National Academy of Osteopathy

National Academy of Osteopathy National Academy of Osteopathy offers on-site (at York University Heights) and online manual osteopathy programs. All OCPCC manual osteopaths are NAO alumni.

NAO is the largest school of osteopathy in the world with alumni in 72 countries. NAO owns OCPCC which has 380 clinics in 34 countries. NAO alumni enjoy annual average income of $150,000 which is $60,000 more than what other manual osteopaths make in Canada. We graduate successful manual osteopaths because we teach them everything we know about business management. NAO professor/president, manual

osteopath, naprapath & chiropractor, Dr Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD, offers more than 250 business lectures to NAO students. The financial success of NAO graduates has helped us expand the profession to 72 countries and become the largest provider of manual osteopathic education in world. Over half of the manual osteopaths in Canada (outside Quebec) are NAO alumni. NAO owns the Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada which has 380 clinics in 34 countries. Our alumni can join College of Registered Manual Osteopaths to become an RMO with the ability to join TELUS HEALTH which gives them direct billing privileges to most health insurers across Canada.

National Academy of Osteopathy is Hiring Technique Instructors!We are expanding and looking for two passionate and exper...
09/06/2026

National Academy of Osteopathy is Hiring Technique Instructors!

We are expanding and looking for two passionate and experienced manual osteopaths to join our faculty as technique instructors:

• One Full-Time (work visa can be arranged for foreign nationals)
• One Part-Time (must be a resident of Canada with valid work permit)

This is an exciting opportunity for practitioners who love osteopathy and enjoy sharing their knowledge with the next generation. These are not remote positions. It is for on-site classes at our York University Heights campus in Toronto.

If you are a manual osteopath who enjoys teaching, mentoring, and helping others succeed, we would love to hear from you.

Come teach with us and help shape the future of manual osteopathy around the world!

If interested, please email me ([email protected]) your CV and a brief introduction.

Have a wonderful afternoon.

Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD
Osteopath, Naprapath, Chiropractor & Founder of:
National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada, USA)
National University of Medical Sciences (USA, Spain, Panama)
Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada (380 clinics in 34 countries)
Florida Naprapathic Association
World Osteopathy Day

The RMO – Registered Manual Osteopath title was copyrighted by Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD, in 2019. It has ...
09/05/2026

The RMO – Registered Manual Osteopath title was copyrighted by Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD, in 2019. It has been renewed on September 03, 2026. The title is granted through the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO) to manual osteopaths who meet its rigorous membership, educational, clinical, and examination requirements.

Beginning January 1, 2027, the RMO title will also be available to qualifying ACMA members, as ACMA members will also be required to hold membership with CRMO and meet the requirements for the RMO designation.


I wish to congratulate my student, Registered Manual Osteopath Loretta Penetrante, on becoming the first member of the C...
09/05/2026

I wish to congratulate my student, Registered Manual Osteopath Loretta Penetrante, on becoming the first member of the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO) to join ACMA under the new joint initiative adopted by ACMA to ensure its members become Registered Manual Osteopaths (RMOs).

This is an important milestone for our profession.

ACMA and CRMO are now two Canadian professional associations requiring their members to hold the RMO designation. We hope that, in time, more professional associations will follow this example and adopt the RMO standard. Internationally, the International Osteopathic Association and the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners have already joined this initiative.
At the heart of this movement is one important goal: protecting the public.

Unfortunately, there are individuals entering the profession with extremely limited education and training. Some programs reportedly provide as little as 46 hours of instruction, while others offer short seminars or certificate programs that may lead graduates to present themselves as manual osteopathic practitioners.

We believe the public deserves a clear way to distinguish practitioners who have completed comprehensive education, substantial supervised clinical training, professional examinations, and additional training in areas such as ethics, insurance fraud prevention, and sexual abuse prevention.

The RMO designation is intended to provide that distinction. RMOs must meet rigorous educational and clinical requirements, including more than 2,000 hours of education, over 1,000 hours of clinical practice, and successful completion of written and practical board examinations, along with required professional courses.

