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Defining osteopathic medicine

Why choose LCOM

Course structure

Course content

Teaching and assessment

Admission requirements and fees

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Postgraduate activities and research

Progression

After success in their final examination, students become a Member of the London College of Osteopathic Medicine (MLCOM), the post graduate organisation is the Association of Medical Osteopaths. The General Osteopathic Councll (GOsC) recognises the course for registration purposes.
Most medical insurers, after a variable period of practice post qualification, accept graduates as medical specialists and as osteopaths.
The course is recognised by the Society of Apothecaries when assessing eligibility to sit the Diploma of Musculoskeletal Medicine (DM-SMed) examinatlon. Increasingly MLCOM and DM-SMed are becoming the relevant qualifications for posts in the emerging specialty of Musculoskeletal Medicine within the Health Service.

Courses, seminars and practice
Apart from the Membership course, the college organises educational activities for its own graduates and medical practitioners. Seminars are held at the College for its members. Many members are active educationally in both under and postgraduate education
Selected members who temporarily lack the opportunity to practice osteopathy may be eligible to treat patients in the Clinic thus maintaining both their level of manual skills and contact with osteopathic colleagues.
By overlapping memberships, co-operation or congruence of objectives, the College maintains informal links with the British Institute of Musculoskeletal Medicine, British Osteopathic Association, and Society for Back Pain Research. The College welcomes, by appointment, medical visitors who wish to see the clinic functioning and meet trainees and tutors.

Research
Since 1982 Osteopathic Trusts Ltd. has supported several research projects. A one hundred patient pilot trial of osteopathic manipulation for low back pain has been completed and served the purpose of confirming the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulation, refining methodology, and developing new concepts of progress assessment. Facilities have also been provided for an assessment of interactions of osteopathic and general practice, and an investigation of physical examination recording and inter-observer reliability. Co-operation with the Institute of Human Performance of University College London in putting on an MSc course over recent years has provided many opportunities for research initiatives. To date the Trusts has funded a post-graduate engineer full-time over one year developing apparatus to measure the mechanical compliance of electrically silent muscle. In co-operation with the Welsh National School of Medicine a trial of osteopathic care of low back pain in general practice has been performed supported by funding from the Trusts.

The College is a founder member of the Council for Osteopathic Educational Institutions and the National Council for Osteopathic Research.