FAQ

National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) teaches European style osteopathy (manual osteopathy). We do not teach osteopathic medicine.

Any student with a grade 12 high school diploma or its equivalent may apply for admission to the osteopathic manual practice program offered by National Academy of Osteopathy. The diploma in osteopathic manual practice program is one year full time or two years part time in length for high school graduates or any other student without prior health education. The program length for students with prior health education is 6 months full time or 12 months part time.

The Diploma in Osteopathic Manual Practice (DOMP) offered by the NAO (Canada) may be taken as a full time or part time program. For high school graduates and other students who do not have any previous health education the DOMP program is one year full time or two years part time. For students who have previous health education (such as massage therapists, medical doctors, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, acupuncturists, athletic therapists, etc) the program is six months full time or 12 months part time. This is the first and only condensed six months full time accredited manual osteopathy program in Canada for health professionals. NAO is also the first and only accredited provider of DOMP education in Canada that accepts high school graduates.

Please visit the following link to check tuition and other fees for the DOMP program: http://www.nationalacademyofosteopathy.com/fees

Yes, there is as health professionals enter the accelerated DOMP program which is shorter in duration (6 months). The tuition is also less for health professionals. Please visit the following link to check applicable tuition and other fees for health professionals: http://www.nationalacademyofosteopathy.com/fees

The full time & part time DOMP programs of NAO start twice a year; in the first week of September and March of each year.

We no longer provide any scholarship or student loans. There are however a number of banks that may issue a student loan for eligible students. Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Innuits, Métis) in Canada are eligible for full scholarships from their governments including the Métis Nation of Ontario. Ontario WORKS, BC WORKS and similar organizations in other Canadian provinces also accept the NAO DOMP program for full scholarships. Canada Veteran Affairs also accepts National Academy of Osteopathy Diploma in Osteopathic Manual Practice program for full scholarship available to veterans. Students can also get installment Plans to pay the tuition, Please contact Registrar Office at info@nationalacademyofosteopathy.com for more information .

Upon gradations students receive the following designation: Diploma in Osteopathic Manual Practice. The academic designation you may use in front of your name is DOMP.

There is zero unemployment in this profession as manual osteopaths either open their own clinics or work for others.
Upon graduation; osteopathic manual practitioners have the option of opening their own private osteopathy clinics; or to rent rooms in established medical, health or rehab clinics and benefit from cross referrals; or to work as employees in other osteopathic, medical, chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage or rehab clinics.

Most manual osteopaths work in private clinics, often as sole proprietor, associate or employee. However, the increase in multidisciplinary health care facilities and physical rehabilitation clinics in Canada has opened new opportunities for osteopathic manual practitioners to collaborate with other health care professionals (such as family physicians, chiropractors, registered massage therapists, naturopaths, athletic therapists, kinesiologists, podiatrists, chiropodists, occupational therapists, ergonomists, and physiotherapists) and benefit patients with interprofessional care. A small numbers of manual osteopaths also work in hospitals, nursing homes, health spas, sports teams, insurance companies claims services department, fitness clubs, osteopathic colleges, motor vehicle accident (MVA) assessment centers and other institutions.

Most manual osteopaths establish their own private clinics as it is the most lucrative type of work. NAO graduates who own a private clinic on average make $150,000 per year (net income is 80 to 90% of the gross income), which is $60,000 more than other manual osteopaths. The reasons why NAO alumni have higher income are because of their ability in treating chronic pain (we focus heavily on chronic pain education) and also because they receive over 250 business management lectures offered by NAO president, registered manual osteopath & certified naprapath, Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD who is also founder of the Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain Hospital (Panama), California Health University (Los Angeles), Seville University of Health & Medicine (Spain), National University of Medical Sciences (USA, Spain, Panama) and the Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada which operates over 378 clinics in 34 countries. We graduate successful manual osteopaths because we teach them everything we know about business.

The average salary for a new manual osteopathy graduate who works as an employee in a health or rehab clinic is generally $40 per hour. However it is rare for manual osteopaths to work as employees for others as it is not as lucrative as working on their own. Due to ability of manual osteopaths in treating chronic pain, there is always a high demand for manual osteopathic care. As such most NAO graduated manual osteopaths open their own private osteopathy clinics charging on average $140 per hour. However we have many alumni who charge more. For example In Canada, NAO graduate Liza Egbogah who has been chosen by the Toronto Star Newspaper as the #1 best manual osteopath in Toronto in 2019 charges $275 per hour. In the United States, NAO alumni Tanja Seagrave who practices in Los Angeles, California charges US$300 ($400 Canadian) per hour. There is virtually no unemployment in this field as most manual osteopaths can open their own private clinics or work for others. In Canada, most extended health plan insurers provide coverage for manual osteopathic care to NAO graduates. To be eligible for coverage NAO alumni must join associations such as ACMA, ACTMD and the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (www.manualosteopaths.org) that are accepted by private health insurers.

For patients injured in a motor vehicle related accident in Ontario (Canada) and many other provinces across Canada, all auto insurers cover osteopathic treatments performed by NAO graduates at the rate of approximately $60 per hour as per fee guideline set by Financial Services Commission of Ontario. However due to low rate of payment it is rare for manual osteopaths to accept MVA patients.

Private Career Colleges Act, 2005 regulates most private colleges in Ontario. There are a few educational health programs however; under NOC sections 3123 and 3232 such as osteopathy, podiatry, and chiropody that are exempted from being registered under this act. These exempted health educational programs must be registered under different government agencies. NAO is registered and licensed by Ontario Ministry of Government Services to operate in the Province of Ontario (license # 200607893) and it is also registered federally by Industry Canada (reg # 757053-8).

There is virtually no unemployment in this health care profession. Almost all NAO graduated manual osteopaths find employment or open their own private osteopathy clinics. It is rare for a manual osteopath to work for others as an employee. Most end up opening their own private health clinics. This is mainly due to their ability in treating last resort chronic pain cases which makes them high in demand (we focus heavily on chronic pain education). Unlike other health professions where it takes average of 5 years for the health professional to have a fully booked practice, NAO alumni sometimes within months become fully booked. NAO alumni who work on their own have annual income of $150,000 (NAO graduates make $60,000 more than other manual osteopaths because they receive over 250 business management lectures). This is why rarely they work for others and those who do are usually new graduates who for a year or two work for others before starting their own private practice.

Before NAO was founded in June 2010, there were hardly any osteopathic manual practitioners in the United States and a number of Canadian provinces and territories had no manual osteopaths at all. NAO changed all that. There are now approximately 5,000 manual osteopaths in Canada. In the United States there are about 2,000 osteopathic manual practitioners as reported by the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners. Nearly half of them are women.

Most manual osteopaths in Canada, the United States and many other countries are graduates of National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada). All manual osteopaths who work at the 378 clinic of Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada (www.osteopathypainclinic.com) located in Canada, United States and 32 other countries are all manual osteopaths who have completed the National Academy of Osteopathy Fellowship Program in Osteopathy Chronic Pain Management. This program is offered free of charge to all NAO DOMP graduates.

There are currently eight osteopathic colleges in Canada that offer a World Health Organization (WHO) compliant osteopathic education approved by the Council on Manual Osteopathy Education of the International Osteopathic Association (www.internationalosteopathicassociation.org) and the US Council on Osteopathic Manual Practice Education of American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners.

In the United States the only universities offering programs in manual osteopathic education are the National University of Medical Sciences (USA), founded in 2016 and the California Health University (Los Angeles) founded in 2023 by NAO president, Dr. Shawn Pourgol who is also the founder of Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain Hospital in Panama, Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain Research Center (Spain), Seville University of Health & Medicine (Spain) and the Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada that has over 378 locations in 34 countries.

There are also accredited osteopathic colleges & universities in Argentina, Australia, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Russia, England, Spain, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, and France.

NAO is the largest provider of manual osteopathic education in the world with alumni in 72 countries. Most manual osteopaths in Canada, the United States and many other countries are NAO alumni. All manual osteopaths in the 378 clinics of OCPCC are graduates of National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada).

For national and international students (including those in Toronto) who are unable to attend the campus based program we offer at our York University Heights campus in Toronto; we offer an online on-demand manual osteopathy program through a combination of online video lecture sessions through the internet, complete lectures on hard disk drive (mailed to student at the start of program), and optional on-site classroom osteopathy technique labs. National & International graduates of online distance education manual osteopathy program receive a Diploma in Osteopathic Manual Practice (DOMP) upon graduation. The course content is exactly the same as the ones received by our on-site students. However on-site students have access to 4 months of clinical internship at NAO teaching clinic at the York University Heights campus in Toronto.

For our Canadian students we provide two weeks of mandatory practical classes in Toronto. These practical classes are optional for international students.

