In Canada, there are not yet clear standards for Osteopathic practitioners, leading to wide differences in the education and skill set of the practitioners you will find here.
I am from France, a country where osteopathy is regulated and there is a standard. This is what my personal education consists of:
Over 10 years ago, I graduated from L’Institut Supérieur d’Ostéopathie of Lyon (France). It is a six-year, full-time program with 5000 hours of training. Our education included medical and osteopathic classes. Our medical courses included anatomy, physiology, pathology, medical imagery, rheumatology, semiology, and histology to name a few. We were fortunate enough to share professors with the University of Medicine, which hosts renowned doctors and surgeons.
The rest of our training was devoted to osteopathic courses. Structural osteopathy covered several sub-techniques for joint manipulations, muscle and connective tissue release. Visceral osteopathy included gut manipulation techniques and women’s health techniques. Cranial osteopathy included techniques for the support of the nervous system, and cranio-sacral therapy.
We made use of internships with sports teams and in private companies, and we practiced at an osteopathic clinic located in our school. These opportunities allowed us to hone our skills under supervision. Once we finished our courses, a panel of medical doctors and Osteopaths examined us with two board exams. In order to graduate, we had to write and defended a thesis in our sixth year to a similar board of professionals.
I have been practicing full-time as an Osteopathic manual therapist since graduating.
In addition to this, I study up to 120 hours of further post-graduate education each year, going far beyond the 30 hour per year standard set by the World Health Organization for Osteopathy. I complete year-round education through literature review and international academic seminars to further understand innovative osteopathic techniques and knowledge of the human body within and outside the field of osteopathy.
My specializations include:
- Cranio-sacral: chronic pain, headaches, migraines, back pain, etc.
- Visceral: digestive/gut problems, autoimmune….
- Paediatric (from new-borns to teenagers)
- Pregnancy care/women’s health
- Athletic care/sports injuries
A good osteopathic therapist is skilled due to their higher standard of education and training, their compassion, as well as their recognition from the Alberta Association of Osteopathic Manual Therapists (AAOMT).
My theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and AAOMT recognition allow me to be reimbursed by most insurance companies and continue to serve your osteopathic needs.
Before visiting an osteopathic manual practitioner in Alberta, be sure to check their level of education and membership to the Alberta Association of Osteopathic Manual Therapists.
You can read more about my specific education and skills here.