NIMM’s pedagogical profile is characterized by a strong connection between theoretical, practical, and clinical instruction. The theoretical and practical components are held at the Nordic Institute for Manual Medicine’s premises in Kräftriket, and the clinical training takes place at the university’s clinic in Vasastan.
The practical instruction is designed to familiarize you with the treatment methods used in the osteopathic profession before you encounter patients in the clinical training phase. At the NIMM clinic, you as a student receive and treat patients under the supervision of osteopaths, licensed naprapaths, and chiropractors with extensive clinical experience.
The concept of research integration refers to the proportion of teaching conducted by faculty with research qualifications, how the link between research and education is secured, and how students' capacity for critical and independent thinking is stimulated. A prerequisite for strong research integration is the presence of research-qualified teachers and examiners, as well as the conduct of research activities in connection with the education.
Many of the university's teachers hold doctoral degrees, which ensures that students' knowledge base rests on a scientific foundation and provides insight into the development and research frontiers of their respective fields. In the courses Theory of Science 1-3 and the Degree Project, which are central to the theoretical and methodological training for students in the main subject, all lecturers and responsible teachers at NIMM are PhD holders and/or active researchers at Karolinska Institutet, Sophiahemmet University, or Stockholm University.
NIMM’s clinic provides unique opportunities to conduct clinical research in which both students and teachers can participate. In 2010, an extensive clinical study, the "Manual Intervention Trial," was launched in collaboration with Karolinska Institutet to compare the effectiveness of different combinations of treatment methods. In 2014, another major study began at the NIMM clinic in collaboration with Karolinska Institutet. The study, known as the "Stockholm Neck Trial," investigates the effects of massage and exercise on chronic neck pain. In 2018, work began on the "Course of Pain Study" in partnership with Sophiahemmet University. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that are significant in predicting different pain trajectories for back and neck issues.
These research projects are important both for fostering a critical approach and for providing future therapists with the tools to follow developments in knowledge and to contribute to the advancement of the profession throughout their careers. The research projects also provide material for scientific articles and the degree projects that students write at the end of their studies.
NIMM has held collaboration agreements with the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet since 2009 and with Sophiahemmet University since 2019. Within the framework of these agreements, continuous investments are made in research and development. For example, extensive, high-quality international scientific studies have been conducted at NIMM since the spring of 2010.
The results of these studies, which are regularly published in international scientific journals, provide important answers to questions such as the optimal care for patients seeking osteopathic treatment, as well as how symptoms in back and neck patients vary over time—providing deeper insight into the prognosis for back and neck pain. Together with Karolinska Institutet and Sophiahemmet, we are also conducting several scientific projects in manual medicine and sports medicine.
Admissions to the osteopathy program are rolling and will close once all spots for the autumn 2026 semester are filled. Secure your spot – apply now!