Canadian NAO online students who wish to have clinical experience can join the optional NAO bridge program (clinical internship program). NAO would pair them with NAO approved clinicians across Canada for them to have practical experiences within a clinic setting.

Chiropractors and manual osteopaths are both health professionals who treat patients with a focus on the musculoskeletal system, including the spine, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Historically there is a political answer relating to the founder of osteopathy, Dr Andrew Taylor Still, falling out with his student, Dr. D.D. Palmer, who then went on to be the founder of chiropractic.

The principle working difference is that osteopaths tend to use more rhythmical and gentler techniques while chiropractors use more often stronger, high velocity, low amplitude manipulative techniques. Chiropractors may also employ modalities such as ultrasound and various electrotherapies for pain relief while manual osteopaths generally rely on hands-on manual techniques to relieve pain.

Essentially, both offer valuable and useful services, and each can be included in a holistic healthcare regimen. There are now many multidisciplinary clinics offering manual osteopathy, chiropractic, physiotherapy and registered massage therapy services. This seems to be the new growing trend in Canada, USA and Europe, specially for chronic pain patients.

NAO president, Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, PhD has made two videos that offer more detailed information about similarities and differences between chiropractic and manual osteopathy. Please click on the links below to view the videos.

Treatment Differences Between Chiropractors & Manual Osteopaths: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3FrNE2L4IU&t=495s
Chiropractic & Manual Osteopathy: A Financial Comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJdmHVguLgY&t=3s

Yes. NAO is accepted as being a fully accredited manual osteopathy educational centre by International Osteopathic Association (www.internationalosteopathicassociation.org). NAO graduates are permitted to apply for IOA membership and to receive certificates of registrations.

In certain countries (such as Canada, Australia & most European countries) manual osteopathic treatments are covered by most insurance providers. In Canada most private health insurers cover osteopathic treatments provided by National Academy of Osteopathy DOMP graduates. To receive payments from private insurers NAO graduates must join associations that are accepted by health insurers such as ACTMD, ACMO and the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (Canada) that awards NAO graduates who successfully complete its board exams and other requirements the title of RMO (Registered Manual Osteopath) that is accepted by most Canadian extended health plan insurance providers.

The 2,200 hours NAO DOMP program has more teaching hours than almost all other osteopathy programs offered in Canada. While it may seem that NAO program (12 months full time or 24 months part time) is shorter than other colleges that offer 3 to 5 years programs; in reality the total hours is more than most osteopathic colleges in Canada and internationally who offer a diploma program in manual osteopathy. Even though most osteopathic colleges have programs ranging from 3 years to 5 years; they are offered mostly on part time basis, one weekend a month, six months per year, or 13 weekends (modules) in 3 years. Their total teaching hours are generally less than NAO’s. In the case of an Ontario college that teaches manual osteopathy in 3 years, the total teaching days are 36 days as it offers 13 modules in 3 years, each module covering two days of lectures (total of 320 hours). The other schools teaching 4 to 5 years osteopathy program have total teaching hours ranging between 1,000 to 1,500 hours.

In England and Australia the osteopathy program is offered 4 years full time (4,200 hours). They teach medical diagnosis & diagnostic imaging. NAO does not teach medical diagnosis or diagnostic imaging (we teach osteopathic diagnosis) as it is a controlled act in Canada. That is why the Canadian osteopathic education is shorter than the ones offered in Europe and Australia. But in Canada, NAO offers the most detailed osteopathy program available. We teach more techniques than any other school and we have more professors than any other schools.

National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) teaches more techniques than any other osteopathy college in Canada and we have more technique professors than any other school of manual osteopathy in Canada. We teach only scientific research proven techniques for all joints including lumbar, thoracic, cervical, temporomandibular joint, shoulder, scapula, elbow, wrist, hand, sacrum, hip, knee, ankle and foot.

Some of the techniques we teach include soft tissue therapy, osteoarticular, oscillatory, global, cranial osteopathy, visceral techniques, strain/counterstrain technique, lymphatic drainage, manual mechanotherapy, Still’s, facilitated positional release, balanced ligamentous tension, muscle energy techniques, myofascial release technique, trigger point therapy, etc.
We are the only school in Canada that teaches Manual Mechanotherapy, which is considered the lost techniques of osteopathy.

What makes NAO education different and why so many manual osteopaths from other schools re-study osteopathy again at NAO is that we focus heavily on chronic pain education and business management. We create skilled health practitioners and skilled business professionals. Our DOMP students receive over 250 business management lectures offered by NAO president, Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD who is a successful registered manual osteopath and certified naprapath. The ability of our graduates in treating chronic pain and in managing their clinics are the reason why they are successful and why they make $150,000 on average in Canada which is $60,000 more than what other manual osteopaths make.

For over 130 years osteopathy has done so much to help treat chronic pain and other conditions and it deserve a day of its own as recognition of its contribution to human society worldwide.

At 10AM on June 22, 1874 in Baldwin, Kansas (USA), the 46 years old Dr Andrew Taylor Still founded osteopathy. Dr. Pourgol chose this day in oppose to Dr Still’s date of birth (August 06, 1828) as the World Osteopathy Day.

Dr Pourgol is bringing a private member bill to the Canadian parliament to request the government of Canada officially recognize June 22ndas the World Osteopathy Day.

In certain countries (such as Canada, Australia & most European countries) osteopathic treatments provided to patients who suffered injuries in a motor vehicle accident are covered by all insurance providers including State Farm, Allstate, Aviva, Belair, Certas, RBC, Royal, TD, Dominion, Cooperators, Chubb, Pilot, & Perth. For example in the province of Ontario in Canada all insurers as per Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) must cover osteopathic treatments at a rate of $57.67 per hour for non-catastrophic injuries and at a rate of $88.28 for catastrophic injuries.

Manual osteopaths who accept to treat MVA patients are not permitted to charge patients above what is the approved rate established by FSCO. As the fees are low compare to what manual osteopaths usually charge ($100 to $140 per hour), most manual osteopaths refrain from seeing MVA patients.

When we started teaching osteopathy in 2010, we revolutionized the profession of manual osteopathy by offering it online. We are still the only accredited school of osteopathy in the world that teaches an online accredited DOMP program.

Now most manual osteopaths in Canada, USA and many other countries are online graduated NAO alumni. Yet since 2010, there has not been even one case of malpractice against any of our students. Additionally many have fully booked practices and actually with annual income of $150,000 make $60,000 more per year than other manual osteopaths. This is a proof to that they are offering safe, effective, ethical manual osteopathic care for chronic pain and other conditions.

In some ways the online education is even superior to the campus based because students have the ability to pause the lectures and watch any techniques over and over again (our campus based students however have also access to all our online video lectures). National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) has alumni in 72 countries and countless successful manual osteopaths are practicing around the world who studied manual osteopathy through online education. All manual osteopaths in the 378 clinics of Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada located in 34 countries are NAO alumni and this clinic is now the largest chronic pain clinic in the world. in 2017 OCPCC started with one clinic in Toronto and quickly within grew to 378 clinics in 34 countries. Most OCPCC manual osteopaths are online graduated. Their rapid growth is an indication that they are providing effective chronic pain care. This is another proof that online graduated manual osteopaths indeed can provide safe, effective care to the public.

The professions of osteopathy, chiropractic, massage therapy, physiotherapy and even medicine and dentistry have offered at one time or another correspondence courses. With the technology NAO uses students feel they are sitting in a classroom watching the lectures. They have the ability to email NAO at any time and ask any academic questions they may have. Even now in the time of COVID-19 some medical schools, dental schools and chiropractic schools are offering many programs through online education.

With the advancement in communication technology online education is improving rapidly. Time has shown that many of health related programs can indeed be taught online. Here are some examples:

• Since 2003; many universities in the USA have been offering transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT) through 100% online education. The tDPT is available only to physiotherapists as a post professional degree. However the older generation of physiotherapists did not study diagnostic imaging, medical diagnosis or manual therapy. The tDPT program teaches these subjects. So it is possible to learn diagnosis, radiology and manual therapy through online programs.
• Since 2010, there has not been even one reported complaint against any of the NAO graduates. This is a clear indication of the safety and efficacy of online osteopathic education.
• Since a decade ago; the University of Western Ontario has been offering a Diploma in Pedorthics program. The program has 6 courses which are online. These courses includes assessments and pedorthic examinations. The university has graduated many students and they are currently working as certified pedorthists in Canada. This shows that pedorthic education can be learned online.
• A United Kingdom university is offering a 100% online specialty program in orthopedic surgery to medical doctors since the past few years.
  Many universities in the USA are offering online master’s degrees in nursing since the past decade.
• A college in Alberta, Canada is offering a diploma program in massage through online education.
• Many colleges and universities in USA and elsewhere offer naturopathy diplomas and degrees through online format.
• A school in USA has just started teaching needle-less acupuncture online.
  Traditional Chinese Medicine is offered online through many schools.
  Clinical nutrition is offered by hundreds of universities and colleges worldwide.
• Kinesiology & human kinetics is offered through online education by a number of schools.
• Degrees in clinical psychology is offered by many universities.
• And now post COVID-19 almost all programs in health (medical, dentistry, chiropractic and even osteopathy) are offered through online education. NAO was years ahead of others in offering online osteopathy education.

