The Canadian Academy of Osteopathy is a leading Osteopathy school, delivering a challenging and comprehensive program that prepares graduates for a successful career. Our students range from those working as healthcare professionals to those with a degree in Health Science to those with limited or no healthcare background at all. Whatever your motivations for attending osteopathy school, you likely have some questions about what to expect as an incoming student.
At CAO, our team of experienced instructors and the community-centred environment are there to ease the transition to the program for every student. To get you started, here’s a closer look at what to expect in the first year of our osteopathy program. Feel confident and prepared as you begin your journey to a new career!
Preparing for the Curriculum at Our Osteopathy School
Students at CAO come from all different backgrounds and with various levels of experience in the health care field. We teach osteopathy as a practice in and of itself–not as an add-on to other modalities– and we want every student to start with the same level of knowledge.
For those with limited experience in health care (personal trainers, pilates or yoga instructors, etc.) or no health care background at all, we have you covered! Our Year 1 Prep course is open for those students to learn and review essential anatomy and physiology content before beginning Year 1 of the program. Students with a degree in Health Science may be eligible to bypass this induction course. Regardless of your level of experience, you can expect to enter our osteopathy school with the foundation you need to excel.
A Strong Focus on Osteopathic Theory and Principles
The program is rooted in a classical and principles-based understanding of osteopathic thinking, assessment, and treatment. This approach to osteopathy training begins in Year 1.
As a first-year student, you can expect to build an in-depth understanding of anatomy and physiology, preparing to treat the layers of bodily structure on a personalized, individual level. Our curriculum covers three core areas: Principles and Practice, Osteopathic Theory and History, and Health Sciences. Instead of jumping right into skills training and memorizing osteopathic techniques, you’ll explore the “who, what, where, when, and why” behind osteopathic assessment and treatments. By adopting a fully integrated osteopathic model that views the body as a whole dynamic system, you’ll develop the foundation to diagnose and treat patients more effectively.
Supervised Practice in Our Student Clinics
From Year 1, we want students at our osteopathy academy to develop their confidence in a clinical setting. After all, osteopathy is a hands-on, people-oriented practice, so it’s important to understand how its theories and principles apply to a real-world setting. While training in our practice clinic, you’ll learn to report patient history, understand how to catch symptoms of the body, practice assessing fellow students, and practice intake procedures. This will give you a strong foundation of skills and techniques to use in our charitable Public Clinic, where you’ll hone in on these important clinical skills. Under the supervision of our professional instructors, get ready to apply your knowledge in a practical and supportive space.
Are you interested in training to become an osteopathy professional?
Contact the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy to get started.