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!