There are a few known mechanism affecting individuals who receive osteopathic treatment for low back pain.

First mechanism: Osteopathic spinal manipulation increases joint mobility by producing a barrage of impulses in muscle spindle afferents and smaller-diameter afferents ultimately silencing facilitated ? (gamma) motoneurons as proposed by Korr. This theory is supported by several recent studies by the Pickar lab and by findings that low back pain patients have altered proprioceptive input from muscle spindles. Recent work has also shown that that spinal manipulation modifies the discharge of Group I and II afferents. This has been accomplished by recording single-unit activity in muscle spindle and Golgi tendon organ afferents in an animal model during manipulation.

A second mechanism is that osteopathic spinal manipulation, by mechanically opening the intravertebral foramina (IVF), decreases pressure on the dorsal roots. Substantial evidence shows that the dorsal nerve roots and dorsal root ganglia are susceptible to the effects of mechanical compression. Compressive loads as low as 10 mg applied to dorsal roots increase the discharge of Group I, II, III and IV afferents. This compression can also alter non–impulse-based mechanisms (eg, axoplasmic transport) and cause edema and hemorrhage in the dorsal root. Spinal manipulation mechanically decreases the pressure in the IVF by gapping the facet joints and opening the IVF. For instance, the synovial space of the lumbar facet joints increases by about 0.7 mm in individuals receiving manipulation. This doesn’t seem like much, but as with any therapy there is usually a course of care involved. Even in moderate stenosis patients treated by osteopaths typically see significant pain reduction following a period of 1-2 weeks of treatment.

A third mechanism is based on findings that persistent alterations in normal sensory input resulting from an injury can increases the excitability of neuronal circuits in the spinal cord. Osteopathic spinal manipulation works by applying non-noxious mechanical inputs to these circuits. This involves mechanisms similar to the pain-gate theory proposed by Melzack and Wall wherein activation of A-a and A-ß fibers can reduce chronic pain and increase pain threshold levels. This is supported by studies where spinal manipulation of the lumbar region decreases central pain processing as measured via pin-prick tests. Additional studies have shown a reduction in central pain sensitivity after spinal manipulation using graded pressure and noxious cutaneous electrical stimulation.

A fourth mechanism involves ß-endorphin mechanisms. Studies have shown increases in beta-endorphin levels after spinal manipulation but not after control interventions.

Fifth mechanism: Substantial evidence also shows that spinal manipulation activates paraspinal muscle reflexes and alters motoneuron excitability. These effects are still being studied and appear to differ depending on whether performed on patients in pain or pain-free subjects.

A sixth mechanism involves inhibition of somatosomatic reflexes by alterations in muscle spindle input produced by osteopathic spinal manipulation. It is thought that spinal manipulation may normalize spindle biomechanics and improve muscle spindle discharge.

Lastly, in humans, osteopathic manual treatment can decrease heart rate and blood pressure while increasing vagal afferent activity as measured by heart-rate variability. Manual therapies in rats have been shown to produce an inhibitory effect on the cardiovascular excitatory response and reduce both blood pressure and heart rate. Manual therapies such as osteopathic soft tissue therapy have been shown to impact behavioral manifestations associated with chronic activation of the HPA axis such as anxiety and depression, while decreasing plasma, urinary, and salivary cortisol and urinary corticotropin releasing factor-like immunoreactivity (CRF-LI). Manual stimulation in rats has been shown to significantly increase glucocorticoid receptor gene expression which enhanced negative feedback inhibition of HPA activity and reduced post-stress secretion of ACTH and glucocorticoid.

National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) is fully accredited by the Council on Manual Osteopathy Education of International Osteopathic Association and the US Council on Osteopathic Manual Practice Education of the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners. NAO DOMP graduates in Canada can apply for membership to the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (Canada) and upon successful completion of CRMO board exams and other membership requirements they are awarded the title of Registered Manual Osteopath (RMO) which allows NAO alumni to receive payment from private health insurers for osteopathic care they provide to the insured public.

NAO graduates in the United States can join the American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners, where NAO president, Dr Shawn Pourgol is an Advisory Board Member. Membership allows NAO DOMP graduates to practice as osteopathic manual practitioners in all 50 states.

NAO is accepted by many osteopathic associations around the world including the ones listed below that are all chaired by our alumni:

1. College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO)
2. Canadian Association of Alternative Medicine (ACMA)
3. American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners (AAOMP)
4. International Osteopathic Association (IOA)
5. Canadian Manual Osteopathic Association (CMOA)
6. Canadian Union of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners (CUOMP)
7. College of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners of Ontario (COMPO)
8. Society for Osteopathic Manual Practitioners of Alberta (SOMPA)
9. Nova Scotia Osteopathic Association (NSOA)
10. Canadian Manual Osteopathy Examining Board (CMOEB)
11. Ontario Osteopathic Alternative Medicine Association (OOAMA)
12. Ontario Association of Osteopathy & Natural Medicine (OAONM)
13. Alberta College of Osteopathic Rehabilitation Sciences (ACORS)
14. International Osteopathy Examining Board (IOEB)
15. Ontario College of Osteopathic Rehabilitation Sciences (OCORS)
16. Council on Manual Osteopathy Education (CMOE)
17. British Columbia College of Osteopathic Rehabilitation Sciences (BCCORS)
18. American Osteopathic Manual Practice Examining Board (AOMPEB)
19. US Council on Osteopathic Manual Practice (UCOMPE)
20. Caribbean Osteopathic Association (COA)
21. European Osteopathic Association (EOA)
22. Iranian Osteopathic Association (IrOA)
23. Indian Osteopathic Association (InOA)
24. Singapore Osteopathic Association (SOA)
25. African Osteopathic Association (AfOA)
26. Asociación de Osteopatía de Panamá (AOP)

Yes. Most regulatory boards for chiropractors, physiotherapists, massage therapists, naturopaths, acupuncturists, occupational therapists, kinesiologists, athletic therapists & trainers, homeopaths, & medical doctors accept the time you spent studying in our programs towards your CE requirement. Most regulatory boards require 20 to 40 hours of CE in a year or two, and our programs cover this requirement as all our programs are over 40 hours.

Yes but it depends on the type of patient’s coverage, EHP or MVA.

In most cases you cannot bill extended health plan (EHP) insurers for manual osteopathy and another type of treatment (chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage therapy, naturopathy, athletic therapy, acupuncture, etc) on the same day. Most EHP insurers accept only one type of treatment from one health practitioner. Your clinic can bill for manual osteopathy and massage therapy for example on the same day if the treatments are performed by two health practitioners in the clinic. But if the health practitioner is a massage therapist/manual osteopath then in one day massage therapy must be billed and another day manual osteopathy.

This does not apply to motor vehicle accident (MVA) patients. For MVA patients health practitioners can charge the insurers for more than one type of therapy. For example on the same visit an insurer can be billed for manual osteopathic treatments, modalities, and rehabilitation.

Yes, you can practice and open a private health clinic in almost all countries. In countries where osteopathy is not a regulated health profession (most countries of the world) you can practice as an osteopath. In Canada, osteopathic medicine is a regulated profession (manual osteopathy is not regulated in Canada). Therefore in Canada our alumni must call themselves manual osteopath or osteopathic manual practitioner. There is an exception and that is the French speaking province of Quebec where NAO alumni can legally use the title of osteopath. In British Columbia they cannot use the title of manual osteopath and must use osteopathic manual practitioner title.

Osteopathic medicine is also a regulated health profession in the United States. There in US, NAO alumni must call themselves osteopathic manual practitioners. They cannot use osteopath or manual osteopath.
In United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Namibia and South Africa and any other country where manual osteopathy is a regulated health profession, NAO alumni should call themselves manual therapists and if permitted osteopathic manual practitioner.

In most other countries, including Spain, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, Brazil, Iran, China, Taiwan, Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Singapore, Mexico, Venezuela, Greece, Vietnam, Netherlands, Turkey, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Bermuda, Jamaica, Malaysia, Trinidad & Tobago, Latvia and Singapore, our graduates can use the term osteopath and practice as osteopaths.

In Canada and most other countries National Academy of Osteopathy DOMP graduates can work without the need to join any associations. In Canada however if alumni wish to bill private health insurers and get paid by them for osteopathic care they provide to the public, then they have to join associations such as ACMA, ACTMD and the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO) that provide a membership number accepted for health insurance billing.

