Testimonials

As a young GP, I stressed about not understanding my patients’ neck and back pains. Training at the London College of Osteopathic Medicine gave me ‘X-ray hands’ for feeling exactly what the person with the pain was describing. I now have hands on treatment to offer — sometimes producing instant relief — and an approach for rehab and self-care informed by an understanding of physical dysfunction. Appreciation of the whole person in his or her environment has been invaluable throughout my career in General Practice, Rheumatology, Orthopaedics, Musculo-Skeletal Medicine and, of course, Osteopathy.

— Dr Damon Murgatroyd,
Medically Qualified Osteopath. MB ChB, FLCOM, Osteopath, dip MSMed

The experience of being presented with an alternative approach to assessing and managing patients, based on osteopathic principals, was a career changing moment. I did not return to general practice but used my combined allopathic and osteopathic skills to start a new career as a musculoskeletal physician and osteopath.

Osteopathy freed me from the rigidity of the allopathic model of health care, by learning how to palpate, and thereby acknowledge patients’ pain, and often (not always) relieve their symptoms by manual therapy. After a spell in private practice as a musculoskeletal physician, I was invited by a hospital trust to set up a back pain service comprising physiotherapists, occupational therapists and myself. This multidisciplinary approach to musculoskeletal pain was novel at the time and was appreciated by the patients and local GPs (and eventually the local spinal surgeon, who noticed he was seeing many more appropriately referred patients.) The secret of our service’s success was that the team was assessing, investigating only when there was clinical need and then treating the patients.  Triage was obviously important, but current models of assessment where once triaged there is no continuity of care for those with “simple mechanical pain” seems not to be a very effective model.

— Dr Garth Robertson MB,BCh,MRCP,FLCOM,DMSMed.

I was taken by the prospect of attaining a new ‘stand alone’ qualification as a Registered Osteopath which I could use in my GP practice and after retirement. The course was challenging, both in the acceptance and application of the principles upon which osteopathy is founded, and in learning the manual skills required to practise safely and effectively. The nature of the teaching with one to one clinical supervision of patient interactions by experienced members of the faculty was excellent, allowing me to develop confidence in my new role. I used my Osteopathic skills of diagnosis and treatment in my GP practice day to day and also in an MSK clinic set up within my GP partnership. Osteopathy gives the physician a whole new way of helping people with MSK problems, which hitherto would have little orthodox medical remedy, other than analgesics and a sick note. Due to the undemanding and enjoyable nature of Osteopathic practice, I expect to be able to continue this for many years to come.

— Dr Alan Allcock

My skills in diagnosing and managing MSK conditions has improved immeasurably as a result of the LCOM course, and I now have an understanding and a skillset which allows me to treat these conditions directly and successfully in NHS general practice. Osteopathy is a satisfying alternative to a life on opiates and it saved me from being forced into medical retirement aged 40yrs. I saw major opportunities for patients in NHS general practice to benefit from this effective remedial treatment, which is not accessible and has no equivalent within the NHS.

The LCOM course allowed me to better understand the neuromechanics involved in causation of MSK pain and it taught me the skillset to benefit patients directly as a GP. Training at LCOM has given me a much deeper understanding of MSK conditions. I can now assess, diagnose and treat patients directly as a GP. Patients benefit both from successful treatment and from having that treatment delivered with easy access by their GP. Patients also benefit from this continuity of care, and improved safety from knowledge and familiarity with patients’ co-morbidities and medical histories. I have integrated osteopathic approaches into the locality joint and soft tissue steroid injection service which I run for the GP Practice.

— Dr Nick Mann MBBS, MRCGP, MLCOM

I feel the real benefit [from the LCOM course] was the skill achieved to feel muscle tensions and joint play and areas of dysfunction. A correct diagnosis was not always possible, but one became so much better than the average GP at knowing what was going on and what treatments were likely to help. I was reaching retirement age from General Practice. Thanks to the course I started a new life as a MSK doctor, including running local back pain clinics with the addition of caudal epidural injections, and a joint injection clinic. I also started private practice, the opportunity for a most enjoyable second career, with the time to treat patients properly. The satisfaction of making a diagnosis based on knowledge and examination often not possible in General Practice.

