Dianne, 46, began her career in banking. However, over the years, with rising levels of job related stress Diane turned to yoga. It wasn’t long before she felt an increasing interest in yoga. In fact, she says, ‘it seemed that the more I liked yoga the less I was liking banking!’ It was from her love of yoga and coming to see it as a medicine in its own right, like it is seen in India, that Dianne turned to osteopathy. She applied to London’s British College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2005, having decided to study for intensive four year naturopathic osteopathy course. She graduated last year, having what she describes, the steepest learning curve. Asked about commitment Dianne says it has required nothing short of 100% throughout. Dianne demonstrated more than a natural aptitude for naturopathic osteopathy, also being awarded Student of the Year. Unsurprisingly then, asked if she has ever doubted her decision to work towards a new career she is adamant that the move is something she has not once regretted.
Steven Graham, 41, left the Army in 1998, after serving twelve years as an officer in the Royal Artillery. Whilst he was serving he was treated several times by osteopaths and was impressed with the approach and the results. Steven had always been very interested in diet and fitness, which, when added to his impression of osteopathy, decided that it was the career for him upon leaving the forces. After leaving the Army,however, and being only recently married, the prospect of four years’ full time study without an income proved to be too big a step so it was put on hold. With the support now available from military and civilian sources, the opportunity to retrain is far easier than it used to be and the transition less daunting. In 2005 Steven was finally able to commit to full-time study. Now he says the four years of hard work in training have all paid off. Since graduating with a Masters in Osteopathy from
James, 35, originally studied for a degree in sociology and upon graduation went to work on an animal research project in Alaska. Yet he had wanted to work in healthcare since childhood, fuelled by what he describes as a general desire to help others in a therapeutic context. He became more and more interested in the sciences and as he became more financially settled, and having already married, it felt, he says, like the right time to pursue his original desire. By this point, aged 33, James embarked upon a one year part-time evening foundation course at Birkbeck College, University of London. James is now in his second year of the Masters in Osteopathy and says he feels incredibly passionate about what he is doing, having also chosen to study at BCOM because of its specifically naturopathic approach to osteopathy. Asked what he thinks his plans might be upon graduating he says he hopes not only to practice as a naturopathic osteopath but maybe, in the future, to teach as well.
Steve Makinde graduated from BCOM in 2004 and returned as a member of academic staff as well as working in practice. In addition, Steve also went on to take a Diploma in Classical Osteopathy and a course in medical accupuncture. Steve works two days a week in private practice, specialising in various spinal and non-spinal injuries in babies and adults. He also works in a gym, treating sportsmen and women. It was Steven's return to BCOM as an academic member of staff that moved his interests towards the field of Neuroscience and he has since also started a Masters at Queens Square Institute of Neurology. He is keen to expand the research field on which Osteopathy is based, improving understanding of the workings of the human body, as well as updating some of the theories upon which patients are treated.