In the United States NAO DOMP graduates can work in 8 states (including California) without the need to join any associations. In other other 42 states NAO alumni should join associations such as the American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners (where Dr. Pourgol the NAO president) is an Advisory Board member) which allows them to work as osteopathic manual practitioners under their specialized license.

National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) is the copyright holder of the DOMP (Diploma in Osteopathic manual Practice) title. Only Canadian College of Osteopathy and its alumni are approved users of the DOMP title. Any other school and their alumni that are using the title of DOMP are doing so illegibly and are breaking the Copyright Act of Canada and may face legal consequence.

NAO president is the founder of Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain Research Center that operates from the campus of Seville University of Health & Medicine in Spain since 2022. The following Facebook page includes a list of research related to the field of osteopathy published by osteopaths from around the world, including many papers from world famous osteopathic researcher in Italy, Dr. Bruno Bordoni, a student of Dr. Pourgol. Please click like on the “Osteopathy Related Research & Science” at www.fb.com/osteopathicresearch and follow it to receive notification whenever a new research paper is posted.

A 2012 survey has shown that with a treatment satisfaction rate of 95%, manual osteopathy is the number one choice of patients in Canada for chronic low back pain relief.

A survey has shown that of all the alternative health care practitioners in Canada, patients have the highest confidence in manual osteopaths

Fracture of the femur bone due to a slip & fall is the main cause of accident related death in seniors. This is mainly due to osteoporosis making the bones weak, and subsequently when the person fells down the bone breaks easily. The fractured bone in some cases cuts through the femoral artery. A number of patients die due to bleeding even before reaching the hospital. The osteopathic muscle energy techniques (MET) are known to improve function & balance by improving range of motion of the joints and the muscle tone. A better function & balance decreases the chance of a fall, and subsequent bone fracture and possible death. Seniors should receive weekly manual osteopathic care to remain more active and to continue enjoying a better quality of life. Manual osteopaths help prevent injuries. And by decreasing chances of a slip & fall they ultimately save lives.

A 2006 survey showed that Canadians on average spend about $220 per year on manual osteopathic care.

Statistic Canada reported that 10% of Canadians have annual income of over $80,000. Manual osteopaths in Canada, with an average income of $90,000 per year are part of the wealthiest 10% of Canadians (data from 2013). National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) graduates on the other hand have annual income of $150,000 ($60,000 more than what other manual osteopaths make in Canada). Their higher income as oppose to other manual osteopaths is in one part due to the 250 business management lectures they receive at NAO (offered by NAO president, Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD who is a successful registered manual osteopath and certified naprapath and founder of 5 universities, an osteopathy hospital and OCPCC that operates 378 clinics in 34 countries). It also has to do with their ability in treating chronic pain. Unlike other osteopathy schools NAO places heavy emphasis on chronic pain management education.

The NAO graduates are in the top 1% wealthiest Canadians.

According to the most recent Gallup survey of the North American workplace; only 25% of workers were satisfied with their employment and love what they do. Manual osteopaths in Canada, with a job satisfaction rate of 98% have one of the highest job satisfaction rates of all occupations. Manual osteopathy has been included in the top 25 best occupations in demand in Canada by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The high job satisfaction is due to emotional and financial satisfaction the profession affords to its practitioners. NAO alumni treat last resort chronic pain cases. The type of cases other health professionals could not help. This brings great emotional job satisfaction to our alumni. Additionally having annual income of $150,000 creates wealthy individuals (the top 1% of society). This high income is one of the main reasons why our alumni have such high job satisfaction rate.

Dr Pourgol has prepared an article on major similarities and differences of these four health professions that offer manual therapy. To read the article please click on the link below which takes you directly to Dr Pourgol’s personal blog site.
Click here

There are many such groups. However one of the largest ones is “We Love Osteopathy” which is founded by our president Dr Shawn Pourgol. It is open to everyone. Feel free to join the group. The group address is: www.fb.com/groups/weloveosteopathy.

Dr Pourgol in cooperation with Osteopathy TV and the financial backing of National Academy of Osteopathy & the National University of Medical Sciences is in the process of producing a full length film documentary on manual osteopathy called “The Last Resort”. The documentary discusses why manual osteopathy is in such a high demand in Canada and why patients sometimes wait months to see a manual osteopath. The documentary will be provided free of charge to Netflix, the Documentary Channel, PBS and other networks, with the hope that it increases the public awareness to the wonderful beautiful profession of manual osteopathy.

We have many chiropractors and chiropractic students as students such as Dr. George Sandu, DC, DOMP, president of the Canadian Manual Osteopathic Association. This is because manual osteopathy is very popular with chronic pain patients. In Canada there is a waiting list of over a year (in London, Ontario), 6 months (in Halifax) and so on. In 2012 Canadians chose manual osteopathy as their #1 choice for low back pain relief as compared to chiropractic, massage therapy, physiotherapy, acupuncture, and pain medication.

By becoming a manual osteopaths chiropractors assure that they will have a full practice. Here is a testimonial from a chiropractor graduate of NAO click here.

Please visit the testimonial page of NAO to read how massage therapists have benefited by studying manual osteopathy at NAO. Click on the link below to read one such testimonial from NAO graduate & registered massage therapist (RMT), Angele Boyle who doubled her income in less than a year following graduation: click here

The WorkBC program of the Canadian Government in British Columbia may now cover your full tuition to study manual osteopathy at the York University Heights campus of National Academy of Osteopathy in Toronto if you are found eligible. Contact the WorkBC Employment Center nearest you for more information.

Click on the link below to see a sample of student card issued to students. Your National Academy of Osteopathy student card entitles you to discount on thousands of items in North America, Europe and elsewhere. Please make sure you keep your student card with you at all times as a proof of being an NAO student. Click Here

Physiotherapist & university professor Dr Hossein Khorami, his daughter Saba, a kinesiologist & optometrist wife Dr Maryam Gharahgozloo graduated together as manual osteopaths from NAO in July 2014. While we had a number of couples and siblings studying together at NAO, this is the first time all members of a family enrolled together at NAO. Click on the link below to see their photos: Click Here

There are over 14,700 students of European style osteopathy (also known as manual osteopathy) enrolled in degree or diploma programs around the world.

There are 21,741 students of American style osteopathy (also known as osteopathic medicine) enrolled in the DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) programs in American osteopathic universities and schools.

USA is the only country offering education both in osteopathic medicine and manual osteopathy. There are two universities, California Health University and National University of Medical Sciences (both founded by NAO president, Dr Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD) that offer manual osteopathy education in the US. All other countries where students enrolled offer European style osteopathic education (no surgery, no medication).

30 to 45 minutes is the most common treatment length for manual osteopathic treatments. A 2013 survey indicates 40.5% of patients manual osteopaths see in Canada, USA & Europe receive this length of treatment.
The 2nd most common is 45 to 60 minutes, which 31.8% of patients receive.

The 2nd most common referral sources of manual osteopaths (also known as European style osteopaths) in Canada, USA & Europe are medical doctors. 18.5% patients manual osteopaths see are referred by MDs, a 2013 survey finds.

A 2013 survey finds that over 10.6% of the patients that manual osteopaths treat in the USA, Canada and Europe are referred to them by physiotherapists. Physical therapists make up the third most common referral sources of manual osteopaths. By manual osteopath we mean European style osteopaths as opposed to American style osteopathic physicians who perform surgery and prescribe medications. Manual osteopaths limit treatments to hands-on manual therapy.

Here are approximate number of European style osteopaths (also known as manual osteopaths) in a selected number of countries.

Yes, you can. While most schools of osteopathy offer excellent education, many of their students do transfer to National Academy of Osteopathy for a variety of reasons.

Most colleges offer osteopathic education that is 3 to 5 years part time one weekend a month for 6 months per year, while NAO offers a compact 6 months to 1 year full time program. This is popular by students as they can finish their program sooner and start working and helping patients.

Tuition is another reason they transfer to NAO. In Italy students pay up to 100,000 EURO and in Canada up to $45,000 for osteopathic education. Our DOMP program starts from $9,970.00, which is one of the most affordable accredited manual osteopathic education.

We are glad to announce that the title “Osteopathic Manual Practitioner” has now been officially entered into the National Occupational Classification of Canada; under the NOC Code # 3232 (Practitioners of Natural Healing).

This is great news for the profession of manual osteopathy as it gives a unique identity to the job title of our graduates, and it is a great step towards regulating the profession of manual osteopathy in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada.

Previously there was only the title “osteopath or Doctor of Osteopathy” was classified in Canada to represent anyone who practices any forms of osteopathy. Now there are officially two distinct forms of osteopathy in Canada, one the osteopathic medicine, which its practitioners call themselves osteopaths in Canada and the other European style manual osteopathy which its practitioners are called manual osteopaths or osteopathic manual practitioners.

