Advanced Recognition

Osteopathy Australia recognises members with advanced clinical skills health care.

On successfully applying, a member is recognised as an Advanced Practitioner. Advanced Practitioners are assessed by skilled health professionals within a focus area. Panels include allied health professionals, and medical specialists.

On being recognised, Advanced Practitioners are given unique privileges, including a formal professional title like: “Advanced Paediatric Osteopath”, Advanced Exercise Rehabilitative Osteopath, or “Advanced Pain Management Osteopath”.

As a patient/client, you get the benefit of a well- trained osteopath plus a professional with enhanced clinical skills.    

Advanced Practitioners have*:

• Completed a range of quality education in their focus area. Advanced Practitioners show they have been educated in clinical topics supporting good health outcomes in the focus area
• Demonstrated quality in how they practice with many focus area client/patient groups. Advanced Practitioners show they can give treatments and services accepted by many allied health and health professions
• Succeeded in a professional review based on feedback from other health professionals (non- osteopaths only) sharing management of clients/patients over an extended time. Referees must belong to a medical or other allied health profession
• Demonstrated a career track record of providing a broad range of quality clinical services in the area indicated by their title.

Our clinical Quality Practice Frameworks guide what Advanced Practitioners must show in further education, the way they practice, what they have done in their career, and in what other health professionals report.

Program Details

Program Focus Areas

Osteopaths may become Advanced Practitioners in one or more of the following focus areas- subject to eligibility criteria and conditions:

• Paediatrics (children)
• Sports Management
• Exercise- based Rehabilitation
• Occupational Health, work injury prevention, management and rehabilitation
• Pain Management.

Application Pathways

We offer two application pathways to become an Advanced Practitioner.

Pathway 1 involves showing:

• Completion of a further university qualification in the focus area (AQF Level 7 and above only)
• Career achievements and expanded clinical roles over an extended period (what is known as demonstrating an advanced scope of practice in health care)
• Quality practice through two written referee reports by two different medical or other allied health professionals (non-osteopaths only). An Advanced Practitioner is not allowed to see or get copies of these reports
• Year-on-year effort to expand focus area knowledge after the university qualification.

Pathway 1 is known as the ‘tertiary recognition pathway’. Advanced Practitioners recognised through pathway 1 have (tertiary) after their title.

Pathway 2 involves showing:

• Completion of many focus area formal short, medium, or longer training courses of high quality
• Career achievements and expanded clinical roles over an extended period (what is known as demonstrating an advanced scope of practice in health care)
• Quality clinical practice through two written referee reports by two different medical or other allied health professionals (non-osteopaths only). An Advanced Practitioner is not allowed to see or get copies of these reports
• Ability to write several detailed patient studies based on real patient/client scenarios. Case studies must be supported by high quality health care evidence accepted by medical and allied health professional reviewers. This is an additional requirement in pathway 2 due to no further university degree
• Year-on-year effort to expand focus area knowledge through continuing professional development.

Pathway 2 is known as the ‘vocational recognition pathway’. Advanced Practitioners recognised through pathway 2 have (vocational) after their title.

Application Assessment

In both application pathways, a review occurs with two other medical or allied health professionals who do not personally know the osteopath. The reviewers use clear procedures that can require a third health professional who does not personally know the osteopath to become involved.

Finding an Advanced Practitioner

You will know when you see an Advanced Practitioner by the titles they use in their advertising (business cards, websites, professional profiles), their listing on Find an Osteo, as well as by the exclusive electronic and physical logos they use.

You will also know if someone is an Advanced Practitioner from the certificates they display at a clinic or where they work.

Further Information

If you have further questions about applicaton requirements, please contact us

Ph: (02) 9410 0099

Tollfree: 1800 467 836.

E: cpd@osteopathy.org.au