The public deserves access to safe, effective, and ethical manual osteopathic care.

Registered Manual Osteopaths are answering that call by working toward a higher and more consistent professional standard.
Congratulations again, Loretta, on being the first to take this important step under the new ACMA–CRMO initiative. I hope many more will follow your example.

Dr Shawn Pourgol

ACMA & CRMO MEMBERS – IMPORTANT CLARIFICATIONS It seems most CRMO members are comfortable with the changes, as they are ...
09/04/2026

ACMA & CRMO MEMBERS – IMPORTANT CLARIFICATIONS

It seems most CRMO members are comfortable with the changes, as they are simply joining ACMA before the 2027 deadline.
I am hearing more concerns from ACMA members, particularly about the board exams. So I want to put your minds at ease.
YOU, MY STUDENTS, ARE MY #1 PRIORITY. ❤️

I have done everything I can to make this transition to CRMO as smooth, affordable, and stress-free as possible.

Here are answers to the most common questions I am receiving:
You DO NOT need to take the board exams in September. You simply need to contact CRMO and begin the registration process in September to qualify for the $2,500 ACMA board exam grant.
You DO NOT need to begin your CRMO membership immediately. You can start the registration process now and request that your membership begin January 1, 2027, saving the $400 membership fee for 2026.
PLEASE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE BOARD EXAMS! We will make sure you are prepared. If we have to tutor you individually to help you prepare, we will!
The FREE $1,000 National Academy of Osteopathy continuing education gift is for ALL eligible ACMA members—not only CRMO members or NAO graduates.
ALL eligible ACMA and CRMO members will be included in the new Registered Manual Osteopath public directory to help increase their visibility and potential patient referrals—not only NAO graduates.
For those who prefer to take the board exams in French, French examinations will be available.
You DO NOT need to complete continuing education twice. The same eligible CE program can be used toward fulfilling both ACMA and CRMO requirements.
ACMA and CRMO are two independent associations. ACMA membership fees are paid to ACMA, and CRMO membership fees are paid separately to CRMO.
I am told Dr. Desforges plans to email ACMA members this afternoon. I sincerely thank him for taking time away from personal matters to address members directly. I know he has been very busy, but I also understand that ACMA members wanted to hear directly from their president.
Finally, RMO is NOT about exclusivity or creating a monopoly.
It is about raising professional standards, supporting qualified practitioners, and helping ensure that the Canadian public has access to safe, effective, and ethical manual osteopathic care.

We are working hard to make this transition as easy as possible for everyone. ❤️

Dr Shawn Pourgol

REGISTERED MANUAL OSTEOPATHS: A $1,000 GIFT FROM NAO! I am very happy to share some exciting news with our Registered Ma...
09/04/2026

REGISTERED MANUAL OSTEOPATHS: A $1,000 GIFT FROM NAO!

I am very happy to share some exciting news with our Registered Manual Osteopaths!

As many of you know, the National Academy of Osteopathy (NAO) is registered as a non-profit school. As its founder, president, and one of its professors, I do not receive any income from NAO. The school continually reinvests its resources back into the profession and supports professional associations and organizations working to advance manual osteopathy. Today, I am delighted to announce another initiative to support our profession.

NAO will offer Registered Manual Osteopaths up to $1,000 in FREE continuing education for 2027!

RMOs will be able to use this complimentary continuing education toward fulfilling applicable 2027 CRMO and ACMA continuing education requirements—potentially allowing them to meet those requirements at no additional CE tuition cost.

To receive the complimentary continuing education, we ask participating Registered Manual Osteopaths to provide us with a professional passport-style photograph along with their name, and credentials as they like to be written, clinic address, phone number, website and email address.

Why?

Because we are developing a public directory website, designed to make it easier for Canadians to find Registered Manual Osteopaths.
ACMA has generously committed $10,000 in Google advertising credit to help promote this initiative, and CRMO intends to contribute additional resources as well for social media marketing.

Our goal is simple: when members of the Canadian public search for manual osteopathic care, we want them to have an easy way to identify practitioners who have met meaningful education, clinical training, examination, and professional requirements.