— Dr Michael Hopkins
Medical Osteopath. Plymouth Sentinel Back Pain Service.

Osteopathy was a new concept to me and I chose to train at the LCOM given its historical connection with some of the USA Osteopathic pioneers, and with its excellent long standing reputation for training medically qualified doctors like myself in a shorter period of time. I began to discover that osteopathy was the missing link I was looking for all those years. I am glad that I have persisted on leaning more about osteopathic management from my well experienced and incredibly supportive tutors at the LCOM . Running regularly supervised osteopathic clinics and regular student practice have also enhanced my knowledge, now knowing of the concept of somatic dysfunction where mechanical problems can cause such major havoc in humans as well as animals. It was a revelation to learn how it can be the sole cause of pain and disability or play a major role when combined with preexisting pathology. Osteopathy has never failed to surprise since — it can be a truly holistic, long lasting and valuable adjunct in the armamentarium of medical practice and conquest of pain.

— Dr Nabil Y Wahba
Osteopath and Consultant in pain Management,
  MB ChB, DA, CAMDSH, CMA, Dip Counselling, Dip psychotherapy, MLCOM

The immersion with oversight was a fantastic way to learn and embed learning. It gave me manual skills that I continue to use even as my practice has changed over the years. I could not be the same practitioner today if I hadn’t attended LCOM. The course has given me confidence in teaching other practitioners manual skills and an insight into the osteopathic approach, as well as credibility with dealing with other orthodox and complementary practitioners. The course consolidated a holistic approach to healthcare as opposed to a reductionist approach. Exposure to research such as the studies by Korr and others has been beneficial and I would not have been aware of these studies without an osteopathic training.Whilst MSK training and practice is very heavily evidence-based, the osteopathic training has been very beneficial in the real world dealing with patients who don’t always fit into the MSK “boxes”. It has also given me vision for obscure causes of pain and dysfunction. 

— Dr Grant Thompson, Musculoskeletal Physician 

I had a very clear plan when I started osteopathy, which was to acquire sufficient hands on practical skill to enable me to start independent practice, combining my medical skills and sports medicine knowledge with osteopathy. On reflection, I can say that the osteopathy course was the most important part of my overall training in musculoskeletal/manual medicine, laying down the foundations of a greater understanding of abnormal neuromuscular function, set in the context of every individual patient seen in their unique context/circumstances.  Osteopathy has shaped my thinking about seeing every patient as an individual, their uniqueness and about the importance of understanding and appreciating the many different factors that contribute to the presenting problem.

The most important skill that I have developed, which has enhanced my practice the most, is the acknowledgement of the role of detailed history taking and nurturance of  the therapeutic alliance. Trying to understand the unique individual sat in consultation with you is absolutely central and a pre-requisite to anything that happens thereafter. Many doctors now feel detached from their patients in the NHS system of managing MSK problems. My overall experience and day to day clinical  work with patients, frequently serves as an invaluable illustration to doctors of what can be achieved with a sense of purpose and focus, when too much of medicine is impersonalised and  technology driven. 

— Dr Martyn Speight
MSK/ Sports physician, osteopath, MB chB, Dip sports Med, MLCIM, DMS-Med, FFSEM

I realised [the LCOM course] would add a valuable dimension to my work as a sport & musculoskeletal (MSK) doctor, particularly the ability to better assess MSK problems and provide manual treatment during consultations. The course was challenging and required serious commitment throughout. However, the small group teaching, tutorials and supervised clinical work was excellent and provided the required guidance to successfully complete the course and examinations. My patients and my clinical practice have benefited greatly from my ability to accurately assess soft tissue and joint dysfunctions, as well as provide hands-on manual treatments. Although I still provide the whole spectrum of MSK medicine therapeutics, from exercise prescription to ultrasound-guided interventions, providing manual osteopathic treatment has strengthened the efficacy of my work and complemented my practice really well.

The holistic approach of osteopathic treatment for MSK conditions complements well with my work as a sport and MSK doctor. My clinical practice involves treating chronic back pain and MSK conditions, which have often failed to respond to traditional medical treatment. However, osteopathic manual treatment has allowed me to provide additional therapeutic options to patients, often with excellent patient engagement and results. 

— Dr Matteo Bernardotto