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What to Look for When Selecting a Massage Therapy School
What to Look for When Selecting a Massage Therapy School
Is a massage therapy career part of what you envision for your future? If you have a strong interest in the natural health industry, and want a career that allows you to help relieve pain and reduce stress, massage therapy schools can provide the post-secondary education you need to get started.
However, when it comes to choosing a massage therapy school, there are some important factors you should take into consideration. So, before you start firing off applications, take some time to think about your massage therapy career goals, and what you are looking for in a massage therapy school. Here are some common factors that can help you choose the right one.
Decide on the Right Program for You
Before you can choose a school, you must first decide on a program. Massage therapy schools can offer many different kinds of programs, meaning that you have many decisions to make. First off, you need to determine what education level you are interested in pursuing. If you want to focus on career-oriented skills through short-term training, a certificate or diploma program from a vocational school could be the right choice. However, if you would prefer longer-term training that incorporates business or general education, a degree program might be the better option.
It is also extremely important to think about the type of massage therapy career you want, as this also affects the type of program, and the school, that you should choose. The massage therapy field is comprised of many different specialties, and in turn, many massage therapy schools offer programs that can allow you to focus on a certain specialty. Here are some of the most common massage therapy specialties:
- Sports massage therapy
- Therapeutic massage therapy
- Clinical massage therapy
- Massage therapy and bodywork
- Shiatsu and Asian bodywork
- Medical massage therapy
Inquire About Facilities and Opportunities
Massage therapy is a hands-on career - and before you are ready to enter the industry, you must have hands-on experience. While most massage therapy schools include some form of hands-on training, you should look into exactly what the program entails, and decide what would work best for you. Some schools operate on-site, student-run clinics that allow you to work on actual clients under the supervision of instructors. Other schools provide you with the opportunity to take part in an off-site externship, allowing you to work in a real-life setting with a professional massage therapist. It is important to think about what form of real-life training you would benefit from the most. It may even be possible to find a massage therapy school that offers both options.
Inquire About Certification and Licensing
After graduating from a massage therapy school, some states require you to receive certification or licensing before you can pursue positions in the field. Therefore, before you choose a massage therapy school, it is of vital importance to find out about the regulations in your area, and ensure the school and program you choose can prepare you to successfully write the necessary examinations.
The Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) is one of the most prominent organizations that awards accreditation to post-secondary institutions with curriculums that meet certification standards. Therefore, if you are in one of the states that does require national certification, you will want to ensure that the massage therapy school you choose has received this accreditation.
If certification is mandatory in your state, it typically means that you need to successfully take an examination administered by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) in order to be designated a registered massage therapist (RMT).
Now that you understand more about the necessary considerations associated with selecting a massage therapy school, the next step is to conduct research and request more information directly from the schools in order to discover which ones match your requirements. This directory of massage therapy schools is a great place to start!
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