We are happy that you may be considering Massage Therapy as a career option. Although Wellness and Massage Training Institute is no longer a facility to train new therapists, we would like to take a moment to encourage you to be as informed as possible in your quest.  Like all areas of professional training and higher education, this is an investment of large amounts of time and money, and although considered by the State of Illinois to be a vocational school training, it is an adjunct medical field, and will require you to be well versed in areas such as the sciences of anatomy and physiology.  It will require stamina to complete your studies and then to do the job.  Here are some things to consider while you do your investigations:

BE AN INFORMED AND CURIOUS CONSUMER

When you receive your promotional materials of a school program, it will be very exciting.  Make sure to read with a highlighter in your hand, because you will want to be interviewing the recruitment personnel about the program, just as they are working to get you into the program.  Have your list of questions ready, and do not be pressured into signing a contract when you visit.  This is not a time to impulse buy.

You must know that in the news this past year there have been numerous private education programs taken to task for their recruitment policies and false advertising. Many are being investigated by the government for practices related to the false promises made to prospective students regarding the employability upon graduation in order to obtain funding.   The cost of your Massage Therapy education will be often in excess of $16,000.  Private for profit institutions of learning receive the majority of their funding from the Federal Government in the form of student loans. Ask about what this school is doing to ensure compliance to the new government regulations.  Thoroughly read all contracts before signing.

Just like college loans, the weight of debt upon your graduation must be part of your financial planning.  But unlike many other fields, the success of your massage practice and your ability to pay off the loans will be very dependent on the quality of your skills and ability to attract a loyal following of clients.  Entry level positions available through placement and job fairs will be of a very low hourly rate and will offer few if any benefits.  Therapists are required to be skilled salespersons to push other services and products to supplement their income.   For the skilled and knowledgeable practitioner however the possibilities are endless.  There are positions in spas, salons, sports rehabilitation facilities,  hospitals, professional sports teams.   Your job can be the work of your dreams and inventiveness.  It takes time to get there and encouragement or mentoring to do so.  Your education quality will be key, not the quality or quantity of the advertising of the school.

You should ask questions about the curriculum of the school. How many hours are spent in actual hands-on experiential training?  This is a healthcare profession, and actual practical experience as well as skill assessment with instructors is essential but often is neglected.   What percentage of classroom time is devoted to actual supervised practice.  What also is the requirement for documented practice outside of the classroom?  The lessons learned must be put into practice to be mastered, and you must make time for  book learning, memorization, and hands-on skill practice.  If you are holding a job outside of school or have family commitments, the number of study and practice hours must be factored.  

What is the ratio of students and teachers in the hands on classes?  Effective one on one teaching and supervision to guide you and correct you so that you may be working with confidence will be part of your success.  Many schools will publicize a ratio of 14 to 1, but fail to clarify that this is a table count.  Classrooms may use a 2 or 3 student per massage table teaching rotation, which would result in as many as 30 students per instructor.  This limits the amount of individual attention and assessment of skills.  Small classroom numbers allow for greater learning experience with less need for tutoring.  

Find out about the qualifications of the instructors.  Do they have active massage practices so that they “walk their talk”?  How many hours have they studied the material they are teaching?  Many of the techniques in massage are very specialized and are best pursued as continuing education.  Does this school have instructors who are committed to their own development and have a passion for educating others?  

What is the grading and testing policy?  If you want the best education possible, then you will want honest and clear unbiased feedback along the way. The pressure is on many instructors to pass students through classes and exams in their programs. Many schools are being investigated for such policies which guarantee students stay in the programs. 

If this school has a reduced fee clinic open to the public, what are the policies of that clinic?  Where do clinic patrons come from?    Ask about linen services, cleanliness and supervision by instructors within the clinic setting as well as business training in a clinical setting.  How comfortable will you be working on strangers outside of the classroom?     

MASSAGE THERAPY BY THE NUMBERS

Recent surveys of massage therapists throughout the United States has shown that there is a need for new therapists due to the estimated 25% turnover that exists.  Massage Schools are quick to point out the need for therapists and that it is a growing field but are reluctant to point out the reasons for that growth.  The unfortunate reality is that  many therapists leave the field unable to find enough income as a massage therapist full time, or must take on other jobs to supplement their income.   Massage schools must document to the Federal Government  only that they are able to train their students to a level which would be sufficient to get employment in the field.  Many schools have placement services.  There is however no tracking of how long those placements last, and how successful their graduates are in the long run.  The job placement is a small part of the equation, as the ability to have a job that will result in sufficient income to pay back loan monies and interest due, as well as have enough left over for living expenses is challenging for all graduates.  If your education is incomplete or lacking in any area, it will be all the more difficult. 

TRY IT OUT 

Find Massage Therapists in your area who are graduates of the school you are interviewing.     Ask them about their jobs, their pay, their preparation for being successful on the job and not just for the certification exam.  The massage school should also be willing to give you the names of the businesses which typically employ their graduates.  Then get a massage!  You may also want to get a massage in the student clinic at the school, as well as bodywork from a graduate of another school or who has been successful in the field for many years.   In the grand scheme of things it is such a small investment in time and money, and too often we worked with students who had no idea of the nature of the job and were just looking for something else to do. 

Is Massage Therapy the profession for you?  Ask yourself if this is what you see yourself doing and if you like this environment.  Is it a good fit?  This is a physically demanding job, a very intimate job spent one on one and requiring excellent communication skills, and often the ability to think quickly on your feet.  It is medically associated training in a vocational school setting.   It is both challenging and rewarding to those who are called to serve.

Written by Laura Hepburn