Careering Ahead in Osteopathy
If you are good with people, studying science A levels and are after a rewarding and stable career with virtually nil unemployment, you might like to consider a career in osteopathy. Today, more and more people are seeking osteopathic treatment for all kinds of problems, and ninety percent of patients see a substantial improvement in their health.
Osteopathy is a system of manipulation, correcting a joint and tissue abnormalities to restore physical and mental well-being. It can be combined with naturopathy which looks at the whole person taking into account an individuals lifestyle, including job, home-life, what factor contribute to stress, exercise routines and an analysis of diet, and is based on stimulating the body's natural healing processes.
Far from being a new form of alternative therapy, the origins of naturopathic osteopathy date back to the origins of medicine. It is based on the principles of Hippocrates, whose views on diet remain unchallenged after nearly two and a half thousand years.
Degree courses for osteopathy are generally four years long and provide a thorough basis of scientific theory including philosophy, physiology, psychology and anatomy whilst focusing on osteopathic techniques. Because being an osteopath is all about physical manipulation using your hands, it's very important to get as much practical experience as you can whilst studying.
For example, third and forth year students at the British college of Osteopathic Medicine in London spend a substantial proportion of their time treating real patients under a tutor's supervision. Individual students take their own patients through the course of treatments from consultation to discharge, so that reactions to treatment and its process can be closely studied.
Opportunities as an Osteopath
A degree in osteopathy is hard work and therefore not for the fainthearted, but will guarantee you a varied, successful and rewarding career, where the hours worked can be very flexible.
Newly graduated naturopathic osteopaths will have a number of possible areas of practice.
There are also opportunities abroad, but a thorough examination of the particular country's laws relating to practice should be made. A perusal of the Osteopathic Register will reveal where members are currently practising in Britain and overseas.
Professional Regulation
In the UK, the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and the General Council and Register of Naturopaths (GCRN) monitor the academic and clinical standard of the accredited institutions, maintain a Code of Ethics, and stand as the guardians for the protection of the general public. Since the passing of the Osteopathy Act in 1993, the General Osteopathy Council was created to develop a statutory register and once the transition phase is completed only those individuals listed on the register will be able to be titled as an Osteopath by law.
Further information:
British College of Osteopathic Medicine: www.bcom.org.uk
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