Indigenous Peoples Association of Osteopathy

Indigenous Peoples Association of Osteopathy Osteopathy has roots
in the Cherokee Bodyworks and healing arts.

Indigenous Peoples Association of Osteopathy (Canada) is registered as a non-profit organization to
promote the profession of manual osteopathy as a heritage of Indigenous Peoples.

My Gift to Registered Manual Osteopaths!“Go big or go home!” has always been part of how I approach life. Whatever I cho...
09/23/2026

My Gift to Registered Manual Osteopaths!

“Go big or go home!” has always been part of how I approach life. Whatever I choose to do, I put my heart into it and try to make it the very best it can be. This project is no exception!

I want to create one of the largest and most comprehensive referral directories for manual osteopaths anywhere in the world, and I am personally committing $250,000 toward making this vision a reality.

Starting in 2027, Registered Manual Osteopaths (RMOs) will have a dedicated website and app designed to help the Canadian public easily find an RMO near them.

The website is www.registeredmanualosteopaths.ca, a name chosen by the majority of registered manual osteopaths in a poll we done last week. The website is not ready yet though as we just registered the domain.

But building the directory is only the beginning.

I plan to invest heavily in promoting it across Canada. We also plan to send referral information to family physicians, communicate with unions and employers, and work with extended health plan insurers to increase awareness of RMOs and encourage recognition and referral to qualified Registered Manual Osteopaths.

My goal is simple: I want more Canadians to know where they can find well-educated, competent and ethical manual osteopathic practitioners.

The Canadian public deserves access to safe, effective and ethical manual osteopathic care. Unfortunately, educational standards within our profession can vary considerably. There are programs with very limited educational hours, organizations that issue credentials without meaningful education, and short continuing-education courses that may give participants the impression that a weekend of training is sufficient preparation to practice manual osteopathy.

I have spent much of the past 16 years working to raise educational and professional standards within manual osteopathy. Promoting the RMO designation across Canada is another step in that journey.
I want the public to understand what the RMO title represents.

Registered Manual Osteopaths must meet strict membership requirements. These include written and practical board examinations, education in areas such as insurance fraud prevention and sexual abuse prevention, more than 2,000 hours of osteopathic education, 1,000 hours of clinical practice, and additional professional requirements.

When the public can clearly identify practitioners who have met substantial educational and competency standards, everyone benefits: patients, the profession, and the registered manual osteopaths.

This is my gift to Registered Manual Osteopaths, many of whom have been my students at National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada, USA) and National University of Medical Sciences 9Spain, USA, Panama) over the years.

But the RMO designation is not just for my graduates. It is intended for qualified manual osteopaths from any educational institution who meet the required educational, clinical and professional standards required by the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO), a voluntary association owned/operated by Indigenous Peoples. As you know osteopathy is a heritage of Indigenous Peoples and CRMO is the first and only association that is working to promote this knowledge through its Council of Elders.

I want to see our profession grow. And most importantly, I want Canadians to have confidence in the manual osteopaths they choose for their care.

One final note: my apologies if our staff have been a little slower than usual in responding to your messages. We are currently in the middle of moving, so for the next two to three weeks our team will be exceptionally busy. Please rest assured that they will get back to you as soon as possible.

Exciting things are ahead for Registered Manual Osteopaths in Canada!

Have a wonderful day, and God bless.

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

Chiropractor, naturopath, Registered Manual Osteopath (and future naprapath) Dr. Sylvain Desforges, president of the Can...
09/14/2026

Chiropractor, naturopath, Registered Manual Osteopath (and future naprapath) Dr. Sylvain Desforges, president of the Canadian Alliance of Alternative Medicine (ACMA) and a graduate of the National University of Medical Sciences (Spain), has generously donated $10,000 in prepaid Google advertising to promote Registered Manual Osteopaths (RMOs) across Canada. ❤️

The College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO), copyright holder of the RMO – Registered Manual Osteopath title since 2019, is working with ACMA to develop an RMO directory website and app that will help Canadians find qualified RMOs near them.

The RMO title was created to help protect the public by distinguishing properly educated manual osteopaths from inadequately trained practitioners. Some programs currently offer osteopathy certificates with as little as 46 hours of study or even a single weekend of training.

RMO represents one of the strictest standards for manual osteopathy in Canada. Applicants must complete over 2,000 hours of education and 1,000 hours of clinical practice, maintain CPR certification, undergo a criminal background check, complete training in insurance fraud and sexual abuse prevention, and pass both written and practical board examinations.

RMO is not limited to graduates of the National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada/USA) or National University of Medical Sciences (Spain/USA). It is open to graduates of any school who meet CRMO's educational and professional standards.

Our goal is simple: protect the public, strengthen the profession, and help Canadians identify and choose properly qualified manual osteopaths.

To learn how to become a Registered Manual Osteopath, contact CRMO Registrar Dr. Dasha Veprjitska at [email protected].


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.


Congratulations to the National Academy of Osteopathy in Canada on its beautiful new campus!
08/02/2026

Congratulations to the National Academy of Osteopathy in Canada on its beautiful new campus!

Happy World osteopathy Day!
06/22/2026

Happy World osteopathy Day!

Mandatory ROMP Title in the United States for National Health Licensing ❤️Dear students and colleagues,I hope you are al...
04/10/2026

Mandatory ROMP Title in the United States for National Health Licensing ❤️

Dear students and colleagues,

I hope you are all doing well. I wanted to share an important and positive update with you.

As you know, there are currently two national health licensing pathways for osteopathic manual practitioners in the United States: the GEHA Association pathway, which offers a more limited scope of practice, and the Indigenous Health Authority pathway, which provides an expanded scope when combined with naturopathic and Indigenous health education.

Some time ago, we established that obtaining the ROMP (Registered Osteopathic Manual Practitioner) title—issued by the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners—is mandatory for those wishing to join the GEHA Association.

I am very happy to share that this same requirement now applies to the Indigenous Health Authority pathway as well. Graduates of the triple degree program at the National University of Medical Sciences (USA) who wish to join this pathway will also need to obtain the ROMP title.

This is an important step forward in maintaining high standards within our profession. Before awarding the ROMP designation, the American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners ensures that all applicants have graduated from an accredited manual osteopathy program and have successfully passed a board examination. This helps ensure that every practitioner meets the necessary level of knowledge, skill, and professionalism to provide safe, ethical care while protecting the public.

Thank you all for your continued dedication and commitment to excellence.

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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375 Canarctic Drive, Suite 21
Toronto, ON
M3J 2P9

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