On Nov 11, 2014, Canada Post published World Osteopathy Day stamps, designed by Dr Shawn Pourgol, president of the National Academy of Osteopathy & the National University of Medical Sciences, the largest providers of manual osteopathic education worldwide. Osteopathy, since it was founded over 137 years ago by Dr Still in the USA, had never had a day of its own until 2012 when Dr Pourgol founded June 22nd as the World Osteopathy Day.

The NOC (National Occupation Code) for “Osteopathic Manual Practitioners” in Canada is 3232 and it falls under “Practitioners of Natural Health”.

IN Ontario, all practitioners who treat MVA patients use HCAI. Health Claims for Auto Insurance (HCAI) is an electronic system for transmitting auto insurance Ontario Claim Forms (OCFs) between health care businesses and insurers in Ontario. Previously there was no category for osteopaths, and osteopathic manual practitioners in Ontario had to use “other” to list themselves on the forms and auto insurance standard invoice (AISI). Now we have our own category “osteopathy” which manual osteopaths can use when submitting OCF 18 (treatment plans) and OCF 21 (Auto Insurance Standard Invoice).
First Canadian government recognized manual osteopathy by adding it to National Occupational Classification under NOC code 3232 and now the Ontario provincial government permitted osteopathy to be added as an independent category under HCAI.
The profession is getting more recognition. And these all helps us in getting the profession regulated in Ontario. Our president, Dr Shawn Pourgol has donated $200,000 to the “Osteopaths Unite” campaign and in such short term we have seen the profession advance quite rapidly.

Yes, National Academy of Osteopathy has been certified by honorable Jason Kenney, the Canadian Minister of Employment & Social Development on December 07, 2014. This certification remains active for 5 years until December 07, 2019.

Canadian National Academy of Osteopathy students are permitted now to claim for tax credits for the NAO tuition, textbooks & educational expenses they paid to study manual osteopathy as per Income Tax Act of Canada. as NAO is an approved school by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

The Canadian government offers up to $780 in textbooks tax credit to residents of Canada to study manual osteopathy at National Academy of Osteopathy.

Our graduates of the diploma in osteopathic manual practice (DOMP) program, 18 to 34 years old who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents are eligible to apply for business development loans of up to $15,000 (at prime posted by CIBC plus 3% interest rate) under the Futurpreneur Canada program of the Canadian government.
You must have already been graduated as a manual osteopath and have already opened your own private osteopathy clinic. Your clinic must be less than one year old and you have to agree to work with a mentor for up to 2 years and prepare a business plan.

Professor Majid Javadifar, an orthotist & Prosthetist as well as a manual osteopath, is a graduate of National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) and National University of Medical Sciences (Spain).
Dr Javadifar owns one of the best orthotics manufacturing labs in Canada, while also having a multidisciplinary clinic in North York, Ontario. Shahla & Sara, two NAO graduated manual osteopaths work with Dr Javadifar in his clinic.
Any of our graduates who needs an orthotics lab for patients needing orthopedic footwear should contact him directly. NAO graduates receive discounts for a number of products offered at this orthotics manufacturing lab.

NAO teaches more osteopathic techniques than any other osteopathic college in the world. We are also the only school of osteopathy teaching (along with all other osteopathy techniques) the Manual Mechanotherapy techniques, a set of techniques that is known as the lost techniques of osteopathy.
Did you know that we are the only osteopathic college that has Canadian, American, European & Asian technique instructors?

Yes. We consistently upgrade all our diploma program. Every term we add a number of osteopathy techniques as well as business lectures to the DOMP program.

This poetry is by NAO student, Dr Chris Vincent, MBBS, titled ” Students of National Academy of Osteopathy”.

A poem

We are the chosen.
Ordinary people
from different places
training for extraordinary work,
under the benevolent gaze
of Dr. Shawn Pourgol,
>We are diamonds in the rough,
cut and polished
with words of wisdom
spoken by our teachers,
and the techniques taught
online and in-class.
We are coached
to be valiant fighters
and skilled archers
who are battle ready
to attack the army of pain.
We are students
of National Academy of Osteopathy,
learning the great art
of manual osteopathy,
eager to serve
the people of Canada
and all the countries
around the world.
We are the past, present
and future students
with flames
of healing power
in our hands.

Written by – Dr. Chris Vincent, MBBS

Yes. Our Canadian DOMP (diploma in osteopathic manual practice) graduates are eligible to apply for up to 50,000 in loan money from Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) if they are residents of the province their osteopathy clinic is located.
The graduates must be the clinic owner, and be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. The osteopathy clinic must have been in operation for two years or longer. Clinics less than two years old are not eligible to apply. The loan must be repaid within 4 years and the current interest rate is 5.7%. The application process is completely online, eliminating any need for personal visits and meetings.

A recent research on hands on skill learning indicates that in the long term online students learn better techniques than those enrolled in a campus based program.
The research done recently in USA compared two sets of students learning a manual skill, one set in a class and another from an online video.
The results indicated that in the same day, after watching the skill being taught online vs live in the classroom, those classroom students learned the skill better. However after one week, the online students performed the skill clearly better than the campus students.
The conclusion the researchers made is that the campus based students learn from an instructor and then rely on memory to perform the skill task every day. While the online students get to watch the instructor everyday and this makes their skill set closer to what the instructor teaches.
So in the short term (the same day) campus based education is better. However in the long term online students perform better techniques.

Osteopathic spinal osteoarticular techniques are proven through scientific research to cause neurophysiological effects resulting in hypoalgesia (local and/or distal), sympathoexcitation, reduction in spinal stiffness, heterogeneous in location and timing, and improved muscle function.

These techniques also produce increased nociceptive flexion reflex threshold, improved posture, decreased concentration of substance P, and improved sway index.

The evidence for effectiveness of osteopathic osteoarticular techniques suggests involvement of an endogenous pain inhibition system mediated by the central nervous system.

Dr H. R. Spitler was a medical doctor, chiropractor, osteopath and optometrist in Ohio, USA who invented a model of osteopathy techniques about a hundred years ago that dealt with soft tissue as well as osseous manual therapy. As his techniques focused mainly on orthopedic conditions of musculoskeletal system, he fell out of favour with the osteopathy leadership of the time and his techniques were not taught in most osteopathic schools.
We are the only osteopathy school teaching the manual mechanotherapy techniques of Dr. Spitler.
Manual mechanotherapy is now mainly practiced in Ohio by a group of practitioners calling themselves mechanotherpists. The techniques are considered the lost techniques of osteopathy.
Dr. Daniel Nuzum, NMD, DO (from Ohio, USA) has done six lectures on this technique which is now available for our students to watch at our video server.
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Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO (founder of osteopathy) developed many methods of treatments. In one such method (commonly known as the Still Techniques) the patient is initially moved away from the dysfunctional barrier, then a well-directed focusing force is applied, during which the dysfunctional joint is carried through a path of least resistance into the barrier. The Still technique loosens the ligaments and tendons binding a joint by first moving away from the barrier into relaxation, and then reverses direction to allow the joint to slide back into place while the supporting ligaments and tendons are relaxed. The Still techniques never gained popularity with early osteopaths because easier and quicker osteopathic manual therapy techniques were available to osteopaths. Still techniques, the ground breaking methods of relaxing the soft tissue and then settling the joint were somewhat forgotten until Dr. Richard VanBuskirk, DO published “The Still Technique Manual” in 2000. Now these techniques have regained the popularity they deserve as a number of schools including National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada), National University of Medical Sciences (Spain) and National University of Medical Sciences (USA) have added them to the curriculum of their manual osteopathy diploma and degree programs. Dr Daniel Nuzum, NMD, DO teaches Still Techniques which is uploaded to our video servers for our registered students to watch.
=================

Our education differs from other schools because we heavily focus on chronic pain management and business management education. We create successful manual osteopaths by making them experts in treating chronic pain and great at managing their own business.

NAO students receive over 250 business management lectures by NAO professor, Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD who is a successful registered manual osteopath and naprapath and founder of 5 universities in USA, Spain and Panama, an osteopathy chronic pain hospital in Panama, an osteopathy chronic pain research center in Spain and the Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada which operates over 378 clinics in 34 countries. These lectures plus their ability in treating chronic pain are the reason why our alumni have annual income of $150,000 which is $60,000 more than other manual osteopaths.

Our students learn how to run, market and manage their osteopathy clinics effectively. Our lectures include varied topics such as tax planning, asset protection, marketing, public relations, accounting, investing and financial planning. We strongly believe a successful graduate is a happy graduate and that society as a whole improves with success of our graduates. And this is our way of expanding the profession worldwide. Success attracts others to study manual osteopathy. It is the goal of Dr Pourgol to ensure people everywhere have access to osteopathic chronic pain management. The profession does wonders in treating chronic pain and every person around the world deserves to have access to this miraculous health care.

