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General Description

This is an ideal career for a logical and analytical thinker. Osteopathy is a form of manual medicine which recognises the important link between the structure of the body and the way it functions. Osteopaths focus on how the skeleton, joints, muscles, nerves, circulation, connective tissue and internal organs function as a holistic unit.

Career Advice - Osteopath Career

Using skilled evaluation, diagnosis and a wide range of hands-on techniques, osteopaths can identify important types of dysfunction in your body.

Osteopathic treatment uses techniques such as stretching and massage for general treatment of the soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments) along with mobilisation or manipulation of specific joints and soft tissues, to help ease pain and improve patient mobility.

Osteopaths generally work in private practice either within an osteopathic or other health practice or within their own business.  Some people may also work form a clinic within their home.  You will work (either through referral or by direct contact) with a range of other allied health or medical practitioners in your daily work to get the best possible outcome for your patient.

What you do every day

Depending on the condition of your patients, you may perform a range of tasks during a standard working day. During initial consultations, you will devise a case history, listen to the client’s medical complaints, undertake a physical examination, and observe the movements of a client to ensure the most accurate diagnosis.

You may treat biomechanical complaints such as joint problems; stress and repetitive strain injuries; backaches; breathing problems like asthma; or a range of general medical complaints. Your work may take you into the treatment of children for the after-effects of birth trauma and childhood accidents. The treatments you carry out from day to day may require you to work with complex medical equipment.

The condition of the patient may also require you to devise a health and lifestyle plan, provide them with general medical advice, or refer them to a different health care professional. You will also have to update and organise patient records after each session.

If you are self employed you will also have to deal with the issues of running a business such as administration, tax issues, ordering supplies and paying bills.

Personality that best fits this career

Overall, osteopaths must have a good sense of touch, hand-eye coordination, and an interest in helping people. You will have an interest in health, the body and its anatomy; an aptitude for absorbing medical knowledge in your field; Interested in people and their health; good communication skills and the ability to listen and pay attention to detail. Diagnostic and problem solving skills are necessary to accurately analyse the conditions of your patients. As you will likely be working for yourself, it is also best if you have good organisational skills, business awareness and administration skills.

The best osteopaths also have good communication skills. Not only to interact with clients effectively during the diagnosis and treatment process, but also to confer with other practitioners during referal. You will also have the ability to work independently.

You will need confidence in yourself to trust your judgment. A good beside manner and mature personality is also important so patients can relax and trust your knowledge and skills. 

Best thing about this career

Being an osteopath is a fascinating occupation. You will get a strong sense of satisfaction out of bringing clients to a state of good health without the use of drugs or surgery. There will be times when you spend many sessions working with a patient   using various techniques to reach the best results.

Assisting patients to improve their health, increase mobility and reduce their pain is highly rewarding. You face constant intellectual challenges with the variety of conditions patients present. It is a great feeling to apply your knowledge in varying circumstances.

Worst thing about this career

The anxiety and pressure to perform in medical fields can be distressing, and osteopathy is no different. Patients may come to you with a difficult condition that may require more than the techniques you have to heal them. At other times, your knowledge may be sufficient, but the injuries and emotional consequences of their condition may be overwhelming.

Working in an existing practice gives you great opportunities to learn and develop your skills, without the stress of running your own practice. However; if you want to work on your own without the reliability of an employer, and if you’re not constantly promoting your business, then you will suffer financial loss. You will need to market your business and combined with the hours you may have to work, this job can be exhausting.