Osteopathy is a noninvasive therapy that targets the muscle tissue and strengthens them. An Osteopath focuses on joints, muscle and spine. Osteopathic medicine helps treat arthritis, foot, ankle and knee fatigue, back pain in human beings, headaches, tennis elbow, postural problems in female due to pregnancy and neuralgia. Osteopathic medicine targets the treatment of bones and muscle tissues in human beings. Osteopaths are the ones who practice in the field of osteopathy. The word osteopathic is derived from a Greek word osteo as ‘bone’ while pathic refers to ‘responding to’. As osteopathic medicine treats the bone softening and muscle weakening problems, it is one of the most important fields as far as the heath of human beings is concerned. Keeping in view the importance of this field, many renowned institutes are offering degrees in the field of osteopathic medicine. Now the whole world is aware of the importance of this field and that is the reason why many developing countries have also started to award degrees in the field of osteopathic medicine. Osteopathic schools educate people in the field of osteopathic medicine and make them professionals. Another very important aspect that is carried out in osteopathic schools is the research in this field to introduce modernization and more effective medicine for the patients.
Top Osteopathic Medicine Schools
Following are the renowned institutes offering degrees in the field of osteopathic medicine
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
It is ranked as the top school according to the American Academy of Family. It prepares its students to practice in the area of prescribing osteopathic medicine. The courses offered include biochemistry, clinical medicine, medical cell and tissue biology etc. with effective clinical rotations in third and fourth.
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Virginia, Carolinas, and Auburn
The major target of this institute is to educate and produce professionals in rural areas to provide treatment in such areas. The courses offered are very similar to offered by DMU which include biochemistry, immunology, basic surgical and medical skills etc.
Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
It is relatively a new institute with its first batch in 2013. It is located in Indiana and offers various general surgery, internal medicine and care clinic courses with special rotations in the final year. Rotations provide a chance to the students to make them best professionals by practicing in various hospitals.
Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
It is located in Stratford, New Jersey. The students of this school have a 100% placement rate. The courses it offers include biochemistry, immunology, basic surgery, clinical medicine, gross anatomy with clinical rotation in the final year.
University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
It is located in Biddeford, Maine. It is ranked in top 10 institutes of osteopathic medicine. The course it offers includes foundation of physianship, medical physiology, gross anatomy, basic surgical and medical skills, biochemistry, immunology with clinical rotations in third and fouth year. Third-year rotations are at Clinical Campus. Every student completes the following rotations. These are Internal Medicine (12 weeks), Family Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Surgery, and Community Health (6 weeks each). Fourth-year electives include four weeks of internal medicine subspecialty, four weeks of surgery subspecialty, four weeks of emergency medicine, four weeks of osteopathic manipulative medicine.
University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine
It prepares it graduates in the area of primary care medicine. Students of this school also have a 100% placement ratio in hospitals. Courses offered by this institute are very similar to those offered by other institutes mentioned above. Clinical rotations are carried out in campus hospital and outside hospitals as well.
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
It provides primary healthcare facility in West Virginia. The students who come to this institute become really expert professionals. The basic courses taught in this school are very similar to those taught in above mentioned osteopathic medicine schools.
Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine
It welcomes the students of Pomona, California and Lebanon. It has a capacity of enrolling 326 students. Securing admission in this institute is quite competitive as a vast number of applicants apply each year. The courses offered by this institute include immunology, basic anatomy, physiology, basic surgical skills followed by campus and off-campus clinical rotations
William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine
It is located in quaint Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Its specialty is that it uses a community-based training model to train its graduates in the field of healthcare. The courses offered include clinical medicine, neuro-anatomy, immunology, biochemistry, human physiology followed by clinical rotations.
