What training to do to become an osteopath ?

The osteopath is a professional or specialist who treats many dysfunctions such as rheumatism, ENT disorders and back problems. This professional may be a doctor, physical therapist, nurse, etc. His approach is global.

And thanks to this, he or she can detect the causes and symptoms of a problem’a muscular disorder’an unhappiness, in order to heal it with the strength of his hands. To be qualified as an osteopath, it is necessary to follow a specific training. This training can last for many years, or it can be done in a short period of time.

The osteopath, who is ?

The osteopathic profession is a therapeutic practice based on techniques and/or methods of muscular and bone manipulation. It consists in manipulating with the hands, different places of the human body (muscles, bones, joints…), so that the patient is relieved of his pains. This so-called manual medicine aims to understand and identify the causes of musculoskeletal pain in order to treat it. Osteopathy can also treat digestive, neurological, genitourinary, otolaryngological or pulmonary disorders.

Its field of action is quite vast.

The osteopath is a professional of alternative medicine. It treats various disorders and pains (lumbar, cervical…) through manual care. It is a professional who is consulted a lot, as men suffer from many musculoskeletal disorders due to their habits and postures at home or at work.

And if your ambition is to become an osteopath, you must follow a training program which, generally, can be full-time, part-time or continuous.

Full-time training

This training is aimed at a diverse public. The first diploma required to follow the full-time training is the baccalaureate. However, it is more recommended to have a scientific baccalaureate (bac S), because of certain prerequisites.

All baccalaureate graduates can therefore, after obtaining their diploma, integrate a school or a training center in osteopathy. These centers or schools must necessarily have an approval granted by the Ministry of Health, before providing any training in osteopathy.

To benefit from training, aspiring osteopaths must submit their application to an accredited school. They will then take some aptitude tests. Once admitted, they will then have to undergo full-time training, which will require six (06) years of study.

During the first cycle, the training is mainly dedicated to anatomy, biomechanics, semiology and physiology. The second cycle is more focused on learning visceral, structural and cranial osteopathy. During the third cycle, students must regularly take charge of certain patients. This is done under the supervision of the teachers.

The end of the training is sanctioned by the delivery of the diploma of osteopathy (DO). And before that, students must present and defend a thesis. Since 2007, it is nevertheless possible to obtain a diploma in osteopathy after three years of study.

Part-time training course

This training is more dedicated to health professionals. As they already have some prerequisites, the duration of their training does not generally extend beyond two years of study. The training is more focused on practice. It leads to the delivery of a diploma: the inter-university diploma (DIU).

Medical graduates, masseurs, physiotherapists, nurses and midwives, among others, can follow this training.