We are pleased to share an important new development aimed at strengthening the manual osteopathy profession in Canada and supporting high standards of patient care.
RMO – Registered Manual Osteopath is a copyrighted professional title issued by the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO). The RMO designation indicates that a manual osteopath has successfully completed rigorous written and practical board examinations, as well as at least 1,000 hours of supervised clinical practice, in line with recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).
As part of a broader effort among organizations in the manual osteopathy profession to promote consistent professional standards and public protection, the Canadian Alliance of Alternative Medicine (ACMA) has decided that the RMO designation will become mandatory for all current and new ACMA members effective January 1, 2027.
The goal is simple: to give patients greater confidence that an RMO has met established educational, clinical, and examination standards necessary to provide safe, ethical, and effective manual osteopathic care.
All current ACMA members, as well as those wishing to join ACMA, are encouraged to contact CRMO and begin the registration process. Beginning January 1, 2027, current ACMA members will be required to hold CRMO membership and the RMO designation in order to renew their ACMA membership.
We also have some great news! During September 2026, ACMA will cover the full $2,500 cost of the CRMO board examinations for its current and new members. To benefit from this special grant, eligible applicants must register with CRMO during the month of September.
We extend our sincere appreciation to ACMA President Dr. Sylvain Desforges, an osteopath, chiropractor, naturopath, and graduate of National University of Medical Sciences (Spain), for his dedication and hard work in advancing professional standards and helping protect the Canadian public.
This is an exciting step forward for manual osteopathy in Canada and toward ensuring that patients can more easily identify practitioners who have demonstrated the qualifications and competencies expected of Registered Manual Osteopaths.
Together, we can continue building a stronger, safer, and more respected manual osteopathy profession in Canada.