.

Put Your Knowledge of Osteopathic Principles into Practice 

All students at CAO are required to complete supervised clinical training and practice before graduation. This takes place in CAO’s dedicated clinical environments – our under-year and upper-year clinics– insured and supervised by professional Osteopathic Manual Practitioners. This is an essential part of gaining the education and certification to become an osteopathic manual practitioner, as well as a chance for you to deepen your understanding of osteopathic principles in practice. You’ll apply what you’ve learnt about anatomy, physiology and the interrelated systems to treat the layers of bodily structure on a personalized, individual level. 

Learn from Your Peers at Osteopathy College

Along with your instructors, there’s a lot to learn from your fellow students at CAO. After all, they are the ones who can relate to the learning experience that you‘ll go through on your way to an osteopathy specialization. 

In our under-year clinic, students try their hand at assessing and treating fellow students in a safe and supportive space. They practice reporting patient history, intake procedures and full body assessment and treatment, all in an environment that affords them the freedom to make mistakes.

In our upper-year clinic, students will focus on treating patients in our public free clinic as they take the lead in their treatments. Students in the upper years of the osteopathy program will also complete the CAO Apprenticeship as teaching assistants in our under-year clinic. This is their chance to guide other students and improve their understanding of the osteopathy clinical practice as a whole. As they instruct and learn from their peers, students discover different perspectives and approaches to facilitating health in the body. In a collaborative learning space, you’ll develop a more comprehensive understanding of the osteopathy practice. 

Develop Confidence Treating Real Patients 

When you become an osteopathic manual practitioner, you’ll work with patients who are experiencing a wide range of physical challenges. These may include back pain, headaches, postural problems and sports injuries. Exposure to these difficulties is the first step to effectively facilitating recovery. 

Patients in the community come to the clinic for assessments or ongoing care. This is a chance for students to apply their osteopathy training to real-life situations. Beyond the application of osteopathic theory, students will also practice listening to patient concerns and responding appropriately. By putting their problem-solving and people skills to the test, our students are ready to step into their careers as more confident and experienced osteopathic manual practitioners. 

Are you interested in attending osteopathy college?

Start your career with the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy today!

The post Considering Osteopathy College? Discover the Value of Clinical Experience appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

At the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, students have the opportunity to put their understanding of osteopathic principles and techniques to the test. In the clinical semester of Year 4—the last semester of the program—students participate in the CAO Apprenticeship Program. Here, they act as teaching assistants in the classroom labs, where they’ll monitor and instruct other students. In the process, they are able to solidify their own understanding of the osteopathy clinical practice, gaining confidence in their skills while guiding others. Read on to learn how you can boost your career development through the Apprenticeship program at the CAO!

Take the Lead in a Clinical Setting 

In our upper-year clinic, students will be responsible for observing and evaluating patients, guiding real patient treatments, and delivering real results. The focus is on letting students take the lead in their clinical experience and practical learning. 

The Apprenticeship program takes that one step further and gives you the chance to oversee other students in both the under-year clinic and classroom labs. Acting as a teaching assistant, you’ll monitor and instruct under-year students as they practice assessing and treating fellow students, conducting patient histories and intake procedures, and identifying the signs or symptoms of the body. Through this Apprenticeship program, upper-year students at our osteopathy college will gain extensive hands-on experience taking the lead in a designated clinical setting.

Consolidate Your Knowledge 

The program at the CAO balances the study of osteopathic reasoning through practical training with an understanding of the foundation principles and theory that those techniques rely on. The Apprenticeship program is a chance for students to bring those two approaches together. 

While guiding under-year students in the classroom labs, you’ll have the chance to see how the program unfolds over different levels and revisit the foundation of your osteopathy training. Through teaching, students will be able to fill in any gaps in their comprehension of the program material. The result is a more comprehensive understanding of the osteopathy clinical practice as a whole, which bridges the gap between practical applications and theoretical principles. 

Put Your Skills to the Test as an Osteopathy Professional

Succeeding as an osteopathy professional takes time and discipline. Students will need to approach their training with dedication, professionalism and a genuine desire to learn more about anatomy and physiology. The CAO Apprenticeship is not only a chance to consolidate your knowledge, but it’s the chance to test your skills working with others through osteopathic practices. While in their rotations as teaching assistants in the under-year clinic, students will practice open communication, problem-solving and discipline to effectively guide other students in the clinical environment. With this kind of experience, students can graduate with confidence in their skills, ready to launch a successful career in osteopathy. 

Are you interested in working towards your osteopathy career advancement? 

Get started with the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy today! 

The post Gain Opportunities for Osteopathy Career Advancement with Our Apprenticeship Program appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

If you’re excited to advance your career in a field that will help you feel a sense of accomplishment and community service every day, then osteopathy school is likely the perfect direction for you to take to reach your career goals. At the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, we have been providing a principles-based program in Canada for twenty years. This method best prepares students for life in the real world when they continue on to thrive in their careers, as we aim to help students meet the international standards of education.

An educational experience is only complete when there is a perfect balance between theory and hands-on practice. At CAO, we prioritize an all-encompassing curriculum that consists of a true understanding of osteopathic principles, with the clinical competency to deliver safe and effective treatment to your future patients. Read on to discover how you can achieve a rewarding career at CAO.

Attend a Comprehensive Program at Our Osteopathy College

We offer a four-year comprehensive program at our osteopathy college that is rooted in a classical and principles-based understanding of osteopathic thinking, assessment, and treatment. Learning from professors who are also in full-time practice, you will be supported every step of the way when you choose CAO through active hands-on learning, lifelong career support, and the training required to practice as an Osteopathy professional.

The two-fold approach to this experiential learning involves learning to apply Principles-based reasoning in osteopathic treatment, both in class with your peers and in our student clinic environments. Applying this knowledge to actual patients under the supervision of a leading professor ensures students gain the confidence they need and the accuracy required to perform their best in an osteopathy career. 

Benefit From the Partnerships We Have With Osteopathy Canada

Since CAO is a leading osteopathy school, we are able to partner with Osteopathy Canada (OSTCAN). This gives students the assurance that upon graduation, insurance providers will see each graduate as a reputable provider. Upon program completion, you will receive an M.OMSc Diploma, which is recognized by osteopathic partners across Canada and worldwide.

This is important no matter what route you’d like to take after graduation. Many students succeed at owning their own practice once they graduate and pursue a career working for themselves. Other graduates thrive in multi-disciplinary clinics alongside other professionals, or in a clinic alongside other OMPs. Either way, having a reputable education with extensive career experience will help you open the doors to your dream career.

Receive Hands-On Instruction and Clinical Training at CAO

Students at CAO receive over 4,200+ program hours, with 1000+ hours of clinical, hands-on practice from CAO professors who are experts in the field. One unique aspect of our program is that year four students participate in an apprenticeship program, where they act as Teaching Assistants in classes and clinics of under year students. This not only allows students to see the program unfold over different levels but through teaching, they’re able to fill in any gaps in their comprehension of the program material.

Having the support and encouragement available to make mistakes, learn from instructors and other classmates, and grow together with a common goal, instills confidence and motivation in every student. As a community-centered institution, we prioritize building a network of close relationships with classmates, colleagues, and professionals in the field. 

While the coursework and nature of CAO’s osteopathy program may be challenging, there are many support services available for students, including a Student Success Coordinator, assistance with registration and admissions processes, Office Administration Services, and more. And with an added flexible schedule format, your dream career is closer than ever at CAO. 

Do you want to enroll in an Osteopathy specialization program?

Contact the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy for more information!

The post Prepare for a Rewarding Career at Our Osteopathy College appeared first on Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.