Osteopath, Osteopathic Manual Practitioner, Osteo, Osteopathic Physician: Do they all mean the same thing?
The short answer is no.
The to-the-point answer is:
Osteopath: International term used around the world, except for those trained in Canada.
D.O (Doctor of Osteopathy or Osteopathic Physician): for those who graduated from a medical program in the USA. *there are no medical osteopathic colleges in Canada.
D.O (Diploma of Osteopathy): title for those who are actively working as an osteopathic manual practitioner in Quebec.
Osteopathic Manual Practitioner (D.O.M.P): Diploma of Osteopathic Manual Practice. The non-physician practice of osteopathic manual therapy. Term used across Canada, except Quebec.
Osteo: the casual term for all practitioners of osteopathy, no matter where they are trained.
The long answer if you would like to know why there are so many different titles:
Osteopathy has become increasingly popular in Canada since the 1980s, but its roots trace back to the late 1800s in Kansas, with this field of practice credited to its founder, Andrew Taylor Still.
Simply put, osteopathic practice in the US is very different from here in Canada.
Since Osteopathy is ingrained in American medical colleges, graduates become D.Os: Doctors of Osteopathy or Osteopathic Physicians. The big difference between osteopathic practitioners in Canada vs the States is that D.Os are primarily trained in general medicine with varying emphasis on manual osteopathic techniques.
There are only a few Osteopathic Physicians trained in the States working here in Canada, and they have exclusive use of the title “Osteopath”.
Internationally, however, all other countries allow use of this title for those appropriately trained (ie. Australia, France, New Zealand, England, etc.) Osteopathy is a regulated profession in these countries where graduates study full time for at least 3 years.
Unlike the international community, the practice of osteopathy is not regulated in Canada, and we do not have the title of “Osteopath”. Instead, we are known as “Osteopathic Manual Practitioners” and we are not able to prescribe medication, give injections, make medical diagnoses, or perform surgeries.
As was originally the case for physiotherapists and chiropractors, who also had to go through an arduous process to gain recognition and develop their regulatory bodies, Osteopathy in Canada is slowly undergoing the same process.
Without Canadian regulation, training programs presently vary in length, ranging from 3–6-month online programs to full-time or part-time programs lasting up to 5 years. As osteopathy becomes more popular in Canada, it is often difficult for the patient to understand the difference between all these titles, and to determine the experience, training, and quality of the practitioner they are considering seeing.
The unregulated nature of Osteopathy in Canada has resulted in the creation of multiple professional associations across the country. With several osteopathic associations in Canada, navigating the landscape can be complex.
To ensure patients receive care from a qualified practitioner meeting international standards set by the World Health Organization, the World Osteopathic Health Organization and the Osteopathic International Alliance, patients can consult websites of established associations with rigorous membership criteria and training standards.
Canadian Federation of Osteopaths (non-physician): https://www.osteopathy.ca/en/associations/
Osteopathy BC - https://www.osteopathybc.ca