A successful graduate spends more, and helps charities more often. This would result in the economy being stimulated once a person has better purchasing power. It is a common knowledge that money improves quality of life. Previously there was not much research available to back this up. In the past few years however a number of research projects have shown this to be true. The most recent research published by the Toronto Star, and done by PhD graduate student, Annie Xiaoyu Gong and her team at McGill University indicates that “Higher income increases people’s life satisfaction in general”. The word “money” was a taboo in healthcare. We changed that!

We believe you can be a great health professional while also being financially successful. We graduate successful health professionals and that is what helped us become the number one provider of manual osteopathic education in the world, with alumni in 72 countries. You can study manual osteopathy in many fine schools in Canada but to become a wealthy successful manual osteopath, there is only NAO!

National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) graduates (online as well as on-campus) have annual gross income of $150,000 which is $60,000 more than what other manual osteopaths make in Canada. This is because we focus heavily on chronic pain management education while also offering more than 250 business management lectures to our DOMP students. These lectures are given by NAO president, Dr Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD who is a successful registered manual osteopath and naprapathy. Some of his accomplishments include founding the National University of Medical Sciences, California Health University, Seville University of Health & Medicine, Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain Hospital, Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain Research Center, World Osteopathy Day and Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada that provides chronic pain care through its 378 clinics located in the United States, Canada and 32 other countries.

The annual expenses of manual osteopaths is up to 20% so the net income is 80% of the gross income. On average NAO graduates charge $140 per hour of osteopathic care in Canada. However some charge more such as Liza Egbogah who practices in downtown Toronto (Ontario) charges $275 per hour. Liza has been chosen by the Toronto Star Newspaper as the best manual osteopath in Toronto in 2019. Tanja Seagrave in California and Thomas Andrew in Bermuda charge US$300 (about $400 Canadian) for manual osteopathic care.

A recent survey of our alumni shows that 100% of National Academy of Osteopathy graduates in Canada increased their annual gross income after becoming a manual osteopath.

44.4% of the annual gross income earned by National Academy of Osteopathy graduates in Canada (in 2015) came from private health insurance payments (most extended health plan insurers cover osteopathy services provided by our graduates).
33.3% of our alumni income in 2015 came from patients paying cash and 22.2% came from auto insurance payments for those injured in an MVA (all auto insurers pay for osteopathic care provided by NAO graduates to accident patients).

This is a review posted by registered massage therapist & manual osteopath, Andrew Subieta, RMT, DOMP, DO (Spain) who is an alumnus of National Academy of Osteopathy in Toronto. He has also studied at the first osteopathy school in Ontario, the Canadian College of Osteopathy which offers a 5 years osteopathy program. We have many manual osteopaths from other schools joining us to re-study manual osteopathy. Andrew has written a testimonial comparing the education he received at Canadian College of Osteopathy with the one received at NAO. Please click below to read it.
Http://nationalacademyofosteopathy.blogspot.ca/2016/09/osteopathic-education-5-years-vs-1-year.html

Yes, we do. We have alumni in all Canadian provinces and territories.
Manual osteopathy was introduced to the province of Newfoundland & Labrador (Canada), Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut and Prince Edward Island by our alumni.

To bill an extended health plan (EHP) insurer in Canada NAO alumni must first join one or more osteopathic associations in Canada, such as Canadian Association of Alternative Medicine and College of Registered Manual Osteopaths that are accepted by most insurers. Membership in these associations would provide billing numbers for NAO graduates which permit them to bill extended health insurers in all Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario.

Yes. The British Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners (BCAOMP) accepts as members the graduates of Diploma in Osteopathic Manual Practice (D.O.M.P.) program of National Academy of Osteopathy.

Chiropractic and naprapathy are two health professions originated from osteopathy. Most manual therapy techniques used by physiotherapists are also osteopathic in origin. Osteopathy is the grandfather of most manual therapy primary health care systems.

Yes, our graduates are eligible to join the Newfoundland & Labrador Osteopathic & Naprapathic Association which is chaired by Dr Matt Gibbons, DOMP, DO (Spain), a graduate of National Academy of osteopathy (Canada) and National University of Medical Sciences (Spain). Visit http://www.osteopathyassociation.ca/ for more information.

Yes! We made history (again!) by introducing osteopathy to Bermuda. Anyone wishing to receive manual osteopathic care in an exotic beautiful island setting in Bermuda should contact Dr. Thomas Andrew, DOMP, DO at the Reefs, a five star luxury resort in Southampton, Bermuda (https://www.facebook.com/thomaselisseou/about).  Dr Andrew is a graduate of the DOMP program of National Academy of Osteopathy & the DO program of National University of Medical Sciences (Spain). Dr. Andrew represent the Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada in Bermuda.

Yes, National Academy of Osteopathy graduates can join the Manitoba Osteopathic Association for membership.

Yes it can. Canadians can use registered education savings plan (RESP) to pay in full for the cost of tuition of the diploma in osteopathic manual practice program of National Academy of Osteopathy.

The Canadian government offers thousands of dollars to help families defray the cost of tuition for their children by allowing them to open a registered education savings plan for each child. And here’s the best part: for every dollar you put into the plan, the government kicks in a little extra for you. Depending on your income, the government portion can rise to as much as 40 cents for every dollar you put in yourself.

The word “osteopathy” is not regulated in Ontario or any of the other provinces in Canada. The word “osteopath” is regulated in Ontario. That is why National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) graduates are permitted to use the word “osteopathy” in their clinic names or call what they do “osteopathy”. The term “osteopath” is regulated in Ontario, British Columbia and some other provinces but not all.

The answer may surprise you!

Here is a research article by the US Department of Education that indicates online students perform better than on-campus students. “The meta-analysis found that on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.”

https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf

President of European Osteopathic Association (EOA), Dr Bruno Bordoni, DPT, DO, PhD is an Italian physiotherapist and osteopath who is also a member of our executive board of directors. Dr. Bordoni is a graduate of the PhD program in osteopathic clinical sciences of National University of Medical Sciences – USA (www.numss.us) which is the first school of osteopathic manual practice in the United States (founded by NAO president, Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD).

Dr Bordoni is a world re-known osteopathic researcher and has published numerous peer reviewed research articles. Here is a recent research paper about effectiveness of manual osteopathy in cardiology. Dr Bordoni the only osteopath of this research. We are so proud of him!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28109570

Our students who wish to shadow one of our alumni in their private health clinics should contact the alumni directly. We do not arrange this between alumni and students. Sometimes alumni ask us to post a request about their willingness to allow students to observe their practice. This is usually posted in our private alumni FB group. We also email the post to all our students. Here is a recent shadowing opportunity we emailed students today: “National Academy of Osteopathy graduate, Frederic Koomsatira, BSc, CSCS, DOMP (osteopath & a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu champion and coach) has been kind enough to allow our students to shadow him and work on a volunteer basis in his clinic in Montreal (Quebec, Canada). Our interested students who wish to do some volunteer work should contact Frederic directly at fredkoomsatira@gmail.com or 1-514-581-3400. The clinic website is: www.koom.ca. We are grateful to Frederic for helping our students.”

Yes, it does. Here is a post we shared a few days ago. MIGRAINE gone after one OSTEOPATHIC treatment What our alumni do seem like a miracle sometimes. We just found out manual osteopath Nicholas Zancai, DOMP a graduate of National Academy of Osteopathy and one of its teacher assistants, treated a patient in Burlington (Ontario, Canada) who was suffering from migraine. Right after first osteopathic session the migraine was completely cured 100%. This patient had seen his family physician, a chiropractor and a number of other health professionals without result. He was referred to Nicholas and got cured in one session. This is the power of osteopathy. We hear cases like this all the time from patients of our alumni. Nicholas receives a lot of referrals from massage therapists, physiotherapists, naturopaths and family physicians because of his ability to treat chronic pain. He is fully booked until June 2017. There is a month long waiting list for patients to make an appointment with him. He charges $110 per hour of osteopathic care. His fee is set to increase to $140 per hour in near future. Thank you Nicholas! You make us so proud!

While average NAO graduate charges $140 per hour of manual osteopathic care, we do have alumni that charge a lot more. We encourage our students to charge as high as they can. Our alumni on average make $150,000 per year which is $60,000 more than other Canadian manual osteopaths because we teach them over 250 business management lectures (and because of their ability in treating chronic pain as we focus greatly on chronic pain management education). These lectures are the reason why we graduate successful wealthy manual osteopaths and why so many other manual osteopaths re-study manual osteopathy with us.

Here are some examples of what selected NAO alumni charge.

NAO graduate in Los Angeles, osteopathic manual practitioner/massage therapist Tanja Seagrave is charging US$300 ($400 Canadian) per hour of manual osteopathic care. Most our alumni in the United States charge over US$200 per hour.

