From Study to Practice: A day of insight at Victoria University Transition to Practice day

In early June, the hardworking students at Victoria University completed their studies, marking a significant milestone in their osteopathic journey. To celebrate this accomplishment, Doug Wong organised a Transitions to Practice Day at the VU City Tower campus, featuring a line-up of guest speakers who shared their valuable insights and experiences.

The event kicked off with Marion Hildebrand, a recent graduate, who shared her personal journey over the past year. Her reflections resonated with the audience, offering a glimpse into the challenges and successes that await them in the professional world.

Joel from Cliniko took the stage next, shedding light on the importance of cybersecurity. He urged the attendees to reconsider their password choices, emphasising the need for stronger and more complex combinations. A practical tip he shared was using sentences or phrases instead of predictable numerical sequences to enhance security (especially for any of you out there still using 12345!).

Martin Summat, who has a close connection to osteopathy through his daughter Jessica, delivered a talk on accounting. He emphasised the significance of managing finances effectively while pursuing a career in osteopathy, ensuring a well-rounded approach to professional success.

Representing Osteopathy Australia, Antony Nicholas provided an overview of the profession and its responsibilities. He reminded the graduates of their roles as primary healthcare professionals and the importance of upholding high standards and ethical practices.

Leo Di Giorgio presented his experiences as an osteopath in aged care, helping students to consider rewarding options outside private practice in our ageing population.

Jack Feehan discussed the importance of effectively communicating evidence-informed practice through his experience in writing for The Conversation. He encouraged the graduates to share their knowledge through these platforms, promoting the profession and making a positive impact in the broader community.

Tom Barry shared insights on the benefits of regional practice and the value of working in a multidisciplinary team. He emphasised that collaboration with other healthcare professionals can lead to better patient outcomes and has a number of students considering a regional move.

Louise Bibby spoke about her array of impressive experiences in sports osteopathy and the importance of immersing yourself into areas of special interest to reach your goals. She discussed her osteo outreach program for rural areas and inspired us all to think outside the box!

One student told me: “I had not even considered looking at regional Victoria as a potential career location prior to Monday. Yet the passion from some of these Osteopaths, and the discussions around community, outreach, and the value they placed on loyalty has given me so much inspiration that I am going to apply.”

The day included a mini jobs fair, allowing students and potential employers to connect and explore future opportunities. One of the graduating students Shane commented that it was great to ‘’see what's out there in the big wide world of Osteopathy and to speak with really experienced practitioners about their clinics.’’ The event concluded with a mixer funded by Osteopathy Australia, providing a platform for students, academics and osteopaths to engage in further discussions about their experiences and aspirations.

Overall, the Transitions to Practice Day offered Victoria University osteopathy students a valuable platform to gain insights, network with professionals and prepare themselves for their exciting journey into the world of osteopathy.

From Doug Wong the organiser: ‘’To quote William Bridges- ‘It is when we are in transition that we are most completely alive.’ On behalf of the VU academic team, best wishes to the graduating class of 2023. This is when the learning truly begins.’’

Student Rory said: ‘’The day was a great opportunity to receive some inspiration following a full-on exam and research period. Now that we're at the finish line, I think we're all coming to the realisation that the rather daunting task of stepping out of our comfort zones is right around the corner. But thankfully, the visiting guest speakers helped to encourage enthusiasm for joining the workforce and the Osteopathy Australia team.’’

It was great to see how great a community the osteopathic Australian workforce is! They were all happy to answer as many questions as we could throw at them (which was quite a few). So many supportive osteos and business owners helped us to feel less worried about the future and more excited to develop our craft and skills further. It really puts into perspective how many avenues there are for us to follow and thrive in as osteos. Some who have never lived outside the Melbourne CBD were even talking about moving out further following Monday! 

Student Amy said: ‘’I found the transition to practice seminar to be highly informative with a wide variety of speakers. I really loved the speech by Joel from Cliniko; he gave some really valuable cyber safety tips which are things that we probably wouldn’t have thought much about at all!

I loved the exploration into other career opportunities that osteopaths can get involved with such as aged care and the possibilities in regional and interstate clinics. The ultimate take home message for me from the day was how important it is for new grads to really explore their options. There are endless opportunities out there, but it’s vital in these early stages of our careers that we find a place that not only aligns with our goals and needs but will also provide us with ongoing mentoring and learning opportunities to really cement the past 4.5 years of study.

After the session, it was lovely to have an informal chat with staff, future employees and representatives from Osteopathy Australia about the exciting future of osteopathy, and I have come away feeling optimistic about the role I will soon play in this rewarding profession.’’