How to become an osteopath? What an osteopath should know and be able to do

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

It's no secret that in modern times alternative medicine is becoming a worthy competitor to traditional medicine in many areas. But it is precisely her professional offshoot, represented by qualified doctors, and not sorcerers, sorcerers and other scammers. Manual therapy is considered to be one of such recognized directions successfully developing in Russia. The second name is osteopathy. Patients appreciate it for its effective fight against diseases, the specialists themselves - for the opportunity to develop in a field that brings a stable good income. But how to become an osteopath? In this article, we will share both theoretical and specific information.

What is osteopathy?

First of all, let's analyze the very concept of "osteopathy". This is a scientifically based method of influence of the hands of a specialist on the physiological processes in the patient's body. It helps to restore vitality, get a boost of energy, and cure a specific disease.

The direction has an ancient history, but it was scientifically substantiated only in 1894 by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still. Behind himboth osteopathy itself and its basic principles were recognized by world luminaries - V. Andrianov, N. Amosov. However, even today there are people who consider this placebo trend to be a charlatan activity based on the power of the patient's persuasion.

Osteopathy has received the widest development in the USA. In this country, scientific clinical studies are regularly conducted, proving its effectiveness. Significantly, osteopathy is supported by the United States National Institutes of He alth.

What diseases does osteopathy treat?

Osteopath - who is it, what does such a specialist do? Studies in the USA have proven that this is a doctor who can help cope with the following diseases, ailments:

• Acute and chronic low back pain.
• Cerebral spastic palsies.
• Pneumonia.
• Tunnel syndromes.
• Otitis media.
• Postoperative nausea and vomiting.
• Muscle spasms.
• Emphysema.
• Complications during pregnancy.

The results were also compared with placebo and traditional medical methods. Osteopathy stood out for high clinical and statistical indicators. It is also important that the effect of manual therapy is cumulative and continues to have a beneficial effect for a long time.

Osteopath: who is it and what does it do?

It is important to note that the specialist does not treat the disease or its symptoms, but considers the patient's body as a whole. One of the basic principles of osteopathy isunity of the musculoskeletal system.

How is the treatment going? The specialist uses basic manual techniques:

• Relaxing muscles.
• Stretching.
• Articulations.
• Rhythmic tractions.
• Gentle joint mobilization and more

The main task of a chiropractor is to relieve the tension that has arisen in the tissues, return them to their correct localization, thereby contributing to the improvement of their functioning and overall healing. In order for the patient to completely get rid of pain, post-traumatic consequences, the osteopath necessarily makes him a set of preventive physical exercises, diet, gives professional advice on lifestyle, etc.

Cyropractor Patients

Where does the osteopath take? As a rule, a specialist works in a specialized medical, rehabilitation, and sports center. Or opens his own private office.

I must say that the circle of patients of a chiropractor is very wide - these are people from infancy to the most respectable age:

• The doctor determines the internal stress or disruption of the internal organs in newborns. By the way, even modern medical equipment cannot find such dysfunctions.
• In older children, an experienced osteopath is able to determine the presence of microtraumas that do not manifest themselves in youth, but without appropriate therapy can turn into problems in adult life.
• The help of a chiropractor is indispensable for pregnant women,new mothers during lactation. At this time, taking a large number of medications is contraindicated. The doctor will make it easier to endure the overload that a woman's body is experiencing.

In other words, a qualified specialist can correct the state of he alth, prevent the development of diseases in patients of all ages. It is highly likely that a grateful patient will recommend the doctor to his relatives and friends. Indeed, according to the statistics of the European and American Osteopathic Societies, about 95% of those surveyed said that their condition improved markedly after a course of manual therapy.

Requirements for a future specialist

Who can become an osteopath? The applicant must meet the requirements that all official institutions for the training of manual therapists set for their students. The most common here are the following:

• Diploma of completed higher medical education.
• We will also list the schools where students of 5-6 courses of specialization "Medicine" are accepted. But they can start practicing only after completing an internship / residency.
• You can become an osteopath with a secondary medical education. However, in this case, it is important to have experience in a medical institution.

What is important to know before learning?

If you want to become a good osteopath in Moscow, St. Petersburg or other cities of our vast country, then before retraining, getting a new specialization, first of allpay attention to the following:

• Apply only to licensed schools with official international or Russian recognition.
• Be sure to find out what document you will receive at the end of the training. They must be a diploma, a certificate of Russian or international standard. Only he will help you become a recognized specialist, worthy of trust.
• Many schools guarantee employment assistance after graduation. In our economically unstable time, it will be important to find such an educational organization.
• Schools offer both full-time and part-time, part-time forms of training. Since the training is quite serious, it takes 3-4 years.
• The fact of knowing a foreign language will be a big plus. So you can easily get into a school based abroad. Or study in Russia according to programs provided by distinguished foreign specialists.

You can find on the Internet a sea of offers of short-term courses for non-professionals, people who do not even have a secondary medical education. It should be understood that these are just introductory lectures like "What should an osteopath know?" Note that at such courses it is impossible to obtain diplomas of international and state standard. After all, a chiropractor is a doctor, not an amateur amateur.