Canadian osteopath & registered massage therapist Dr. Thomas Andrew, RMT, DOMP, DO (Spain), a graduate of National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) and National University of Medical Sciences (Spain) charges US$300 (about $400 Canadian) for osteopathic care. Dr. Andrew practices at Osteopathy Chronic pain clinics of Canada in Bermuda within the 5 Star Luxury Resort, the Reef.
NAO graduate, Dr. Liza Egbogah, DC, DOMP who studied chiropractic before becoming a manual osteopath charges $275 per hour at her Osteopathy Chronic pain Clinics of Canada in Toronto (Ontario), Canada. Dr. Egbogah has been chosen as the #1 manual osteopath in Toronto in 2019 by the Toronto Star Newspaper.

Our president, Professor Shawn Pourgol has studied osteopathy as well as chiropractic. He has written an article explaining the main differences of these two professions in regards to clinical aspects. Here is the link to the article: http://drpourgol.blogspot.ca/2017/04/clinical-differences-between.html

Initially in 2010 when we started teaching manual osteopathy, all our graduates were health professionals. However our goal was always to get high school graduates to enroll as we believed the way to expand osteopathy worldwide is to accept high school graduates. NAO is now the only accredited provider of DOMP education in Canada that accepts high school graduates. We are glad to say that now majority of our graduates (about 56%) are high school graduates and 44% are health professionals.

NAO President is founder of the first ever osteopathy chronic pain in the world, the Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain Hospital, founded in Panama in 2023. NAO students are permitted to complete clinical internship programs offered by this hospital.

We also have a number students working in hospitals in China, India, Iran, Vietnam and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

This is an email sent to Dr Pourgol by NAO DOMP graduate Dr. Stéphane Laporte, DOMP, DO (Spain):

This email is to send you a heartfelt thank you for your guidance in the field of Osteopathy. Thanks to you and your education, I am now working in a major JCI accredited hospital in the physical therapy and rehabilitation department. It’s a great experience, working in a team of therapists. This is of course the very beginning, and I look forward to grow fast in personal development and to apply the lessons from the NAO & NUMSS business lectures.”

Stephane.

Here is a video NAO president, Dr. Shawn Pourgol has made in regards to how to find employment within a hospital as a manual osteopath: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0klS26ruz4&t=48s

We have started the process of getting the profession of manual osteopathy regulated in Ontario (Canada). The Coalition for the Regulation of Manual Osteopathy in Ontario (CRMOO) has been created to unite the profession as unity is the first and most important of the three requirements of the Ontario government to evaluate a profession for regulatory purposes.

Osteopathy is already regulated in the province of Ontario. In Ontario osteopaths are medical doctors who are members of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO). The first time the profession started the process of regulation it failed because the word “osteopathy” was used. This caused opposition by CPSO and confused the Ontario government as “osteopathy” was already regulated. To avoid this concern “Manual Osteopathy” is used instead to separate our profession from osteopathic medicine in Ontario.

The second time profession started the process of regulation it also failed because selected organizations decided to exclusively start the regulatory process without uniting the profession. This has failed because Ontario government requires the profession to be united. This Coalition has been formed with the sole purpose of uniting the profession and representing the profession when dealing with the Ontario government. To this end the Coalition will accept all schools, all associations, and all organizations. It is not mandate of the Coalition to set educational requirements and policies for the profession or evaluate each organization. Educational, ethics and practice guidelines will be decided and developed by an appropriate committee when manual osteopathy regulation is achieved. Until then every organization is accepted.

There will not be any leadership posts in the Coalition. The Coalition will be managed by a committee that includes one representative from each school and organization. This is important as we want all organizations feel they have a voice in managing the Coalition. We understand there may be a few organizations that wish not to join the Coalition. However the majority will join and we believe the ones who do not join initially will join it later once they realize how beneficial regulation is to the profession.

All philosophical and educational differences can and should be set aside for the purpose of becoming united to get the profession regulated. Once manual osteopaths are regulated, they can get together and decide on what requirements they wish to have for osteopathic education. To do this beforehand is troublesome as it causes a divide in the profession and without unity there will not be regulation.

I invite all osteopathic manual practitioners to speak to their alma mater and associations and to encourage them to join this Coalition for the benefit of manual osteopathy.

Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, PhD
President
National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada)
National University of Medical Sciences (Spain)

Canadian Union of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners

Yes they can. Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada (https://www.osteopathypainclinic.com) has been founded in September 2017 by our president, Dr Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD. Only Dr. Pourgol’s students can work for OCPCC. Currently OCPCC has 378 clinics in 34 countries. All OCPCC manual osteopaths are osteopathy chronic pain specialists who have taken a Fellowship Program in Osteopathy Chronic Pain Management at NAO (this fellowship program is offered free of charge to NAO DOMP graduates). The rapid growth of OCPCC is due to effective care NAO graduated manual osteopaths provide for people suffering from chronic pain.

The Coalition for the Regulation of Manual Osteopathy in Ontario (CRMOO) is in the process of getting the manual osteopathy profession regulated in Ontario. National Academy of Osteopathy has provided $200,000 in funding to CRMOO and is affiliated with it. Dr Shawn Pourgol, president of National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) is the founder of the Coalition for the Regulation of Manual Osteopathy in Ontario.

How dedicated is NAO to osteopathy?

NAO offers a teaching clinic in Toronto for its campus based students. Online students have also the option of doing supervised clinical training under NAO alumni in different cities which includes seeing 200 patients, completing 12 clinical rounds, handing in 12 clinical case reports, doing treatments on approved NAO clinicians, getting treatments by approved NAO clinicians, a thesis suitable for publication, and on-site practical and written exams.

If you wish to practice European style manual osteopathy in the states (our profession is known as osteopathic manual practice in the States) you should choose an osteopathy school that is accredited by the US Council on Osteopathic Manual Practice Education (NAO is accredited by UCOMPE).
NAO DOMP graduates can join the the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practice (http://www.osteopathicmanualpractice.org).

Most American osteopathic manual practitioners are NAO alumni including all three presidents of American Associations of Osteopathic manual Practitioners, American Osteopathic manual Practice Examining Board and US Council on Osteopathic Manual Practice Education.

NAO DOMP graduates can work in 8 states (including California) without the need to join an association. In the other 42 states alumni must join an association such as the American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners (AANWP), where NAO president is on the Advisory Board, to receive membership that would allow them to provide osteopathic manual care under AANWP wellness practitioner license.

Yes. Our alumni are eligible to sit for the board exams administered by the American Osteopathic Manual Practice Examining Board (AOMPEB).

Canadian Union of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners,
American Osteopathic Manual Practice Examining Board,
US Council on Osteopathic Manual Practice Education,

Canadian Manual Osteopathy Examining Board,
International Osteopathy Examining Board,
Ontario College of Osteopathic Rehabilitation Sciences,
British Columbia Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners,
College of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners of Ontario,
Nova Scotia Osteopathic Association,
Newfoundland and Labrador Osteopathic Association,
L’Alliance Canadienne de Médecine Alternative,
National Osteopathic Practitioners Association,

African Osteopathic Association,

Each association has its own membership criteria. Our alumni who satisfy the membership requirements of each association are eligible to join as members.

Yes. Manual osteopaths who have studies modalities are permitted to use physiotherapy modalities such as ultrasound, laser, electrotherapy, thermotherapy, cryotherapy, magnetic therapy, etc. in most jurisdictions. However they cannot call what they do physiotherapy and they cannot call themselves physiotherapists (unless they are licensed physiotherapists). In some locations however, such as Quebec in Canada and California in US, manual osteopaths are not permitted to use most physiotherapy modalities. Please check the laws of the province, state and the country you plan to practice for exact information. Our DOMP program does not offer any courses on modalities. NAO alumni who wish to learn modalities are encouraged to apply for the doctor of osteopathy (DO) program offered by National University of Medical Sciences (Spain) or the PhD in Osteopathic Clinical Sciences offered by the National University of Medical Sciences (USA). Both universities (founded by NAO president, Dr Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD) include a course on Osteopathic Auxiliary therapy which teaches students how to use many of the available physiotherapy modalities.

An easy way to get volunteers to allow you to practice osteopathic techniques is to post a notice on your personal Facebook page as well as Facebook groups of your city, asking for volunteers. Aside from getting bodies to practice on, a benefit is many of them end up becoming your patients once you graduate and open your own clinic. Many of our students have done this successfully. They got tons of volunteers while also getting many of them to come back as patients. But please make sure you make it clear that you are not providing manual osteopathic care and treatments. You are just practicing techniques. You are not a manual osteopath yet and as such you cannot provide treatments. You can however practice techniques on others as long as they know they are not receiving treatments.

