Acquiring the DAAO‘s Graduation Certificate for Osteopathy D.O. DAAO („Abschlusszertifikat Ärztliche Osteopathie D.O. DAAO“)
About the DAAO e.V.
We are a non-profit NGO based in Germany aimed towards the promotion of Osteopathic treatment philosophy, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches exclusively for graduated physicians. Since our founding in 2002 we established a curriculum for an Osteopathic education for physicians previously trained in Manual Medicine which equals the education medical students of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathy (PCOM) receive in Osteopathic thiniking, diagnosis and treatment during their studies. Our courses are recognized by the relevant authorities (Landesärztekammern) and participants receive CME points for their successful participation.
Up to this day we have an ongoing and fruitful cooperation and exchange with our esteemed colleagues at the PCOM, which also teach many of our courses held in English.
About our Curriculum
Our curriculum consists of 12 courses in total split in two groups of eight and four courses. Most of the courses are 3-day courses (30 UE each) with exception of the final course, the Osteopathic Week, which lasts for five days (50 UE). The first course is always our introductory course, followed by six technique-centered courses which can be completed in any order. The last course of our „Grundprogramm“ (basic level) is always the integration course, which for the first time completely covers the holistic approach of Osteopathy and integrates all of the diagnostic and treatment techniques you learnt in the previous courses. After successful participation, you will receive our Certificate for a Basic Education in Osteopathic Medicine („Zertifikat Grundlagen ärztlicher Osteopathie“).
The curriculum continues with our advanced courses of which the course in HVLA is obligatory and two additional courses have to be chosen from the selection we offer. The final course is the Osteopathic Week („Osteopathische Woche“). This course is also offered directly at the PCOM campus in Pennsylvania, USA once a year and closes with a written, oral and practical exam.
Successful participants receive our Graduation Certificate for Osteopathy D.O. DAAO („Abschlusszertifikat Ärztliche Osteopathie D.O. DAAO“) and can apply for the internationally recognized EROP-Diploma (European Register of Osteopathic Physicians) which is awarded for 700 hours of Osteopathic training / education (380 hours in the DAAO curriculum, 220 hours in Manual Medicine). They earn the right to be listed on our web-accessible list of practitioners, if they are members of our organization.
Basic Courses
Introductory Course
The introductory course contains information on the general principles and tenets of Osteopathic Medicine and philosophy and how it differs from the common allopathic approach to disease and the patient. The Osteopathic nomenclature for classifying somatic dysfunctions and treatment techniques is introduced.
The participants learn the specifiy ways of Osteopathic diagnosis in all regions of the body. The importance of palpation as the central Osteopathic skill is stressed and guidance is given on how to improve palpatory skills. Selected osteopathic treatment techniques are demonstrated in an exemplary manner. All further courses will always repeat the lessions given here on Osteopathic diagnosis and palpation because of their importance for Osteopathic treatment.
Counterstrain I
In this course, the Counterstrain technique as conceived by Lawrence H. Jones, DO is taught for all regions of the spine, enriched by some techniques for application on the extremities.
Counterstrain is an indirect technique especially suited for patients in acute discomfort and pain, as it requires no effort on the patient‘s behalf and is generally considered to be pain-free, as one of its central goals is, to place the patient in a position of comfortness which is as pain-free as possible.
If you are interested in Counterstrain techniques, there is another course in the advanced programme covering Counterstrain more in depth and supplying many more handholds.
MFR/Lymphatics
Myofascial release is a technique that can be performed in either an indirect or direct manner. As the name suggests, it‘s usually used to influence somatic dysfunctions found at the level of the skin, fascia or muscles. The course will teach its general principles and examples for application all over the body.
Second part of the course are techniques used for stimulating lymphatic flow and reducing blockages in lymphatic drainage.
Muscle Energy Technique (MET)
Muscle Energy Technique comes in two flavors, postisometric relaxation (PR) and reciprocal inhibition (RI). It is usually performed in a direct manner „pushing“ against the restrictive barrier and extending the range of possible movement by doing so. While it usually targets muscles, there is also a variant called „Moving the Bone“ techniques which uses muscle to influence other structures like the pelvis or the ribs.
This course teaches the basic principles of MET and examples for application on the spine, the pelvis and the extremities.
