massage therapy training

[deep blue2]

Hi all,
I have contacted all of the lead stakeholders in massage (well the ones I had in my address book anyway), including training providers, lead body members, qualifications managers etc to ask what they think the minimum number of hours/days in class and supervised by a tutor, that a student should have to attend to be competently trained in body massage. This doesnt include home study or case studies, just in class tuition.

Unfortunately for students, and training providers, there are so many interpretations of the definition of 'guided learning hours', 'contact hours', 'notional hours', that many students and training providers/tutors are completely baffled.

As therapists, and or trainers, what do you think the minimum should be?

Im really trying my hardest to get clear guidelines on a minimum level of classroom based training, so that there can be no confusion, or grey areas, and I think the more therapists that get involved in this, the better.

Hope you can help

 

[Cathy J]

What do you think sportstherapy?

 

[Benjamin Perks]

this is the minimum standard set down by the lead body:

Subject Unit Hours
A Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology MT1 –M5 - 60 hours
B Massage (Whole Body) MT1 – M1&M2 - 80 hours
C Business, Professional and Ethical Studies MT1 – M3 - 10 hours
D Health and Safety in the Workplace MT1 – M4 - 10 hours
E First Aid MT1- M6 - 5 hours

Case Studies and Home Study
A minimum of 15 clients, with a minimum of two treatments per client, for at least 8 of them.
The overall total should be at least 36 treatments. These treatments should evaluate the
effectiveness of massage therapy for clients overt a period of time. They should also be used
by students as reflective practice for self evaluation and continuing professional development.
In addition to the above hours, students should be fully aware that considerable home study is
required. The hours required will be determined by the students ability and commitment, but
are unlikely to be les that 250 during the training as a whole.

This is also the minimum required for CNHC regulation.

The problem is, it is stated as guided/contact hours, so there is still some ambiguity.

I personally believe that everything apart from the body massage and the first aid practical, can be studied at home, so the A&P etc can be done via distance learning.

That would leave 85 hours. Done over an average of 7 hours per day would be around 12 days in class, but unfortunately the guidance states guided/contact, so if we split that 50/50, then that would leave 6 days of practical training.....as a minimum, and I would say that would have to depend on class sizes. I think a small class of 6 students could probably get through it, with a good tutor, but if there was double that, or even more, then the number of practical days should be increased.

I honestly think we need to have a minimum number of class hours set down, to rid this profession of the weekend warriors, who churn out these fully accredited and insurable level 3 massage courses in just 1 and 2 days, IMO it is damaging to our profession.

 

[Spiny Blue Shell]

my posting which appeared here has been removed by the moderating team because I questioned / critised advertising policies of this forum.

 

[Emmelyn]

People can become Level 3 massage therapists in 2 days?! I knew things were getting bad, but didn't realise how bad!

 

[KennyG]

Hi ST

Maybe the solution would be to limit the practical session to X amount of students, or that a larger group had to have extra assistant tutors, improving the student to tutor ratio. So for example, student teacher ratio of 8:1, 16:2, 24:3.... If it can be policed properly of course. Not a problem for theory contact time with a bigger group.

As for GLR, I thought that it had to be that amount of time if taught state-funded college. Well it was when I was teaching. Each lesson plan was looked at by the AO, and if it was too short it would be rejected. I know, it happened to me once. So I said to the AO that the rationale quoted "recommended GLH" and they replied that they had to make sure it was being complied to because of QCA rules.

So going back to your OP, yes I personally think that GLH should be minimum not recommended and that goes for private schools as well.

Best wishes

RP

 

[Bruce Legend]

Hi RP,
I was involved in discussion with a member of an AO the other day, and was told that despite the QCF definition of guided learning hours being 'contact hours', the AO was adamant that it was just guidance, so its no wonder there is so much confusion, as they stated that eg 360 GLH could mean just two days worth of contact hours! Crazy, and not what QCF are saying.

 

[1234]

taken from the massage lead body, GCMT website this morning:

[Q.] I have limited time to train to be a massage therapist. Would a distance learning course meet the requirements?

[A]Very often distance learning courses do not cover the recommended number of hours of practical training. Massage is an intensely practical profession and the student needs a minimum of 80 hours of practical, hands on training to ensure they are safe to practice.
Many Colleges of Further Education teach part time courses, in the evenings and occasionally at weekends. Completion of these courses would allow you to join a professional association and be regulated by CNHC.

There we go, clear guidelines from the lead body, which has been set, not by regulatory boards, or government advisors, or the medical profession, but a group of massage therapists, most of which have many many years experience in therapy and education, and this is their expert opinion.

 

[ASypeirrilia]

As well as working on a mobile basis, I manage and work in two Holistic clinics. My business partner and I have been interviewing all day for a new massage therapist in our central London clinic.

We have (so far) turned down four applicants because they studied the A and P aspect through long distance learning and also had insufficient classroom time.

If we are going to keep the massage industry professional and free from these people who think long distance or weekend 'wonder' courses are acceptable we need to start making a stand. Welldone Sportstherapy, for getting the ball rolling. I would hate to go for a massage only to find out the therapist had qualified through distance learning...classroom time is what is important, so that the tutor can correct you etc.

 

[BTK]

I agree with ST & Ectomorph. We do corporate massage & often get calls from people looking for work. It's very depressing explaining to someone who has done just one or two day training in good faith that no it's not worth worth coming in for an interview, yes there is a huge difference between someone who is fully qualified & someone who isn't and no we're not going to let them loose on our clients.

I've no problem with one or two day courses as taster or top up but it's unfair & misleading when they masquerade as practitioner courses.