About the course

Below you find information about the course structure, timetable, content, assessment and modes of delivery. you can also download the full course handbook which includes all the information regarding the course and the way it is run by clicking the button below

The course has four components.

• A 12 week distance learning component, delivered through Moodle,.

• A twelve day intensive component taught at the College in Marylebone

• Two 39 week clinical phases that are supported by osteopathic skills classes. which take place at the College in Marylebone

Programme Aims and Learning Outcomes

The programme is designed to prepare and enable students to develop into autonomous professionals who are able to critically evaluate their performance and adapt to a wide variety of settings and situations. Students will develop responsibility for their own continuing professional development, enabling clinical effectiveness in a changing environment.

The aims of the programme are:

1. To ensure graduates acquire clinical osteopathic competence via a reflexive approach that incorporates clinical reasoning; problem solving; reflection, practical skills and interpersonal / communication skills.

2. To develop practitioners who are caring, nurturing and supportive of all patients and who work in tandem with  patients to provide their best outcome.

3. To enable professional growth and development through a supported clinical apprenticeship and develop a sense of life long learning.

4. To enhance the student’s ability to influence practice and policy and contribute towards governance.

5. To promote an evidence informed approach to practice that does not diminish patient values, choice and individuality.

Modes of Study

This is a part time programme undertaken over 84 weeks, which includes four weeks holiday. The majority of teaching and clinical practice will take place between 9:30 and 17:30, on Friday and Saturday. However, there is an intensive block of twelve days undertaken over a two week period at the beginning of the course. In exceptional cases students may be expected to attend outside of normal teaching hours. Adequate notice will be given if this were to happen and it would always be in consultation with students.

Outline of Programme

All modules of the programme need to be undertaken.

The curriculum has been designed to incorporate your prior learning as well as the osteopathic Practice Standards (OPS) and Subject Benchmark Statement for Osteopathy. https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/subject-benchmark-statements/sbs-osteopathy-15.pdf?sfvrsn=489bf781_12

Please refer to individual module descriptors for further information regarding modular content.

Structure of the course.

There is a 12-week distance learning module.

The course then runs for a total of eighty-four weeks. This includes four weeks holiday.

The first two weeks are undertaken over two six-day blocks separated by one to two rest days in between which is negotiated between faculty and students.

This is followed by 78 weeks where the student is expected to attend every Friday and Saturday except for holidays.

The total number of hours for the course are

Contact (non-clinical) 384

Contact (clinical) 780

Non-contact: 360

Total: 1524

The course is divided in to four modules.

Module 1 (foundations for osteopathic medicine) MO1

The foundations for osteopathic medicine module is designed to refresh and build on your existing knowledge in preparation for module two.

The module runs for up to twelve weeks.

Students will be supported by a personal tutor and course material is available on the college Virtual learning Environment (VLE) which is Moodle.

Students are expected to do at least three hours of study per week and meet three times with their personal tutor for support during this time. (This can be done electronically)

There is a formative Multiple-Choice Question (MCQ) Assessment that should be undertaken in the final two weeks.

Module 2 (Introduction to clinical osteopathy) MO2

The introduction to clinical osteopathy module is an intensive block of twelve days that runs for six days with a break of one or two days and then another six days.

This module runs over two weeks.

This module aims to prepare students for the clinical components of the course.

Students are expected to attend for six hours each day and undertake a further hour of self-directed study each day.

There is a formative assessment on the final day taken at the college.

Module 3 (Clinical Apprenticeship 1) MO3

The Clinical Apprenticeship 1 (CAP 1) module is primarily based around the clinical apprenticeship which is supported by integrated osteopathic skills classes. This is designed to allow students to begin to integrate their existing knowledge and skills whist learning and practising new skills.

This module forms one of the two main modules for the course. The module has three components. Two clinical components that run for 19 weeks and twenty weeks sequentially and the osteopathic skills component that runs alongside these for 39 weeks.

The clinical component

In the first month students observe their mentors in action, taking on more responsibility for the role when they and their mentors feel appropriate. Students are then buddied with other students whilst they take on responsibility for the clinical encounter. Eventually students are expected to take on responsibility for the entire patient encounter closely supervised by their clinical mentor. Each week, time for tutor-guided reflection is built in to review and embed their learning from that and previous weeks. It is essential that students engage in reflective activities and follow their tutor’s direction in clinic and in skills classes. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action being taken. Students are expected to attend pre clinic tutorials from 9 until 9.30 on Fridays and Saturdays.

In the final three weeks of each block, tutors will undertake a Formative Clinical Observation (FCO) in the Saturday morning session followed by guided reflection with practical assistance (technique, examination, role play) to build skill and embed knowledge in the afternoon session. At each observation students are expected to demonstrate increasing complexity in their development. This will act as a way marker for students and educators to track their progress through the module.

