I'm really really interested in becoming an osteopath. The only thing is I don't think I have all the entry requirements. I'm 27yr old now so I can't really think of doing more courses to get the background that the colleges require for entry.
My GCSE's, Chemistry C, Biology C, Maths C, Humanities B, Office Studies C, English D threes more but I can't remember them now.
Now I'm doing a level 4 (HND level) BTEC Professional Dip. in sports and remedial massage, in this course we cover sports/remedial massage, soft tissue release, muscle energy and neuromuscular techniques. We have also covered biology and a lot of anatomy. I have a good knowledge of the skeletal and muscular system but I'm not sure if they will take this type of course into account.
Do you think I'd be able to get in? and would it be worth the 4 years?
RE: Should I be one?
I'm 44 Gman and embarked on the 4 year full time degree in September just gone. I am at the European School of Osteopathy near Maidstone in Kent and they took my ITEC L3 Diplomas in Holistic Massage and Sports Massage as minimum requirements. They also run a Summer Science School for those students who don't have science A levels.
I am loving the training!
Is it worth the 4 years? From my experience so far, and from talking to other students and qualified osteopaths, yes it most certainly is! BUT you have to be incredibly committed. It is a phenomenally intensive course - you have to be prepared to work and work and work. I am really enjoying it though (must be a masochist :D).
To give you an idea of the time commitment, on our course we are in college or clinic for 591 hours in Y1, 632 hours in Y2, 1056 hours in Y3 and 747 hours in Y4. Which of course does not include any of the studying one needs to do at home ...
My advice is, take yourself off to some Open Days and take the opportunity to chat to other students while you are there.
Good luck if you decide to go ahead.
RE: Should I be one?
Thanks aldebaran that's really helpful, I really really really do want to do this. I just hope I can get into the BSO without having to do additional courses. Before I started my sports/remedial massage dip I'd never really thought I'd be able to learn all the info that you need. But now I've found the skeletal/muscular system really easy to learn so I've started on the more obscure muscle that our course doesn't cover. While I've been at it I've picked up the names of many of the joints in the body and now I've started on the ligaments. The nervous system, I do have trouble with and I'm guessing that all the bodily systems will be gone into especially the nervous in detail?
With me there is a couple of other issues, 1 I'm partially sighted and 2 I've never been to a university in my life and have absolutely no idea how it all works. So it is a bit of a daunting prospect.
I've started the UCAS application so I hope I see this through to the end 🙂
RE: Should I be one?
UPDATE
I've just got into the BSO 😀
RE: Should I be one?
congratulations gman
good luck and I am sure it will be worth all the hard work
hg:)
How's the course going Gman? Have you started it?