Canada’s Principles-Based Osteopathy School

Canada’s Leading Osteopathy School in Ontario & Alberta

4,200-hours, principles-based program with 1,500+ hours of supervised hands-on training.

Train to become a clinical osteopath capable of analyzing complex structural dysfunction.

Book a personal call → Explore the program

Now enrolling for May 2027 & September 2027

years of leadershiptraining osteopaths in Canada

Curriculum Hours

Supervised Clinical Hours

0 +

Campuses to Study at

Program Options

0 & 4 yr

Why study at the CAO

Everything you need to build a thriving practice

Two decades of refining how osteopaths are trained in Canada — supported, supervised, and ready for entry to practice.

22 years teaching osteopathy

Financial aid & payment plans

4,200 hours curated by PhDs

1,500 supervised training hours

Only school teaching Collective Mechanics™

Faculty of osteopaths, PhDs & MDs

Charity community teaching clinics

Direct entry for KIN, RMT & health sci

Get the Details

★ Hands-on from day one

Why study at the CAO

Everything you need to build a thriving practice

Two decades of refining how osteopaths are trained in Canada — supported, supervised, and ready for entry to practice.

22 years teaching osteopathy

Financial aid & payment plans

4,200 hours curated by PhDs

1,500 supervised training hours

Only school teaching Collective Mechanics™

Faculty of osteopaths, PhDs & MDs

Charity community teaching clinics

Direct entry for KIN, RMT & health sci

Faculty & Team

Taught by working osteopaths who know your name

A faculty of practising osteopaths, PhDs and MDs — invested in the next generation, every step of the way.

Learn by doing

Real patients. Real supervision. From the first year.

Our students don’t just study technique — they practise it in dedicated teaching clinics under the watch of working osteopaths.

Currently Enrolling For

May 2027 & September 2027

Calgary & Hamilton · 4-year and 3-year options available

*3-Year option is only available at our Hamilton Campus

Elite Osteopathy training you can trust.

Professional Skills that last a life time.

At the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, we offer a comprehensive 48-month Graduate-Level Osteopathy Program (36 month program option available at our Hamilton campus) that prepares you for entry to practice. This program combines in-depth theory, practical skills, professional support, and over 1,500 hours of total hands-on training (including 1000 hours of supervised clinical experience) to become an elite-level Osteopathic Manual Practitioner.

Learn from experienced professionals, gain hands-on practice, and receive the support needed to succeed. Our program is accredited by Osteopathy Canada (OSTCAN), and graduates are eligible to write the OSTCAN Certification Examination (OCE). OSTCAN Certification leads to Insurance recognition and qualifies graduates to practice in Canada.

With over 4,200 curriculum hours, including a deep focus on osteopathic principles, surgical level functional anatomy/physiology and manual techniques, our program equips graduates to treat complex patient issues confidently. Start your journey to becoming an osteopath in Canada with the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

Start your Osteopathy Journey

Find the pathway that fits your background

Whatever you’re coming from, there’s a route in. Tell us where you’re starting and we’ll map the rest.

Health-related

Already trained in a manual or health discipline? You likely qualify for direct entry.

KinesiologyRMTPhysiotherapist

Non-health

Coming from another field entirely? Our PREP pathway bridges you into the program.

University gradCollege gradAdult learner

Not sure yet?

Most of our students started exactly here. Book a call and we'll find your starting point together.

Talk to an advisor

Robert Johnston

22 years of leadership

Founder & Principal

Robert Johnston, MOMSC

Originator of Collective Mechanics™

For over two decades, Robert has guided the CAO’s development into a respected institution in graduate osteopathic education — and a major provider of charity care through its public teaching clinics in Hamilton and Calgary.

His leadership spans every dimension of the academy: academic programming, faculty development, clinical service, and institutional governance.

Elite osteopathy training you can trust

Professional skills that last a lifetime

A comprehensive 48-month graduate-level program — with a 36-month option in Hamilton — combining in-depth theory, practical skill, and over 1,500 hours of hands-on training to become an elite Osteopathic Manual Practitioner.

Accredited by Osteopathy Canada (OSTCAN), graduates are eligible to write the OCE — leading to insurance recognition and the right to practice in Canada.

Surgical-level anatomyManual techniquesOsteopathic principlesOSTCAN accredited

months to entry-to-practice

fast-track option

0 mo

supervised clinic hrs

0 +

22+ years of Leadership

The leading provider of osteopathic education in Canada

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Principles-based

The theory and principles, plus the skills and techniques to succeed in practice.

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Flexible schedule

Modified full-time — minimize time away from work, commute without relocating.

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Ethical & transparent

Comprehensive, responsible training that builds a thriving professional practice.

✦

World-class faculty

Industry-experienced osteopaths passionate about the next generation.

✛

Unmatched clinical training

Supervised clinical experience that’s unrivaled anywhere in Canada.

★

Recognized standards

Meets or exceeds standards of osteopathic education in Canada and worldwide.

Reviews & testimonials

Students who became colleagues

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 155 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Margarita Moore 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent education. By the time you finish the four years, you feel confident and well prepared to start working. Everyone at the CAO is very proud of what they do and genuinely cares about the students. It’s not an easy education, but everyone works very hard to make the material clear and easy to understand. I would definitely recommend the CAO!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Imran Wardak 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thank you, CAO, for this opportunity! Before joining, I read a few reviews that made me hesitant, but my experience is completely the opposite. You teach a very difficult course in a way that is simple, clear, and easy to understand. It is a fun and amazing place to study, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to enroll
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Cindy Qi 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. As a healthcare professional with over two decades of clinical experience and degrees from both China and Canada, I thought I had seen it all. I was wrong. Entering the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy (CAO) as a mature student was one of the most humbling and rewarding choices of my life. At CAO, every moment of the four-year journey is necessary. They don’t just hand you information; they plant seeds. In the beginning, you might feel the confusion of "just one point," but over four years, those points expand into a complete, interconnected system. It’s like watching a painting come to life. But more importantly, it redefined my relationship with healthcare. It taught me how to truly treat a patient with dignity and deep understanding. The values CAO instills in its students are a gift that you can't put a price on. If you are looking for an education that touches both the mind and the heart, this is it.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Matthew Nadler 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent teaching staff and program. Very much enjoyed learning from experienced clinicians in the profession.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   AJ Pelland 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am in loving my education here! The instructors are extremely personal and very open. If you like a challenge I highly recommend!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Connor Dean 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’m currently in my third year at the CAO, and it’s truly changed my life. Coming from a trades background, most schools wouldn’t have even given me the chance to attend because I didn’t go to college or university first. The professors and staff here create an environment focused on constant improvement — everyone in the building is kind, supportive, and genuinely invested in each other’s journey. Having Mr. Johnston teach every day is incredible, he has a way of painting a picture in your mind that makes complex concepts easy to grasp. The school emphasizes thinking critically and independently, which has helped me grow not only as a student but as a person. What stands out most is how the education continues to evolve to support our success on the table, not just on paper. The longer I’m here, the more I appreciate the level of depth, care, and professionalism this program offers. I can’t say enough about how high-level and transformative this education is.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Cheyenne Burnham 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am a current 2.5 student, and I am loving the education that I receive from this school. I am challenged in ways I never imagined, and every day I am gaining more and more confidence that I need to help others, for years to come. I am excited to continue my education with the CAO and take the principles that I'm learning through to my career.