List of courses offered in Osteopathic Medicine School (Bachelor degree program)
| Year | Courses |
| 1 | Biochemistry, clinical medicine, neurology, foundation of physicianship, gross anatomy, Intro to Medical Ethics, Medical Cell and tissue biology, |
| 2 | Cardiovascular study, Basic surgical and medical skills, Clinical Reasoning and simulation, Gastrointestinal study. Medical Pharmacology, Medical Ethics |
| 3 | Clinical Rotations: Family medicine, general medicine, general surgery, pediatrics ( 28 weeks) Rotations in medical sub-specialities and emergency medicine (8 weeks) Selective rotations (4 weeks) |
| 4 | Impatient medicine, emergency medicine, rural medicine and international medicine – 12 weeks Elective rotations – 32 weeks Clinical rotations- 40 weeks |
Type of Degrees offered in Osteopathic Medicine School
The various degrees in osteopathic medicine include :
- Diplomas in osteopathic medicine
- Bachelor of science in osteopathic medicine
- Masters in osteopathic medicine
- Doctor of philosophy (PhD) in osteopathy
- Doctor of osteopathy
List of Osteopathic Medicine Schools
Now almost the whole world is aware of the importance of the field of osteopathic medicine that is why the whole world has osteopathic medical schools to educate its people in this field and make them professionals. Here is a list of osteopathic medical schools located in each country of the world.
| Country | Osteopathic Medicine School |
| Argentina | Osteopathic Centre for Studies in Buenos Aires and Patagonia |
| Austalia | The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Southern Cross University Victoria University |
| Austria | Vienna School of Osteopathy The International Academy of Osteopathy |
| Belgium | Belgian College of Osteopathy Flanders International College of Osteopathy International Academy of Osteopathy Sutherland College of Osteopathic Medicine |
| Canada | Canadian Academy of Osteopathy National Academy of Osteopathy Canadian College of Osteopathy Centre Ostéopathique du Québec Collège d’Études Ostéopathiques Établissementd’Enseignement Supérieur d’Ostéopathie du Canada Southern Ontario College of Osteopathy École Professionnelle des Ostéopathes du Québec, EPOQ Ontario School of Osteopathy |
| Chile | OSTEOCHILE Chilean School of Osteopathy |
| England | Leeds Metropolitan University British College of Osteopathic Medicine British School of Osteopathy College of Osteopaths European School of Osteopathy London School of Osteopathy Oxford Brookes University Swansea University |
| Finland | Osteopatiakoulu Atlas, Espoo Finland Osteopatiakoulu Atlas Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences |
| France | Ecole Supérieure d’Ostéopathie (ESO) – Champs sur Marne – Île-de-France Centre International d’Ostéopathie (CIDO) – Saint Etienne – Rhône-Alpes Centre Europeen d’Enseignement Superieur de l’Osteopathie (CEESO) Institut de Formation en Ostéopathie du Grand-Avignon Institut Supérieur d’Ostéopathie Institut Des Hautes Etudes Osteopathique De Nantes (IdHEO) Still Academy EFSO – Ecole Française Supérieure d’Ostéopathie – Paris |
| Germany | Deutsches Osteopathie Kolleg (Rohdorf, Germany) Still Academy Osteopathy Academy of Munich European College for Osteopathy German School of Osteopathy The International Academy of Osteopathy |
| Ireland | The Irish College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) |
| Italy | AbeOS, Abe Osteopathy School Accademia di Osteopatia Accademia Italiana Osteopati rche et la Diffusion Ostéopathiques Centro Ricerche Olistiche per la Medicina Osteopatica e Naturale European Institute for Osteopathic Medicine International College of Osteopathic Medicine Istituto Superiore di Osteopatia – Milano, Italy Still Osteopathic Institute |
| New Zealand | Unitec New Zealand – Master of Osteopathy programme |
| Netherland | College Sutherland The International Academy of Osteopathy |
| Norway | University College of Health Sciences |
| Poland | Polish School of Osteopathy |
| Ukraine | East-European school of osteopathy |
| Russia | Институт остеопатии СПбМАПО и СПбГУРусская Высшая Школа Остеопатической МедициныRussian School of Osteopathic MedicineПроект Остеопрактика, Москва |
| Spain | ECO Escuela del Concepto Osteopático Madrid School of Osteopathy European School of Osteopathy |
| Sweden | Scandinavian School of Osteopathy Stockholm College of Osteopathic Medicine |
| America | A.T. Still University, with a Kirksville, Missouri campus and an Arizona campus Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine Des Moines University Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, with campuses in Bradenton Florida and Erie, Pennsylvania Liberty University Lincoln Memorial University Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine Midwestern University, with campuses in Chicago and Arizona New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, with campuses in Philadelphia and Georgia Rocky Vista University Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – New York City Touro University California Touro University Nevada Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine University of North Texas Health Science Center University of Pikeville College of Osteopathic Medicine West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Western University of Health Sciences, with a California campus and an Oregon campus William Carey University |