A health clinic in St Albans is ticking boxes for both patients and staff at Victoria University with its cut-price osteopathic care.
The Health and Wellbeing Clinic is staffed by fourth and fifth-year students of osteopathy, who practise under the eye of qualified clinicians.
It’s part of VU’s $5.6 million Health & Fitness Centre and has 18 consulting rooms, giving osteopathic, nutrition and dermal therapy students a chance to use practical skills.
Clinic co-ordinator Alex Radywonik said the benefits of the College of Health and Biomedicine facility were twofold: it was cheap and it gave students the experience they needed to practise professionally and meet registration requirements.
Osteopath and supervising clinician Matthew Dere said it was about putting theory into practice and developing confidence.
“After years of learning and possibly even doing other degrees, it’s a breath of fresh air to do what you’ve been training for,” Mr Dere said.
The VU graduate said the clinic was “chockers” most days.
A standard osteopathy treatment costs $30 or $20 for concession – about a quarter of what a private osteopath charges, according to Mr Dere.
The first consultation is free and prices depend on treatment for skin therapies.
The clinic is at the College of Health and Biomedicine, building 11, at Victoria University’s St Albans campus.
For details, call 9919 2625.
