Education

Earning a Massage Therapy diploma has been described as the equivalent of First Year Med School. 

The program I graduated from was eighteen months in total. It can be three years if you take the summers off. We didn’t take summers off, and we had approximately two weeks off at Christmas. We were at school six days a week between class and our student clinic on Saturdays.

It's more than just giving a good massage; it’s knowing how the body works inside and out. Understanding how everything is connected and the effect a massage can have on someone at the cellular level. This is not something everyone realizes, even those interested in becoming Massage Therapists.

Sixteen students started in my class. Twelve graduated with a diploma (There would have been thirteen, but one of them walked out during the final exam). Ten passed the Ontario Board Exams and became Registered Massage Therapists, and Nine are practicing today.

We had over 2200 hours of Theory, and practical courses. We also worked on the general public public. This included a student clinic at the school, shadowing an R.M.T. in his/her practice, and an outreach program where we volunteered our time at office health and wellness events or race weekends. We were eager to get as much hands-on time as we could.

Courses included: Anatomy, Physiology, Ethics, Remedial Exercise, Pathology, Assessment, Kinesiology, Treatments, Neuroanatomy, Massage Techniques and Advanced Massage Techniques, Nutrition, and many more. You had to maintain a 70% average.

By the end of the program we were a small, close group of students that ate, slept, and breathed massage therapy. I carried cue cards for studying on the bus, and when it was slow at work. We supported each other through countless emotional experiences and drama, but we had fun too...a LOT of fun! By the end of the program, I was the winner of “most likely to throw buckets, most likely to bite her classmates, best abs, best looking in scrubs, most likely to have silk sheets, best cartoonist, and most like Jesus award.” I guess you had to be there. lol

We practiced Massage Therapy techniques on one another, as it is the best way to receive feedback. We each experienced when we went too far, and it’s important that we found out on each other rather than finding out on a client.

I appreciate when clients recognize the amount of knowledge we have accumulated through our training. It is also mandatory that we continue to upgrade our skills by learning new techniques or participating in seminars, workshops etc.

We also have yearly Registration dues in order to maintain good standings with The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO), and we must present proof of liability insurance. 

The CMTO supervises the profession of Massage Therapy to ensure that it remains in good standing with the general public, and it will protect the public if a Massage Therapist is in violation of any of the regulations. The CMTO are also there to help educate the public that Massage Therapists are recognized in the medical community as health care practitioners.