Cranial Osteopathy I
The goal of this course is to evoke a basic understanding in the principles of the perceived movement of the sphenobasilar synchondrosis and sacrum in a rhythmic pattern (the Cranial Rhythmic Impulse, CRI), as postulated by William G. Sutherland, DO.
It teaches basic handholds for Osteopathic diagnosis and treatment in the cranial field. Participants learn how to palpate and evaluate the CRI, mainly at the patient‘s head, but also on other regions of the body.
Visceral Osteopathy I
This course teaches the US-american model of Visceral Osteopathy (as opposed to the European Model conceived by Barral, which is taught in the advanced programme). Participants get introduced to the possible restrictions in the movement of the inner organs, mainly of the abdomen, and learn techniques on how to influence them. Most of these techniques work on a myofascial level, while some of them also incorporate lymphatic aspects.
BLT/LAS
In this course, the participants are introduced to the techniques of Balanced Ligamentous Tension / Ligamentous Articular Strain, which are techniques also well suited for the treatment of painful or more fragile patients as they generally are very gentle and pleasant for the patient. The course aims on evoking a basic understanding of the mechanisms and principles of BLT/LAS and tries to give some good examples on possible applications for the participants to base their own treatment approaches on.
Integration Course
This course summarizes and repeats all content that has been learnt so far. All singular techniques learnt up to now are put in a holistic context. The participants learn screening techniques like Listening or Ed Styles‘ Area of Greatest Restriction method to speed up the Osteopathic diagnosis and treatment process in their patients. The course closes with a written, oral and practical exam.
Successful participants receive the Certificate for a Basic Education in Osteopathic Medicine („Zertifikat Grundlagen ärztlicher Osteopathie“), which is also valid for application for the „Zertifikat curriculäre Fortbildung Osteopathie“ which some Landesärztekammern in Germany issue.
Advanced Courses
HVLA
High Velocity/Low Amplitude techniques are one of the cornerstones of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and one of the oldest techniques in the Osteopathic cosmos. This course teaches their safe and successful application in all parts of the spine. It also covers some possible applications on the limbs.
Counterstrain II
This course is based on the first counterstrain course which is part of the basic programme. It focuses on the application of Counterstrain techniques on the extremities, ribs and skull.
Visceral Osteopathy II
This course teaches the European concept of Visceral Osteopathy as originally conceived by Barral, centering on the motricity / perceived movement of the inner organs in a rhythmic and directional pattern and the treatment approaches using these palpatory findings.
Cranial Osteopathy II
Based on the contents of the basic programme course in Cranial Osteopathy, this course teaches diagnostic and treatment techniques for the facial skull. Additional techniques are demonstrated that build upon the techniques learnt in the first course.
Still-/FPR-Techniques
This course introduces the advanced / composit techniques of Facilitated Positional Release and Richard Van Buskirk‘s Still Technique and provides examples on their application on all parts of the spine.
Introduction to Sports Osteopathy
Part of the Certificate in Sports Osteopathy issued by our partner organization GOSM (Gesellschaft für Osteopathie in der Sportmedizin) e.V., this course is also one of the advanced courses we offer as part of our curriculum. It teaches sports-specific diagnosis and treatment in respect to Osteopathic principles and introduces the concepts of muscular imbalance and innervation patterns based on the findings of Dr. Vladimir Janda.
Osteopahic Week
This Five-Days-Course summarizes all contents of the previous courses. At the end of the week there is a written, oral and practical exam. Successful participants are awarded with our Graduation Certificate for Osteopathy D.O. DAAO („Abschlusszertifikat Ärztliche Osteopathie D.O. DAAO“) and can apply for the internationally recognized EROP-Diploma (European Register of Osteopathic Physicians). Members of our organization earn the right to be listed on our web-accessible list of practitioners for reference by insurance companies and patients.
Postgraduate Certificates and Courses
Successful participants of our curriculum may continue their Osteopathic journey by taking the courses for one of our postgraduate-certificates (Osteopathy in the Cranial Field, Osteopathy in Children, Sports Osteopathy (in cooperation with GOSM e.V.)) or one of the many other postgraduate courses we offer each year. Most of these courses are held in English by reknowned international Osteopathic physicians. Access to these courses is also granted to any physician which has successfully completed another Osteopathic training conforming to the EROP or BAO standard.