The directory will highlight Registered Manual Osteopaths who meet CRMO's applicable standards, including more than 2,000 hours of education, 1,000 hours of clinical practice, written and practical examinations, and requirements relating to CPR, insurance fraud prevention, sexual abuse prevention, and criminal background screening.

Unfortunately, educational standards within the broader manual osteopathy field can vary significantly. This makes it increasingly important for the public to have a clear way to identify practitioners who have completed substantial education and clinical training and who have demonstrated their commitment to safe, effective, and ethical care.

This initiative is about supporting our practitioners while protecting the Canadian public. We want Canadians to know who you are, where you practice, and how they can find you. And we want to help you succeed.

We are here to support you, protect the profession, and help ensure that Canadians have direct access to qualified practitioners providing safe, effective, and ethical manual osteopathic care.

Together, we can strengthen the profession and make RMO a designation Canadians recognize and trust.

Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD
Osteopath, Naprapath, Chiropractor & Founder of:
National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada, USA)
National University of Medical Sciences (USA, Spain, Panama)
Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada (380 clinics in 34 countries)
Florida Naprapathic Association
World Osteopathy Day

RMO: Helping Protect the Public and Strengthen Manual Osteopathy Did you know that there are individuals practicing as m...
09/03/2026

RMO: Helping Protect the Public and Strengthen Manual Osteopathy

Did you know that there are individuals practicing as manual osteopaths in Canada who may not have adequate education or clinical training?

Unfortunately, we have documented cases of individuals calling themselves manual osteopaths after completing only a weekend course, and others after programs involving as little as 46 hours of instruction. We have helped closed a number of such schools over the years but new ones keep opening up. Situations like these highlight the importance of having a clear professional designation that the public can recognize and trust.

The RMO (Registered Manual Osteopath) designation is awarded by the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO) and is now required by ACMA, as well as recognized or required by a number of other professional organizations, including the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners and the International Osteopathic Association.

Becoming an RMO is not simply a matter of paying a membership fee. Applicants must meet comprehensive educational and professional standards. These include more than 2,000 hours of osteopathic education, 1,000 hours of academically supervised clinical education, successful completion of written and practical board examinations, no criminal background, having sufficient malpractice insurance, and additional education in important areas such as insurance fraud prevention and sexual abuse prevention.

Our goal is simple: when members of the public see the RMO designation, we want them to understand that the practitioner has met established standards of education, clinical preparation, ethics, and professional competency.

We are also in the process of hiring a public relations firm to help educate Canadians through traditional and social media about the RMO designation. We plan to communicate its meaning to the public, insurance companies, government bodies, and other organizations so that RMO becomes a recognizable indication of a qualified manual osteopath.

Ultimately, the RMO designation is about public protection. Patients deserve to know that the person providing their manual osteopathic care has appropriate education, clinical training, and professional preparation. They deserve access to care that is safe, effective, and ethical.

Osteopathy also has important connections to Indigenous healing traditions and knowledge and it is considered a heritage of Indigenous Peoples. The College of Registered Manual Osteopaths is owned and operated by Indigenous Peoples and has a Council of Elders that provides oversight and guidance to its operations, including its commitment to respecting and protecting Indigenous Peoples' relationship with this profession.

By establishing meaningful standards and helping the public understand what RMO represents, we hope to protect patients while strengthening the credibility, professionalism, and future of manual osteopathy.


The College of Registered Manual Osteopaths application fee is payable at the time you submit your application. However,...
09/02/2026

The College of Registered Manual Osteopaths application fee is payable at the time you submit your application. However, you can choose when you would like your CRMO membership to officially begin.
For example, you can apply to CRMO now, complete the board exams, submit all required documents, and choose to have your membership start on January 1, 2027. This way, you can avoid paying the 2026 annual membership fee.
There is no need to pay the CRMO membership fee now unless you wish to activate your membership in 2026.

The College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO) is preparing a comprehensive study guide to help applicants who wish ...
09/02/2026

The College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO) is preparing a comprehensive study guide to help applicants who wish to become Registered Manual Osteopaths (RMO) feel confident and well prepared for both the written and practical board examinations.