St. Petersburg is the center of Russian osteopathy

So your goal is to become an osteopath. Where are professions taught? It is pleasant to realize that qualified training for the practice of a manual surgeon can bereceive without leaving the borders of Russia. It is believed that the most worthy training is offered in the Northern capital, where osteopathy became a relevant treatment method back in the 1990s.

Why St. Petersburg? First, it hosted the country's first lecture by Viola Fryman, the leading osteopath in the United States. The scientific conference took place at the Leningrad Children's Research Institute named after Turner, headed at that time by Professor V. L. Andrianov.

Secondly, it was here in 1992 that the country's first consultative and rehabilitation osteopathic center began its work. Many representatives of classical medicine then thought about how to become an osteopath. Beneficial for the center was the adoption in 1994-1996. foreign experience from colleagues from the European School of Osteopathy (UK) and the Paris School.

Thirdly, in St. Petersburg you can find a large number of truly professional organizations that train osteopathic therapists. We will give specific examples below.

Training centers in the northern capital

How to become an osteopath? You need to be trained in one of the centers, schools that train such specialists. Let us give examples of these organizations concentrated in St. Petersburg.

"School of Osteopathy on the Neva". It is important to note that this organization is not private, but completely state-owned. Thus, getting an education in it is strictly official.

"RAOmed" ("Russian AcademyOsteopathic Medicine"). It is noteworthy that the "Russian Academy …" in St. Petersburg was founded by graduates of the famous European School of Osteopathy (England). Day-time training for specialists in this field of medicine is conducted here, built on the example of European countries. The purpose of "RAOmed": to make osteopathy independent direction in domestic he alth care.

It is important to note that the academy has concluded an agreement with the ESO on a four-year part-time training of Russian doctors in the field of osteopathy. The programs used in the training of specialists are based on the manual-therapeutic experience of 10 European countries. Today, ESO and its partners (including RAOmed) are the largest network of training osteopathic specialists in the world.

Institute of Osteopathy on the basis of St. Petersburg State University and Mechnikov North-Western State Medical University. This is the first osteopathic educational institution to receive a state license. Learning osteopathy without a medical education is, of course, impossible here.

The institute pays great attention to both practical and theoretical issues, as well as the formation of the so-called "osteopathic hand", which can "listen" and "understand" the human body, "communicate" with it. It is very important that the emphasis is on the individual work of the teacher with each of his students.

The training program for osteopaths at the Institute is implemented by both Russian and foreign teachers. After completing the course, the graduate is issued a state diploma. The document is recognized by the world's best osteopaths.

IOM (Institute of Osteopathic Medicine) named after Andriyanov. Many international osteopaths recognize this Russian school as unique. IOM is a member of a wide range of global osteopathic organizations that guarantee the quality and international standard of the training received here. First of all, the European Osteopathic Academic Community and the International Osteopathic Alliance act as guarantors.

It is also impossible to teach osteopathy without a medical education. IOM provides training for doctors. But the speci alty is not important, as well as work experience, place of residence, length of service. It is also possible for students of the 5th and 6th courses of the specialization "Medicine" to study. One condition - students must go through residency or internship in the future.

RVSOM ("Russian Higher School of Osteopathic Medicine"). Courses here are taught by experienced osteopathic practitioners. It is important to note that this educational institution for manual therapy is state accredited and licensed. For graduates, the fact is significant in that they receive a diploma from the Russian Ministry of Science and Education, as well as a certificate of a specialist from the Russian Ministry of He alth.

How is the training going?

How much does it cost to become an osteopath? The cost of introductory courses starts from 15 thousand rubles. One lesson - about 800-1000 rubles. On the cost of full-fledged training in qualifiedschools can be found by directly contacting the admissions office of these educational institutions.

How to become an osteopath, how is training organized? We have already mentioned that the course is designed for 3-4 years. The main form of education is seminary (part-time). Approximately it is organized like this:

• First two years: teaching the basics of manual therapy, the main rules of osteopathic diagnostics. Then students learn the main manual healing approaches - cranial, structural, visceral.
• Next 1-2 years: study of clinical osteopathic aspects - in obstetrics, pediatrics, etc. Detailed mastery of the technique of diagnosing diseases. An in-depth study of all existing osteopathic approaches - muscle chains, fascial techniques, strain-counter strain and more.

Where can a chiropractor work?

More and more doctors are seeking to specialize in osteopathy. First of all, this is due to the fact that a practicing chiropractor is practically unlimited in choosing a place of employment:

• Osteopathic, physiotherapy, rehabilitation centers.
• Sports medicine clinics, fitness clubs.
• Family medicine clinics. In these hospitals, osteopaths work in teams with "traditional" colleagues - neurologists, therapists, physiotherapists, and others.
• The opportunity to try yourself in teaching or research activities - to delve into the basis of science, develop a new methodology, and so on.
• Start your own practice, discoverprivate osteopathic office. However, graduates do not turn to such a step immediately - only after they have accumulated sufficient practical experience, their own client base.
• If a newly minted specialist has an international diploma, then this document will allow him to successfully practice abroad. As you know, in European countries, manual therapy is very developed, which leads to high monetary remuneration for the work of a specialist.

Osteopathy in Russia and in the world is gradually taking a well-deserved pedestal. Hence, there are many who want to find their recognition in this direction. But we must not forget that this is the vector of medicine. Therefore, training is available only to those with medical education.