Osteopathy is a heritage of Indigenous Peoples as it has roots in Cherokee healing arts and bodywork. As such we are happy that so many Indigenous Peoples government offer scholarships to tehir people to study manual osteopathy. Bigstone Cree Nation Education Authority now accepts National Academy of Osteopathy for financial aid. National Academy of Osteopathy has been accepted by the Bigstone Cree Nation Education Authority in Alberta. They have paid scholarships to a Cree Nation person to study at NAO. We are also accepted by the Metis Nation and some other First Nation education authorities in Canada. The Indigenous Peoples now have an association in Canada representing them, the non-profit Indigenous Peoples owned/operated College of Registered Manual Osteopaths.

National Academy of Osteopathy graduates enjoy average gross annual income of $150,000 in Canada, which is $60,000 more than the annual income of other manual osteopaths. Net income before taxes is above 80% of the gross income. Manual osteopaths enjoy a low clinic expenses of up to 20% because they do not need a large clinic or staff to manage their practices. As a result their take home net income is a lot higher than other professions such as chiropractic and physiotherapy that spend up to 50% of the income on clinic expenses.

We graduate successful manual osteopaths because we teach students everything we know about business as well as focusing heavily on chronic pain management education. NAO students receive over 250 business lectures given by Dr Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD as part of their DOMP education. Dr Pourgol is a successful registered manual osteopath and naprapath. He is founder of NAO plus five universities in Spain, Panama and USA as well as the Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada which operates over 378 clinics in 34 countries. Dr Pourgol is also founder of the Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain Hospital in 2023 which is the first of such hospitals. The hospital offers free osteopathic and naprapathic care to Panamanians.

Dr Pourgol recorded a video that gives more detailed information about income, expenses, and hourly fees of manual osteopaths in Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI5K_OIWZwI&fbclid=IwAR0ZhS5lxWTrVu_rfwI5ORfmf7oxIZsikfrRNS_Cuz9yAGeuu7CPL8PZUtc

The 2020 survey of National Academy of Osteopathy graduates shows that the majority are charging $140 on average per hour of osteopathic care in Canada. NAO alumni charge more than other manual osteopaths because they are osteopathy chronic pain specialists (many have completed a Fellowship Program in Osteopathy Chronic Pain Management we offer them free of charge). They see last resort cases others cannot help. As such they are in high demand and it is reasonable for them to charge higher than other manual osteopaths for their services.

The worth of a clinic is measured by its gross income per year multiplied by 2. So a million dollar osteopathy clinic is a clinic, owned by a manual osteopath that generates half of a million dollars or more per year in gross income. The NAO Million Dollar Osteopathy Club is an exclusive club founded by the National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada). Only NAO graduates who have confirmed annual gross income of $500,000 or more can join this club.

In the states listed below the diploma in osteopathic manual practice (DOMP) graduates of National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) can work without any need to join an association as long as they get the clients sign a specific form indicating that they are not providing medical care, they are not doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and that they do not provide electrotherapy, HVLA manipulation or massage.

The states are: California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, & Rhode Island.

There are a few other states that have specific exemptions bypassing the requirement for manual osteopaths to get licensed. The list is provided elsewhere in our FAQ section.

For the states that do require a license to practice, NAO DOMP alumni can join a number of associations, including the American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners, where NAO president is on the Advisory Board, to receive a membership that can be used as a license to practice osteopathic manual practice under the specialized wellness practitioner license.

National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada) students are now able to apply for Canada Student Grants & Loan program. How much they receive depends on a few factors (province of residence, having a dependent, disability, etc) and can be estimated by using the Student Aid Estimator website linked below: http://certification.esdc.gc.ca/lea-mcl/eafe-sfae/eafe-sfae-h.4m.2@-eng.jsp NAO students, single, with no dependents, living in Ontario, who have annual income of less than $20,000 per year and are not disabled can receive a loan of up to $11,900 towards the NAO tuition.

Yes, it does. The Canadian Armed Forces Vocational Rehabilitation Program for Service Members (CAF-VRPSM) has accepted the Diploma in Osteopathic Manual Practice program (DOMP) of National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada). CAF-VRPSM covers the tuition and others fees of approved programs for eligible service members.

One way is to offer osteopathic chronic pain management. Nutritionist / Manual osteopath, Andrew Chan, president of College of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners of Ontario was a nutritionist before enrolling at NAO. He has a fully booked practice now grossing over $240K per year after he started offering osteopathic chronic pain management.
We offer a DOMP program for nutritionists online or on-site at our York University Heights Campus. Our program focuses greatly on chronic pain management education.
Alumni in the US can join the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners to become a COMP. In Canada our alumni can join the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths to become an RMO with the ability to bill most health insurers.
Our DOMP program includes 250 business management lectures offered by Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, PhD on topics related to clinic management, accounting, self improvement, marketing, tax planning, investment, and asset protection. Dr. Pourgol is founder of OCPCC which operates over 370 chronic pain clinics in the United States, Canada and 31 other countries.
Join us, study at NAO and secure your future.

One way is to offer osteopathic chronic pain management. Manual osteopath, Matt Gibbons, president of Osteopathic & Naprapathic Association of Newfoundland & Labrador was a personal trainer before enrolling at NAO. He has a fully booked practice now grossing over $500K per year after he started offering osteopathic chronic pain management.
We offer a DOMP program for personal trainers online or on-site at our York University Heights Campus. Our program focuses greatly on chronic pain management education.
Alumni in the US can join the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners to become a COMP. In Canada our alumni can join the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths to become an RMO with the ability to bill most health insurers.
Our DOMP program includes 250 business management lectures offered by Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, PhD on topics related to clinic management, accounting, self improvement, marketing, tax planning, investment, and asset protection. Dr. Pourgol is founder of OCPCC which operates over 370 chronic pain clinics in the United States, Canada and 31 other countries.
Join us, study at NAO and secure your future.

One way is to offer osteopathic chronic pain management. Massage therapist / osteopathic manual practitioner, Tanja Seagraves, MT, DOMP, an NAO graduate in Los Angeles, California has a fully booked practice now charging $300 per hour after she started offering osteopathic chronic pain management.
We offer an accelerated 6 months DOMP program for massage therapists online or on-site at our York University Heights Campus. Our program focuses greatly on chronic pain management education.
NAO is accredited by the US Council on Osteopathic Manual Practice Education in the United States. In Canada our alumni can join the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths to become an RMO with the ability to bill most health insurers.
Our DOMP program includes 250 business management lectures offered by Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, PhD on topics related to clinic management, accounting, self improvement, marketing, tax planning, investment, and asset protection. Dr. Pourgol is founder of OCPCC which operates over 370 chronic pain clinics in the United States, Canada and 31 other countries.
Join us, study at NAO and secure your future.

One way is to offer osteopathic chronic pain management. Nutritionist / Manual osteopath, Andrew Chan, president of College of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners of Ontario was a nutritionist before enrolling at NAO. He has a fully booked practice now grossing over $240K per year after he started offering osteopathic chronic pain management.
We offer a DOMP program for nutritionists online or on-site at our York University Heights Campus. Our program focuses greatly on chronic pain management education.
Alumni in the US can join the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners to become a COMP. In Canada our alumni can join the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths to become an RMO with the ability to bill most health insurers.
Our DOMP program includes 250 business management lectures offered by Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, PhD on topics related to clinic management, accounting, self improvement, marketing, tax planning, investment, and asset protection. Dr. Pourgol is founder of OCPCC which operates over 370 chronic pain clinics in the United States, Canada and 31 other countries.
Join us, study at NAO and secure your future.

Yes, they can by joining the American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioner. Dr Mercedeh Ghazy, MD (Iran), DO (Spain), DOMP is an NAO graduates for example who has joined AANWP to become a board certified osteopathic manual practitioner in the United States.

Yes, there is. Registered manual osteopath & certified naprapath, Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD is the founder of the Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain Hospital (based in Panama City in Panama). This is a charity based osteopathy hospital that offers free osteopathic and naprapathic care to the public in Panama since 2023. To make an appointment please visit www.osteopathyhospital.com.

Yes, it is. Eligible applicants who fulfill the government requirements are eligible to receive this grant which covers the tuition of National Academy of Osteopathy DOMP program. NAO is also accepted for similar programs offered by other Canadian provinces.

Yes, in 8 states, including California NAO DOMP graduates can work without any special license. In the other 42 states NAO graduates should join an association, such as the American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners that allows members to practice manual osteopathy (known as osteopathic manual practice in the United States) under their wellness practitioner license.

Yes, professional liability coverage is available in most countries for National Academy of Osteopathy graduates. For example our DOMP graduates who wish to practice in the United States can join the American Alternative Medical Association (AAMA) as a member which would permit them to buy $1M malpractice insurance for $138 per year. There are other associations, organizations and insurers that also provide malpractice insurance coverage to NAO graduates.