Please do not worry about the board exams. We understand that the thought of taking an examination can feel stressful, particularly for practitioners who graduated many years ago and have been busy working in clinical practice rather than studying for exams.

Our goal is not to make the examinations unnecessarily difficult or to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Quite the opposite—we want to help you succeed. We will do our best to ensure that applicants know what to expect and have the opportunity to properly prepare before taking the examinations.

The examinations are designed to confirm that practitioners are current on important areas such as professional ethics, patient safety, common clinical situations, appropriate standards of care, and practices that help prevent insurance fraud and protect both practitioners and patients.

A comprehensive study guide will be provided free of charge to applicants so you can review the relevant material at your own pace and refresh your knowledge before the examinations.

And please remember: if, despite your preparation, you do not pass an examination on your first attempt, there is no reason to panic. You will have the opportunity to rewrite the examination free of charge.

We want this to be a supportive process, not a stressful one. Whether you graduated recently or many years ago, we will make every effort to help you prepare, refresh your knowledge, and approach the board examinations with confidence.

So please relax and do not be afraid of the exams. You are not being left on your own to prepare. We will provide you with guidance and support throughout the process. Our goal is to help qualified practitioners successfully meet the RMO standards while continuing to provide safe, effective, and ethical care to their patients.


Mandatory RMO Title for ACMA Members Effective January 1, 2027We are pleased to share an important new development aimed...
09/01/2026

Mandatory RMO Title for ACMA Members Effective January 1, 2027

We are pleased to share an important new development aimed at strengthening the manual osteopathy profession in Canada and supporting high standards of patient care.

RMO – Registered Manual Osteopath is a copyrighted professional title issued by the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO). The RMO designation indicates that a manual osteopath has successfully completed rigorous written and practical board examinations, as well as at least 1,000 hours of supervised clinical practice, in line with recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).

As part of a broader effort among organizations in the manual osteopathy profession to promote consistent professional standards and public protection, the Canadian Alliance of Alternative Medicine (ACMA) has decided that the RMO designation will become mandatory for all current and new ACMA members effective January 1, 2027.

The goal is simple: to give patients greater confidence that an RMO has met established educational, clinical, and examination standards necessary to provide safe, ethical, and effective manual osteopathic care.

All current ACMA members, as well as those wishing to join ACMA, are encouraged to contact CRMO and begin the registration process. Beginning January 1, 2027, current ACMA members will be required to hold CRMO membership and the RMO designation in order to renew their ACMA membership.

We also have some great news! During September 2026, ACMA will cover the full $2,500 cost of the CRMO board examinations for its current and new members. To benefit from this special grant, eligible applicants must register with CRMO during the month of September.

We extend our sincere appreciation to ACMA President Dr. Sylvain Desforges, an osteopath, chiropractor, naturopath, and graduate of National University of Medical Sciences (Spain), for his dedication and hard work in advancing professional standards and helping protect the Canadian public.

This is an exciting step forward for manual osteopathy in Canada and toward ensuring that patients can more easily identify practitioners who have demonstrated the qualifications and competencies expected of Registered Manual Osteopaths.

Together, we can continue building a stronger, safer, and more respected manual osteopathy profession in Canada.

09/01/2026

What an incredible term it has been! 🎉

Over 100 students attended the York University Heights campus of National Academy of Osteopathy in Toronto this semester, making this our largest term in the past 16 years!

We welcomed our Canadian online students for their two-week hands-on practical training, along with students from the February 2026 campus-based DOMP program.

To all our students: welcome to our osteopathic family! ❤️ We are proud of you, and our commitment to you goes far beyond graduation. We are here to help you become some of the most successful manual osteopaths in the world.

Congratulations on this exciting new chapter! 🎓 🌎

Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD
Osteopath, Naprapath, Chiropractor & Founder of:
National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada, USA)
National University of Medical Sciences (USA, Spain, Panama)
Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada (380 clinics in 34 countries)
Florida Naprapathic Association
World Osteopathy Day

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