Professional development

Osteopathy Australia's clinical skills recognition pathways comprises Extended and Advanced Practice recognition. These pathways aim to provide recognition of and provide pathways of professional development for osteopaths, which, in turn, demonstrates further evidence for osteopaths’ place within primary healthcare while providing the additional scope to advocate and lobby for the profession within government and allied health networks.

All osteopaths are AHPRA registered allied health professional. Some osteopaths have further training, skills and capabilities in clinical practice areas. Osteopathy Australia now recognises osteopaths with advanced scopes of practice assessed and reviewed by panels of medical and allied health professionals. Extended and Advanced recognition is only open to suitably qualified and experienced osteopaths. Those individuals are assessed by multidisciplinary clinical panels involving doctors and other allied health professionals. These osteopaths have skills and knowledge that overlap strongly with other health professionals with a similar clinical focus.

Currently, the following focus areas are covered for Extended and Advanced Practice recognition:

• Exercise rehabilitation
• Occupational health (work injury management)
• Paediatrics
• Pain management
• Sports management

The association hopes to add further focus areas in the future.