The osteopathic skills component

The clinical apprenticeship is supported by the osteopathic skills classes which take place directly following student’s clinical exposure for that week, where possible with the same clinical tutor who has supervised them in the clinic on that day. The osteopathic skills classes will incorporate their personal reflective plan from the previous day as well as reviewing existing knowledge such as anatomy, professionalism and pathophysiology to make it more clinically relevant whilst building new skills and knowledge such as concepts for osteopathic healthcare, clinical examination and technique.

This module runs for 39 weeks

Students are expected to attend from 9.00 to 5.30 on Fridays and 9.00 to 5.00 on Saturdays.

There are three summative clinically based assessments for this module and one written assignment. These are undertaken throughout the module.

There are two formative clinical observations that take place at the end of each

Module 4 (Clinical Apprenticeship 2) MO4

As with CAP1 this module is based around the clinical apprenticeship, at this stage students are expected to take responsibility for the entire patient encounter supported by their clinical tutor. It is structured in the same was as CAP1 and affords the student the same clinical, reflective and classroom opportunities. However, students are expected to demonstrate more criticality in their work, to be more focused and begin to be able to modify their approach to the patient in front of them. It is essential that students engage in reflective activities and follow their tutor’s direction in clinic and in skills classes. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action being taken. Students are expected to attend pre clinic tutorials from 9 until 9.30 on Fridays and Saturdays.

The clinical component of this module is split into two blocks, one of nineteen and one of twenty weeks. In the final three weeks of clinic 3 and weeks 14, 15 & 16 of clinic 4 tutors will undertake a Formative Clinical Observation (FCO) in the morning session followed by guided reflection with practical assistance (technique, examination, role play) to build skill and embed knowledge in the afternoon session. At each observation students are expected to demonstrate increasing complexity in their development. This will act as a way marker for students and educators to trach their progress through the module.

CAP 2 is supported by the osteopathic skills classes which take place directly following their clinical exposure for that week, where possible with the same clinical tutor who has supervised them in the clinic on that day. The osteopathic skills classes will incorporate their personal reflective plan from the previous day as well as reviewing existing knowledge such as anatomy, professionalism and pathophysiology to make it more clinically relevant whilst building new skills and knowledge such as concepts for osteopathic healthcare, clinical examination and technique.

This module runs for 39 weeks

Students are expected to be in the college and  ready to see patients from 9.00 to 5.30 on Fridays and 9.00 to 5.00 on Saturdays.
There are three summative practical assessments  for this module and one written assignment. These are undertaken throughout the module.

There are two formative clinical observations that take place at the end of each clinical block.
  

Course Content

• The underlying theory and principles of osteopathy will be introduced by distance learning and in the intensive course. The distance learning course over two to three months is to revise basic sciences such as anatomy, pain physiology and study concepts of osteopathy. The college will advise on reading material and interaction will occur via email with your mentors who are faculty members.

• Teaching includes familiarity with the concept of somatic dysfunction and relevant neurophysiology, ergonomics and postural adaptation.

• A high level of skill in musculoskeletal diagnosis will be taught including conventional medical and osteopathic examination techniques.

• Students will also need to re-evaluate previous knowledge and integrate it with study of the evidence base relevant to osteopathy and musculoskeletal pain and impairment.

• A range of osteopathic techniques are taught to the level of safe independent application. The teaching focuses on structural osteopathy with introduction to indirect techniques. 

• Teaching is designed to reach the standard to enable independent practice as a medical osteopath, and also to reach the standards required to register with the General Osteopathic Council.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend for twelve weeks for module 2 and on Fridays and Saturdays for the rest of the course.

Module 1 is undertaken over an 8 to12 week period through distance learning.

Module 2 is undertaken over a two week period in two blocks of six days with two rest days in between. Students are expected to attend from 9.00 am to 5pm daily.

In modules 3 & 4 students are expected to attend clinic from 9.00am to 5.30pm on Fridays and from 9.00 am to 12.30 on Saturdays. The osteopathic skills classes that support the clinical apprenticeship will run every Saturday from 13.00 to 17.00

Student leave

Students are entitled to eight weeks leave, pro rata for the entire length of the course. Six weeks of which are determined by the college and two weeks that they can negotiate with the college.

Because there are no fixed times for the course to start, the six weeks fixed leave will be determined at the beginning of the course. It will usually coincide with UK holiday times such as Christmas and Easter or in the summer months.

Students are entitled to an optional, additional two weeks, pro rata, leave that may be determined by the student. However, for this element, any missed clinical time will need to be made up at some point during or directly after the course ends. Students will need to make arrangements to cover subjects missed in the osteopathic skills classes with their tutor.

You can download the full course handbook by clicking the button below