A Canadian Massage Therapy Education Environmental Scan.

Accreditation learning environment pre-service education

Journal

International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork
ISSN: 1916-257X
Titre abrégé: Int J Ther Massage Bodywork
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101539415

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Dec 2020
Historique:
entrez: 7 12 2020
pubmed: 8 12 2020
medline: 8 12 2020
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Massage therapists have been a part of Canadian's health care since 1919. The profession has gone through great change over the past 100 years including adjustments to entry-to-practice education. An important recent change was the implementation of massage therapy (MT) education program accreditation. In light of the likely disruption as a result of programs becoming accredited, a scan of the current state of MT education in Canada was undertaken. An environmental scan informed by seminal medical education efforts was used to describe the thoughts and opinions of MT education stakeholders in Canada. Specifically, stakeholders were interviewed regarding the current state of MT education and their comments were analyzed for common themes. Twenty-one stakeholders participated. Four themes were constructed: variation, isolation, stagnation, and accreditation. Variation is described as the impact of differences in content and quality of the education provided in MT colleges. Isolation is described as the feeling of the participant being separated, or disconnected, from the regulator, accreditor, or colleagues due, at least in part, to a lack of communication or networking opportunities. Stagnation is described as a lack of activity, growth, or development within MT education. Participants talked about accreditation, both as a solution for some of the challenges previously mentioned, and as a potential challenge in itself. Several challenges to MT education were described by stakeholders that they hoped would be remedied by national MT program accreditation. Despite some limitations, this environmental scan forms a baseline for stakeholder views on massage education in Canada upon which future comparisons can be made. While the environmental scan results are most useful when applied to the MT in Canada context, stakeholders in other countries may also find them interesting and valuable when considering challenges facing their own education programs.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Massage therapists have been a part of Canadian's health care since 1919. The profession has gone through great change over the past 100 years including adjustments to entry-to-practice education. An important recent change was the implementation of massage therapy (MT) education program accreditation. In light of the likely disruption as a result of programs becoming accredited, a scan of the current state of MT education in Canada was undertaken.
METHODS METHODS
An environmental scan informed by seminal medical education efforts was used to describe the thoughts and opinions of MT education stakeholders in Canada. Specifically, stakeholders were interviewed regarding the current state of MT education and their comments were analyzed for common themes.
RESULTS RESULTS
Twenty-one stakeholders participated. Four themes were constructed: variation, isolation, stagnation, and accreditation. Variation is described as the impact of differences in content and quality of the education provided in MT colleges. Isolation is described as the feeling of the participant being separated, or disconnected, from the regulator, accreditor, or colleagues due, at least in part, to a lack of communication or networking opportunities. Stagnation is described as a lack of activity, growth, or development within MT education. Participants talked about accreditation, both as a solution for some of the challenges previously mentioned, and as a potential challenge in itself.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
Several challenges to MT education were described by stakeholders that they hoped would be remedied by national MT program accreditation. Despite some limitations, this environmental scan forms a baseline for stakeholder views on massage education in Canada upon which future comparisons can be made. While the environmental scan results are most useful when applied to the MT in Canada context, stakeholders in other countries may also find them interesting and valuable when considering challenges facing their own education programs.

Identifiants

pubmed: 33282032
pii: ijtmb-13-13
pmc: PMC7704042

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

12-24

Informations de copyright

Copyright© The Author(s) 2020. Published by the Massage Therapy Foundation.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

CONFLICT OF INTEREST NOTIFICATION The authors declare there are no conflicts of interest.

Références

J Complement Integr Med. 2016 Mar;13(1):41-9
pubmed: 26641975
Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2014 Sep 03;7(3):7-24
pubmed: 25184011
Chiropr Man Therap. 2013 Jan 07;21(1):2
pubmed: 23294987
Med Educ. 2011 Jan;45(1):95-106
pubmed: 21155873
Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2010 Sep 28;3(3):5-11
pubmed: 21589709
Med Teach. 2007 Sep;29(7):642-7
pubmed: 18236250
Adm Policy Ment Health. 2015 Sep;42(5):533-44
pubmed: 24193818
Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2019 Mar 04;12(1):29-39
pubmed: 30854153
J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2017 Apr;21(2):274-283
pubmed: 28532869
Health Serv Res. 2007 Aug;42(4):1758-72
pubmed: 17286625
J Complement Integr Med. 2013 Jul 03;10:
pubmed: 23828330
J Athl Train. 2000 Apr;35(2):188-93
pubmed: 16558629

Auteurs

Amanda Baskwill (A)

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellness, Humber College, Etobicoke, ON, Canada.

Bryn Sumpton (B)

College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Stacey Shipwright (S)

Massage Therapy Program, School of Community and Health Studies, Centennial College, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Lynda Atack (L)

Applied Research Centre, Centennial College, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Janet Maher (J)

Applied Research Centre, Centennial College, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Classifications MeSH