 The
M.Ost degree has a strong clinical focus. The teaching
and learning, though incorporating a rigorous theoretical
core, never loses sight of the fact that most graduates
move into clinical practice and therefore require knowledge,
skills and attitudes that are of practical value.
The clinic is the focus for many parts of the course.
Knowing how to act in difficult clinical situations
is more than simply applying theoretical knowledge and
there is no substitute for working with patients to
gain deep understanding and competence in clinical practice.
In the clinic you will be tutored by experienced practising
osteopaths. Clinical work is supported by classroom-based
theoretical and practical teaching by specialists many
of whom are also practising osteopaths.
The course programme is divided into four phases:
- Orientation: where you begin to
orientate yourself towards being an osteopath and
primary care practitioner, acquiring basic knowledge
and skills and starting to appreciate the challenges
associated with being an osteopath
- Development and Integration: where
that knowledge and those skills are further developed,
consolidated and integrated to provide a secure foundation
for your developing clinical work
- Integration and Synthesis: where
you focus on bringing a range of new and previously
acquired knowledge and skills together in order to
understand how the human body functions holistically
- Pre-professional: this phase offers
an opportunity to take your clinical skills to a much
deeper level in order to prepare you for the challenges
of working independently.
You will experience a range of assessment methods including
traditional timed written examinations, open book exams
– where you have access to resources to help solve
a problem – and in-course essays that are set
at various stages in the course.
In addition there are a range of practical examinations
including Objective Structured Practical Examinations
(OSPEs) where a series of short tasks, mostly practical,
are tackled in sequence; essays reflecting on what you
have learned from your clinical experiences; patient
case studies and patient management problems. Your clinical
work will undergo ongoing assessment by tutors and you
will have Clinical Competence Assessments as the culmination
of your studies. You have an opportunity to pursue a
topic of personal interest in the Individual Enquiry;
this major piece of work is part of the Critical Analysis
and Enquiry Area of Study.
A range of formative assessments at various stages
provide you with useful knowledge of your achievements
and capability as well as feedback to guide future development.
In addition, we are moving towards offering on-line
assessments using computer technology. These will provide
you with instant feedback and will be available at any
time.
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