Case studies: Osteopath: Nicola

Nicola studied part time for a Masters in osteopathy from the London School of Osteopathy. She currently works as a self-employed osteopath and Pilates teacher…

I have been a self-employed Pilates teacher for seven years, teaching whilst I studied for the Masters in osteopathy at the London School of Osteopathy .

After graduation I wanted to offer Pilates and osteopathy and therefore decided to set up an osteopathic clinic very close to the Pilates studio I already work in.

I considered clinic spaces where I could rent a room, but decided to lease a small office space and apply for change of use to convert it to an osteopathic clinic as this provided me with more freedom in terms of appointment availability and the ability to rent the space to other practitioners.

To become an osteopath you must hold a recognised degree in osteopathy. My degree course equipped me with in-depth anatomy, physiology and pathology knowledge as well as high levels of osteopathic evaluation, diagnosis and technique training. The 1,200 hours of hands-on practice in the teaching clinic provided invaluable experience, helping me to become a proficient and safe practitioner in a supported learning environment.

I offer appointments from 8am so the day can start by seeing patients before they go to work, and two evenings a week I offer after-work appointments. I also offer Pilates classes two evenings a week and private sessions all day Wednesday.

As a new business I also spend time marketing the clinic. This may involve creating posters or flyers, giving talks to groups such as sports clubs or mother and baby groups, or to GPs to widen awareness of osteopathy and my clinic.

As a recently graduated osteopath my role is very much in the developmental stages. I am currently studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical and Academic Education, which will provide me with teaching qualifications.

I am currently working as a teaching assistant for osteopathic technique classes and hope to build on this experience to develop my teaching career as well as my osteopathic career. After a few more years experience and development in practice I would like to consider undertaking a PhD or professional doctorate.

I really enjoy helping people to achieve better health and movement. It is incredibly satisfying to see patients improve. The profession provides opportunities to develop as a practitioner through lifelong learning and professional development, and to follow your own specific interests by specialising in different areas such as sports, paediatrics or geriatrics.

I am not only an osteopath but a business owner, and need to face the challenge of running a business. Having been self-employed for seven years I have experience to draw on, but building a business from scratch takes time and hard work. However, I do enjoy the freedom of working for myself and being able to plan my own schedule, even though it is less secure than being employed.

Osteopathy is an incredibly rewarding career but it requires hard work, dedication and commitment to study for the degree. However, if you love working with people and want a hands-on profession to help people to better health don't let that put you off. It really is worth it.

AGCAS

Sourced by AGCAS editors

Date: 

December 2012

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