At National Academy of Osteopathy (NAO) we teach the art, science and philosophy of osteopathy with passion and pride. We welcome research and support patient centered evidence informed scientific health care. We attract the best and brightest applicants, hire faculty who are experts in their fields, and work continuously to improve our curriculum. We teach techniques that are scientific & proven effective through evidence based research. We prepare students for the real world by teaching business principles. We aim to make our students the most successful manual osteopaths in the world.
Our Faculty are highly qualified and come from all disciplines and backgrounds to bring students a rich learning experience. Their teaching methods ensure a blend of strong theoretical knowledge with ample application of hands-on experience, providing students with in-depth understanding in a nurturing and dynamic environment.
Our Clinic offers the campus-based students an opportunity to gain rewarding hands-on experience within our diverse community-based settings. As osteopathy interns, NAO students assume patient care under the supervision of clinical faculty—most of whom also operate clinical practices outside of NAO.
Here is a summary of why you should study at NAO:
- We offer a DOMP (Diploma in Osteopathic Manual Practice) program, which is the most accepted Canadian osteopathy title. Most private health insurers in Canada accept the title of DOMP. NAO is the copyright holder of this title since October 09, 2013 (copyright # 1108241, with Canadian Intellectual Property Office of Industry Canada).
- NAO alumni can practice in all 50 states. Our alumni can join the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners and the American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners (NAO president is on the Advisory Board of AANWP). Membership allows NAO alumni to practice across the US.
- NAO alumni get reimbursed by most extended health plan insurers across Canada.
- NAO is affiliated with the Coalition for the Regulation of Manual Osteopathy in Ontario (CRMOO), founded by NAO president, Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD. This assures its alumni will be part of the regulation process of manual osteopathy in Ontario.
- NAO alumni can join many associations that are accepted by health insurers in Canada, permitting them to bill extended health plan insurers for osteopathic care including ACMA, ACTMD and the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths that awards them the title of RMO (registered manual osteopath).
- Most manual osteopaths across Canada and the United States are NAO alumni. This means NAO alumni have a larger say when dealing with the government, insurers and policy holders in all things related to manual osteopathy in Canada and the US.
- NAO has over 250 business management lectures given by Dr Pourgol. Our lectures cover marketing, business management, financial planning, tax strategies, asset protection, wealth creation, public relations, advertising, estate planning, etc. We also have lectures on brain improvement and becoming better. NAO is the only osteopathic college in the world teaching these topics in detail. These lectures along with the ability of our alumni in treating chronic pain are the reason why NAO alumni make $150,000 per year on average in Canada which is $60,000 more than what other manual osteopaths make.
- We are the only osteopathic college in the world focusing heavily on chronic pain management.
- NAO president is the founder of Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada. From 1 clinic in Toronto in 2017 OCPCC has now over 378 clinics in 34 countries including 14 in the United States. Only NAO graduates can join OCPCC. All manual osteopaths working at OCPCC have taken the fellowship program in osteopathy chronic pain management at NAO which we offer free of charge to our DOMP graduates.
- NAO is accredited by the Council on Manual Osteopathy Education of the International Osteopathic Association and the US Council on Osteopathic Manual Practice Education, the accrediting agencies of the manual osteopathy profession in Canada and US.
- NAO DOMP program offers 2,200 hours of education, full time (1 year) and part time (2 years or 5 years). It is the only English speaking school offering a full time complete DOMP program, which can be completed in 1 year for students without prior health education and 6 months for health professionals. Other schools offer osteopathy programs in 3 to 5 years part time, one weekend a month, 6 months per year but their total lecture hours are between 1000 to 1500 hours which is shorter than our DOMP program.
- NAO has more professors (40 and increasing) than any other school in Canada. It also has more technique instructors than any other Canadian osteopathy college. Aside from all the major osteopathy techniques like osteoarticular, MET, PFR, BLT, CSC, cranial, visceral, Still’s, Global and others, we are the only school of osteopathy in the world teaching the Manual Mechanotherapy (MMT) which are considered the lost techniques of osteopathy.
- NAO alumni are eligible to join the Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain Hospital in Panama for clinical internship program.
- NAO alumni can join the Pourgol Osteopathy Chronic Pain research Center in Spain as osteopathy researchers.
- NAO alumni can work as instructors at osteopathy universities founded by NAO president, including the California Health University (Los Angeles), Seville University of Health and Medicine (Spain) and National University of Medical Sciences (Spain, USA, Panama).
- NAO alumni can work as osteopaths/manual osteopaths/osteopathic manual practitioners in all Canadian provinces, the United States, Spain, Panama and many other countries. Currently NAO alumni are working in 72 countries. And our clinic, the Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada is operating 378 clinics in 34 countries.
- NAO is dedicated to the osteopathy profession. We have expanded the profession to 72 countries and to places that had no access to this wonderful health care, including Nunavut, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Alaska, Hawaii, Bermuda, and many other locations. NAO president created the World Osteopathy Day which is now celebrated across the world.
- Campus based NAO students receive up to 4 months of clinical internship at NAO teaching clinic in Toronto.
- NAO alumni can join the Canadian Union of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners which helps them become preferred providers of osteopathic care to union members.
- Our education is World Health Organization (WHO) compliant as it includes over 1,000 hours of clinical education.
- We support our alumni for life. Alumni are always welcome to contact us for support if they ever need it. Our support does not finish with their graduation.
- We are the first and only osteopathy school in Canada that has alumni in every Canadian province (including Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territories) and every continent of the world.
Join us; become a manual osteopath and secure your future. Our students are dedicated, enthusiastic, and dynamic. Being part of this high energy group is motivating and inspiring.
To apply for our DOMP program please contact NAO Registrar at 416-635-6550 or info@
Thank you.