Why Study at the LSO
The LSO has all the benefits of a fully fledged professional course, whilst being small enough for each student to be a valued member within the learning community. Student individuality and autonomy is cherished.
LSO students come from a wide variety of back grounds, and come with a range of life experiences. This serves to enrich the course, and promote individuality and responsibility both in the class and clinic settings.
So whether you have a background in health care but need more autonomy; or are simply fed up with your current situation (fed up with computers or difficult managers), the LSO can offer you a change in career.Student and Graduate Testimonials
Student Testimonials
Allison Beard - BA, MSc Complementary Medicine
"Deciding to study Osteopathy at the London School of Osteopathy has been one of the most challenging and yet rewarding decisions I have ever made.
I have worked in the fields of Complementary Medicine and Education for over 20 years as a practitioner, College/ University Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, External Examiner and University Course Consultant.
I been impressed by the quality, variety and depth of the programme of education delivered by expert tutors from the fields of both Medicine and Osteopathy. The five year course has been both enlightening and stimulating, and has been the answer to many of my frustrations with the field of Complementary Medicine in general. I can honestly say that this course is very well grounded in Science, Research and Biomedicine whilst remaining true to the fundamental principles of Osteopathy.
I feel confident about the overall benefits and the importance of the role of Osteopathy in Primary Health Care. I already feel a great sense of satisfaction in treating and working with patients in the outpatients clinic here in Whitechapel. Being able to successfully diagnose and effectively treat patients, bringing relief from pain and anxiety is incredibly rewarding and worth all the hard work that the five year course demands.
The atmosphere at the LSO is professional and clinical and yet at the same time supportive and friendly. The flexible programme of study offered by the LSO has enabled me to continue working in Education and Research in my home county of Lancashire. I am now looking forward to combining clinical practice with research when I graduate in 2010".
Trevor Campbell - Final Year Student
"I started at the LSO five years ago. Like many students who come here I had often considered Osteopathy as a career, but could not commit to a full time course due to family, mortgages etc. A change in my work demands meant I could finally take the plunge. Although you spend the first two years focused on foundation sciences such as anatomy and physiology, you still get to work with patients (and on each other) from the very beginning. You also study the philosophy and principles of Osteopathy so the whole thing fits together. As the course progresses you spend more and more time on the practical aspects, applying your newly learned techniques to real patients. Its very rewarding and great fun, especially when you see how you can positively impact people’s lives.
Studying Osteopathy at the LSO however is far more than just taking a part time degree course. The more you learn, the more you become fascinated by the way Osteopaths view the body and its response to health and disease. You reflect on your own way of life and gradually become consumed by what it means to be a practicing Osteopath. The LSO itself is one of a kind. You’ll meet a whole range of individuals who you get to know very (very) well over the five years of the course. From the principal to the cleaner, everyone knows your name and chats to you. You get constant feedback from all the lecturers and clinic supervisors, which can be a little hard to take sometimes, but you never feel alone or neglected. Exams and clinic deadlines can be stressful, and sometimes it shows, but the experience is well worth the effort and if you are not careful may well change your life!
The LSO is an informal, open, non hierarchical place with great character. You’ll see for yourself when you join us".
Jeremy Burton - Final Year Student
"If you have an interest in the human body and how it works this course will take you on a fascinating journey of discovery. On my travels I have seen just how remarkable the body is and how it is shaped by life. This journey has enriched me as a person helping to provide answers to understanding myself and others in more depth than I could have previously imagined.
As I approach my late thirties this course has made me a more understanding and empathetic person who communicates better and now has the opportunity to take a more rewarding path in life by helping others as well as the autonomy to work for myself".
Graduate Testimonials
Osteopath: Glenn Sontag, Graduated: July 2009
"The learning curve continues even when you leave. It's not plain sailing and you have to be prepared to be confident in your abilities and your decisions / diagnoses etc. After all, there is no supervisor to present to! Although this may sound daunting, it's where you can shine, and you can enjoy much more freedom than in some other professions. You develop your own routines, and form a patient base which reflects your interests. You decide on treatment protocols, and what needs to be reviewed and what additional skills you may need to learn to progress further.
Yes, I miss the LSO and looking back, it was easily the best - and also the hardest - course I have ever done. My classmates and a few of us keep in touch regularly, but the truth is that most of us have started different paths now and you can't be expected to see each other as often as we did when studying. So, if you are studying now, cherish the student life and the support that you give one another - and that the LSO gives you - as this is what helps carry you through.
Good luck with your studies and your future career as osteopaths".
Osteopath: Janet Fowler
"I work as an osteopath and physiotherapist in the NHS, andhave recently been made an Allied Health Professional consultant in central Manchester. After qualifying as a physiotherapist in 1987 and undertaking an MSc in manipulative therapy in 1995, I graduated in 2000 from the LSO. I loved every minute of my time at the LSO and I found that osteopathy greatly enhanced my clinical handson skills. The LSO provided me with a supportive and
friendly learning environment, which I thoroughly enjoyed"!
Osteopath: Michael Pickering
"Being a professional musician, for me the course is ideal. The way it is structured enables me to work and study and I think it is good that we get straight into the clinic in the 1st Year. I also like mixing with students with very different backgrounds and experiences".
Osteopath: Steve Marshall
"I am 36 and run a small business involved in cleaning and maintenance, at heights. It is all weathers and can be dangerous. I have enjoyed it but the years are catching up on me. While being treated by an osteopath for my back pain I mentioned the pins and needles in my hands. She then examined me and I observed that, "I thought osteopaths only fixed backs". She quickly put me straight and explained some of the principles and practices of osteopathy. My interest grew and library books gave some useful addresses in the back. I was accepted onto other courses but decided on the LSO because it was friendly and informal and they welcome people regardless of their background".
Osteopath: Steve Turner
"Having driven a black cab around the streets of London for a number of years, I was very pleased to have been accepted on the course at the LSO. My ‘knowledge’ examinations came in very handy when it came to structuring my study patterns while still working. I continued to work (full time until the third year), raise a family, study and socialise in the five years that it took to become an Osteopath. I qualified from the LSO in 2001".
Osteopath: Mike Monaghan
"Faced with a choice of completing our degrees away from home, in Dublin, five colleagues and myself decided to commit to the LSO because of the flexible part-time basis of the course. The mature nature of the student base also helped in making the correct decision. The quality of lecturing and the balanced view of osteopathy that we have been exposed to, has been excellent".
Osteopath: Peter Jarvis
"I am an osteopath with 35 years experience in both the private and NHS sectors and have been associated with the LSO for many years. I not only recommend potential students but also employ graduates from the school. While employed, students gain experience of the world, which helps in developing empathy with their patients".