Frequently asked questions

Yes. With a D.O. diploma from the IAO you will be able to become a member of the Danske Osteopater - DO.

The only officially recognized osteopathic degree is a B.Sc. Currently the United Kingdomis the only country in Europe where one can obtain a B.Sc in osteopathy.

Since 1997, IAO graduates have been able to follow a conversion course at The Universityof Westminster in order to obtain a B.Sc with honours. This makes the IAO to date, the only osteopathic school on the continent to be in full accordance with the Bologna declaration on higher education (1999).

We believe that the possibility of obtaining an official degree is an important fact for any student. Therefore, we strongly advise that if you are thinking of studying osteopathy you ask about these matters, and if doubts still linger you ask for written guarantees.

Case history

Osteopaths begin by taking a lengthy case history in order to build up a picture of the patient’s overall health.

Clinical diagnosis

After a detailed picture of a patient’s health has been built up, the osteopath moves to make a clinical diagnoses. Osteopathic diagnoses is based on thorough palpation, neurological examination, and batteries of mobility and safety tests. If the case warrants blood analysis, X-rays or lab test these are asked for. Only after this examination can an osteopath decide whether a patient is eligible for osteopathic treatment or whether he needs to be referred to a general practitioner.

Treatment strategy

An osteopathic treatment strategy is drawn up tailored for the individual with patient input. During treatment osteopaths only use gentle manual techniques. An osteopath never uses invasive techniques , nor does he prescribe classical medication.

The objective

Our end goal is to improve the balance and restore the harmony between the structural and functional elements of a patient’s body.

Osteopaths do not treat complaints symptomatically, we treat the entire person and create the conditions so that the body can heal and correct itself.

After being treated a patient’s general practitioner can be informed, and a progress report can be made according to the wishes of the patient.

Yes, that's possible. Send us all details about the courses and exams you've taken in the past and we will work out your individual program.

More than 2000 students from upto 17 different nations are currently studying osteopathy at the IAO. A hundred of these students are medical doctors, whilst most of the rest are physiotherapists. For the last two decades the IAO has built up a reputation throughout Europeas an institution committed to furthering the teaching, knowledge and understanding of osteopathy. As a part of this commitment the IAO is proud to participate in the American International Glossary committee, tasked with writing new uniform definitions for osteopathy.

Prices vary from country to country and from osteopath to osteopath but you may expect to pay between 50 to 75 euro per treatment. A treatment lasts 30 to 45 min depending again on the osteopath and the case being treated.

In some countries medical aid for osteopathic treatment is available. Ask for full details from your osteopath.

The Ministries of Education of 47 countries and the European Council proclaim their common intentions concerning the organisation of higher education in Europe.
They intend to:

• In Europe, a comparable framework for diplomas was developed: Bachelor/BA - Master/MA - PhD/doctorate. They also want the addition of a “diploma-supplement”. This is a description of the academic career of the graduate and an objective description of his competences. In most countries this BAMA structure has already been introduced.
• Develop a credit system in Europe in order to stimulate the mobility of students (ECTS). This system is now in use in all countries.
• Stimulate the student mobility in Europe by eliminating the obstacles (linguistic as well as financial) that prevent this mobility.
• More collaboration on the field of quality control is necessary in Europe, in order to come to comparable criteria and methods. Establishment of “The European Higher Education Area - EHEA”. The “European Standards and Guidelines for quality assurance” have been developed. External and internal quality control should be implemented in all schools.
• Encourage partnerships between all possible training institutions.
• Foreign qualifications should be recognised in each country.
• The importance of research is emphasized.

Anyone can become an osteopath without prior medical training if they follow our full-time five year course in Gent, Belgium.

If you have a medical background i.e., you are a medical doctor or a physiotherapist, you can follow two separate programmes to become an osteopath.

• You can opt for a three year full-time course in Gent, Belgium.
• You can opt for a five year part-time course in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany or Denmark

If you chose a part-time course you will have to go on eight seminars a year. The part-time course allows you to combine an interesting study with a full time occupation as a medical doctor or physiotherapist.

Physiotherapy is a valuable therapy belonging to the traditional medicine and that aims at rehabilitation. The manual therapy is a specialization of physiotherapy. Osteopathy has a complete own and unique concept, which makes it completely independent of physiotherapy and manual therapy. The osteopathic concept consists in the holistic view on human being which puts the continuous interaction between the motion system, the visceral system (the organs and intestines) and the cranio-sacral system (the neuro-endocrine system) at the centre. Osteopathy can only be practiced by osteopaths, because osteopaths are trained to be competent, safe and independent therapists. They are the “functional engineers” that examine and correct the losses of movement of all tissues in a safe and gentle manner. Well trained osteopaths are members of their national register. For Denmark, this is the Danske Osteopater - DO.

No specific application date is set. We would like to remind you however that the number of places on our courses is limited. Once this number is filled no further applications will be considered. In our experience courses are usually fully subscribed about one month before lessons commence.

No. You'll find everything in the digital syllabus.
In order to maximise the learning experience during lectures we advise students to bring an anatomical atlas with them to every seminar.