Twenty years of university-graduated osteopaths in Belgium: A cross-sectional survey
- 1Osteopathic Sciences Research Unit (URSO), Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
- 2Département des Sciences de la Motricité, Haute Ecole Bruxelles – Brabant, Bruxelles, Belgium
Abstract
Background: In 2004, the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB, Belgium) launched Europe’s first comprehensive university‑based osteopathy program, a six‑year curriculum intended to set an international standard for training osteopaths in the primary care management of functional musculoskeletal pain and disorders. This study describes the socio‑professional profile of ULB‑trained osteopaths in Belgium by graduation cohort. Methods: All contactable ULB graduates (n = 277; 83.9%) were invited to complete a voluntary, online cross‑sectional survey (49 items) disseminated via cohort‑personalized institutional emails between February and April 2024. Descriptive statistics were produced, and associations with time since graduation were examined. Results: A total of 156 graduates responded (56.3%), of whom 148 (94.9%) reported currently practicing as osteopaths. Respondents were predominantly female (60.9%) and aged 25–34 years (77.5%). Most practiced in French‑speaking Belgium (75.5%), while 17.6% worked abroad. The majority were full‑time self‑employed (92.6%), working in private offices (66.7%) and in multidisciplinary settings (68.6%), including private (53.2%) and public (15.4%) institutions. With increasing time since graduation, the number of concurrent workplaces decreased (p < 0.01), whereas financial independence (p < 0.01) and perceived professional achievement (p < 0.001) increased. Most osteopaths reported meeting their objectives within five years of practice. Conclusion: This first socio‑professional profile of university‑trained osteopaths in Belgium details where graduates practice and how career trajectories evolve across graduation cohorts. While the ULB program fosters integration of osteopaths in multidisciplinary teams, the absence of equivalent university education in the Dutch-speaking regions leads to important regional disparities. These findings may inform stakeholders and policy makers considering future regulation of osteopathic practice in Belgium and other countries.
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BibTeX
@article{zarka2026twenty,
title = {{Twenty years of university-graduated osteopaths in Belgium: A cross-sectional survey}},
author = {David Zarka and Christian Denaeyer and Ludivine Lahaeye and Walid Salem and Ana Bengoetxea},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0359658},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359658},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Twenty years of university-graduated osteopaths in Belgium: A cross-sectional survey
AU - David Zarka
AU - Christian Denaeyer
AU - Ludivine Lahaeye
AU - Walid Salem
AU - Ana Bengoetxea
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/05
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0359658
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359658
AB - Background: In 2004, the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB, Belgium) launched Europe’s first comprehensive university‑based osteopathy program, a six‑year curriculum intended to set an international standard for training osteopaths in the primary care management of functional musculoskeletal pain and disorders. This study describes the socio‑professional profile of ULB‑trained osteopaths in Belgium by graduation cohort. Methods: All contactable ULB graduates (n = 277; 83.9%) were invited to complete a voluntary, online cross‑sectional survey (49 items) disseminated via cohort‑personalized institutional emails between February and April 2024. Descriptive statistics were produced, and associations with time since graduation were examined. Results: A total of 156 graduates responded (56.3%), of whom 148 (94.9%) reported currently practicing as osteopaths. Respondents were predominantly female (60.9%) and aged 25–34 years (77.5%). Most practiced in French‑speaking Belgium (75.5%), while 17.6% worked abroad. The majority were full‑time self‑employed (92.6%), working in private offices (66.7%) and in multidisciplinary settings (68.6%), including private (53.2%) and public (15.4%) institutions. With increasing time since graduation, the number of concurrent workplaces decreased (p < 0.01), whereas financial independence (p < 0.01) and perceived professional achievement (p < 0.001) increased. Most osteopaths reported meeting their objectives within five years of practice. Conclusion: This first socio‑professional profile of university‑trained osteopaths in Belgium details where graduates practice and how career trajectories evolve across graduation cohorts. While the ULB program fosters integration of osteopaths in multidisciplinary teams, the absence of equivalent university education in the Dutch-speaking regions leads to important regional disparities. These findings may inform stakeholders and policy makers considering future regulation of osteopathic practice in Belgium and other countries.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -