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!