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!