Master of Osteopathic Medicine

If you would like to become a primary health practitioner and believe in the importance of holistic care and preventative medicine, Osteopathic Medicine may be the career for you.

Osteopaths practice in primary healthcare fields such as family practice and internal medicine and place their focus on the link between body structure and function. Osteopaths consider the whole person – their lifestyle, environment, and history – when treating symptoms.

As a student of the Master of Osteopathic Medicine, you will undertake substantial clinical practice under the supervision of an experienced practitioner at Southern Cross University’s state-of-the-art Health Clinic. You will be prepared for practice with theoretical underpinnings designed to develop your professional competencies, clinical reasoning, and research skills.

Completion of a relevant undergraduate program (such as Southern Cross University’s Bachelor of Clinical Sciences) along with the Master of Osteopathic Medicine will enable you to register to practice as an Osteopath.

Career Opportunities

The Master of Osteopathic Medicine aims to produce graduates who are eligible to register as practitioners of osteopathic medicine. Southern Cross University is seeking to increase the number of graduate osteopaths in order to meet community demand. Osteopathy Australia estimates a national shortage of osteopaths that will remain in effect for the foreseeable future.

Professional Recognition

The Master of Osteopathic Medicine is accredited by the Osteopathy Board of Australia. Graduates may apply to become a registered osteopath.

Graduates of the course are eligible for professional membership with Osteopathy Australia (OA).

Osteopathic services are recognized under all state government statutory workers compensation schemes and motor vehicle accident compensation schemes; under Medicare's Chronic Disease Management Plan items; Departments of Veterans Affairs rebates and most private health insurance schemes.

Professional Placement

The Master of Osteopathic Medicine includes substantial supervised clinical practicums at the SCU Health Clinic (Gold Coast or Lismore campuses) and in external health clinics and services. External placements provide opportunities to experience a range of community practices and to start to build professional networks that help establish future careers.

Professional experience placements require students to fulfill certain pre-requisites prior to attending any placements. Before applying for this course, it is important that you understand what these requirements are, as they include immunization compliance.

Major Areas of Study

Students undertake studies in osteopathic medicine, including advanced diagnosis and management of complex problems; complete clinical practice under supervision in internal and external health facilities; and engage in a research project.

Assessment methods

Students complete a wide variety of assessments including written exams, written assignments and clinical exams such as observed long case exams and viva voces.

Teaching methods

The osteopathic medicine units use a student-centered curriculum in which problem-based activities and studies, as well as case discussion, engender independent and team-based learning.

Clinical practice is a mentored learning experience in both real and simulated patient encounters. The research component is self-directed and supervised and aims to develop critical thinkers and readers of research. Reflective practitioner skills are integrated into the curriculum to develop interpersonal and lifelong learning characteristics.

Facts, figures, rankings and awards

Southern Cross University is a progressive, young and connected regional research university, with vibrant campuses in northern New South Wales and the southern Gold Coast. We offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and many are available in a dynamic online form. Whether studying on-campus, online, or both, we deliver exciting, contemporary and high-quality learning experiences.

Why SCU?

Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 20Bold, progressive and just 23 years of age – Southern Cross University is one of the Asia-Pacific’s Top 100 Universities and one of the world’s Top 50 Generation Y Universities .

Our contemporary campuses, with purpose-built state-of-the-art facilities, are located on the east coast of Australia, at the Gold Coast in Queensland, and in Lismore and Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. All are unique regions renowned for their natural beauty and ecological diversity, providing living laboratories for learning and creative hubs for artistic endeavour.

Branch campuses in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth are operated in collaboration with EduCo on behalf of Southern Cross University. The University also operates The Hotel School Sydney and Melbourne in partnership with Mulpha Australia. We also deliver degrees with collaborators in China, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

We have a large and diverse range of courses available online, offering interactive and immersive learning experiences wherever our students are.

Whether studying on-campus, online, or both, we deliver exciting, contemporary and high-quality learning experiences.

We aim to produce graduates who are career ready, world ready and digitally literate, and who experience an academic environment distinctive for its personal approach.

The University has a strong focus on industry and community collaboration to produce engaged teaching and research outcomes.

This connectivity is seeing Southern Cross University lead the $13.8m national Farming Together Pilot Program, partnering with the Northern Rivers Co-operatives Alliance and the Australian Government. The University has also introduced an important new Centre for Organics Research with the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

In the latest Excellence in Research for Australia report, Southern Cross achieved outstanding ratings of 'at world standard' or above in 24 research fields. In nine research fields, the University was evaluated at the highest possible classification of 'well above world standard'. This was achieved in the fields of Geochemistry, Oceanography, Environmental Science and Management, Zoology, Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Crop and Pasture Production, Forestry Sciences, Nursing, Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Campuses

Southern Cross University is a vibrant, contemporary Australian university with beautiful campuses on the Gold Coast, Lismore and Coffs Harbour.

Sydney, Melbourne and Perth branch campuses (International students)

Southern Cross University's branch campuses at Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth are conveniently located in the central business districts.

Studying at SCU Sydney, Melbourne or Perth gives international students the opportunity to complete undergraduate or postgraduate degrees in three of the world's most liveable cities. Southern Cross University collaborates with EduCo Sydney Branch Pty Ltd for the operation of the SCU Sydney, Melbourne and Perth branch campuses.