Home
Marc Jones, DO(UK)
Osteopath
Osteopathy
Osteopathic Articles
UK Osteopathic Fact Sheets
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Links
Contact and Addresses
Osteopathy For Pain Relief
Headaches - Stiff Neck - Whiplash Injuries - Arm Pain - Trapped Nerves - "Frozen" or Stiff Shoulders - Tennis & Golfer's Elbow - Wrist & Hand Pain - Low Back Pain - Sciatica - "Slipped Disc (Disk)" - Hip, Thigh & Knee Problems - Leg Pain - Back Pain in Pregnancy - Postural Problems - Calf, Shin, Ankle & Foot Pain - Pain & Stiffness from Arthritis - Sports Injuries. Why Suffer Pain?
What do osteopaths treat? Click here
|
Continuing Professional Education for Osteopaths
by Marc Jones, BSc(Hons) Ost, DO (UK), Osteopath
November 2005
It could certainly be a concern for any of my patients in British Columbia (or Canada in general) to wonder what safeguards I can offer as an osteopath with respect to my continuing professional development (CPD), especially as worldwide osteopathy appears to have left Canada (and especially BC) behind.
Fortunately, I am more than happy to be able to re-assure my patients and fellow healthcare colleagues that as an osteopath registered with the General Osteopathic Council of the United Kingdom, it is still mandatory for me to complete a certain number of hours of CPD each year on top of the 4,500 to 5,000 hours of study during my osteopathic degree.
Various professional groups within British Columbia have similar requirements for their practitioners. Both the BC College of Chiropractors and the BC College of Massage Therapists ensure that their respective members must complete 24 hours every two years. Sounds impressive... until I mention that I must complete at least that every 12 months!
As a British registered osteopath, I must complete a minimum of 30 hours each year, of which a minimum 15 hours has to be with my professional peers and the remainder has to be through self-study with documented proof given to the General Osteopathic Council of the UK.
Some of my updates of 2005 have included:
the field of pathology
the differential diagnosis of shoulder pain
the implications of the 2005 review to the Osteopaths Act (1993) of the United Kingdom
the patient's right to consent to examination and treatment
the right of patients to know the risks and safety procedures involved when a neck manipulation (cervical HVLA thrust) is recommended and performed.
My next group venture involves a session led by myself, which is to involve the differential diagnoses between disc and zygapophyseal (facet) joint injuries.
The list of self-directed education usually involves a combination of refreshing what we know (or have forgotten!) and looking to new approaches and the latest osteopathic research available from across the globe.
At the end of the "education year" it is quite heartening to see the impressive list of topics covered, not just for my own peace of mind, but in knowing that my patients are receiving the best care that I can offer them.
Hopefully, one day, British Columbia and Canada will join the rest of the developing world in having its very own osteopathic profession to be proud of. Until that time, the rest of us will continue to maintain the highest standards of osteopathic practice.
Top
Copyright © Marc Jones - Osteopath (UK), Osteopathy Vancouver 2003 onwards
|
