touchstone november 2011
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T H E C O L L E G E O F M A S S A G E T H E R A P I S T S O F B C
November 2011
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In this issue...
VOLUME 6 / ISSUE 2
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New Registrants
Message from your President
Tribute to Doug McRae
CMTBC Board and Committee Members
Calendar of Events
Search for New Registrar
Letter from Doug McRae
Q&A: 3000-hour Basis of Accreditation Removal
Message from Your President
I write to my fellow Registrants at a time of significant change within the College of Massage Therapists. Your board has chosen a path of innovation over complacency and
is meeting today’s challenges head on rather than deferring them to future boards. Registrants and College staff are coping with the stress of these changes.
Members of the Board are unanimously grateful to Doug McRae for his many years of service as the CMTBC's Registrar and his gracious departure was an example of his
approach to the role of Registrar over those many years. In recognition of his many contributions we were careful to afford Mr. McRae every benefit lawfully available once
we decided to appoint a new Registrar to meet the challenges ahead. Changes like this
create sadness and uncertainty. We hope and expect that you will give our Interim Registrar, Mr. Peebles, and ultimately our new Registrar your full support and
cooperation as they work to support the Board in achieving its vision for the future regulation of our profession.
The Board recently held a Special Board Meeting to make a decision on a request to
remove the 3000-‐hour requirement in the CMTBC's Accreditation document. Only after much debate and reflection upon the thoughtful input of many registrants and others
with an interest in the issue was this decision made. I know that many of you have questions about the Board’s decision, and I acknowledge the passionate responses of
some. I hope you will read the Accreditation Committee’s article on our website, as well
as the 3,000 hour Q&A found within these pages.
I know that you will continue to communicate your views appropriately to us as we
move forward with this and the many other decisions we must consider as the Board of the CMTBC. In turn, we will continue to do our best to communicate to each of you
about these and future Board matters, so that we have the full benefit of your input
when we consider how to reconcile these difficult issues in the public interest.
James McGettigan
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Jane AbboR RMTHeather L. Allen RMTJody L. Anderson RMTLindsey AusUn RMTJessica L. Baldwin RMTHannah C. Beard RMTShantal Bhimji RMTSheri L. Bonifazi RMTKathleen L. Brownlee RMTPaul Bulai RMTSayde P. Burgers RMTJacqueline R. Chisholm RMTAudra N. Coton RMTAmber T. Crowder RMTSuzanne E. Deault RMTPeter J. Delleman RMTGillian Dorosh RMTIoan G. Dudas RMTMelissa Dumaresq RMTJames EllioR RMTGhazal Eslamy RMTKelly S. Fudge RMTAdrian GaRon RMTKerrin B. Giesbrecht RMTIsabelle Goh RMTAndrea Govender RMTDarcie L. Hallihan Coles RMTHiroko Hasegawa RMTDouglas Hayter RMTAllison Heath RMTCarly A. Hill RMTJennifer Holmes RMTFiona Jamin RMTHayley E. Jensen RMTAlison Joyce RMTSophia Joyce RMTEmily Knox RMTSarah J. Leslie RMTJennifer Lowden RMTJeffrey M. Ludovici RMTAmy H. Luong RMTKristy M. Lynch RMT
Jessica MacGregor RMTHeather L. MacIntyre RMTAlexandra C. MacLean RMTRobert G. Marrison RMTJulie L. McArthur RMTSandra McCrimmon RMTCaroline Miyagi RMTMarcia Moncur RMTKrista L. ORema RMTAshley Page RMTJean-‐Luc Pilliard RMTJenelle Ratcliffe RMTLindsay Redburn RMTKerry D. Rigaux RMTAmanda Rykers RMTJennifer Sandman RMTKarl Schneider RMTJessica Schnell RMTBernarda A. Schram RMTBriRany M. Seibert RMTMarianna Silanteva RMTYolanda Smith RMTMichael A. Sokalski RMTMegan Sprout RMTKrisUna Stajduhar RMTRebecca Stanke RMTCara Switzer RMTJennifer E. Tarr RMTHannah Tinney RMTNika Townsend RMTKareen Trelvik RMTJanine VanRavenstein RMTJeannie E. Vasilakos RMTGabriela Vrana RMTTa Cheng Wang RMTKyla J. Warman RMTBradley S. WaR RMTTheron White RMTKaren Whitehouse RMTMichael Wiebe RMTStephanie A. Wilson RMTCarlie Winstanley RMT
Shantal BhimjiKathleen Brownlee
Audra CotonPeter (Jake) DellemanHiroko Hasegawa
Fiona JaminEmily Knox
Min Chang (Felix) LeeCaroline MiyagiMarcia MoncurAnton NosenkoJean-‐Luc PilliardBernarda SchramMarianna Silanteva
Megan SproutErin Tilly
Kareen TrelvikJanine Van Ravenstein
Gabriela VranaSheila WaldaTheron White
Karen WhitehouseMichael WiebeStephanie Wilson
The RegistraUon CommiRee would like to congratulate the following new registrants on their excepUonal
achievement in aRaining excellence on the RegistraUon ExaminaUons:
CongratulaUons to our new members registered between from June 15 to October 21, 2011
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Tribute to Doug McRae
Doug successfully applied for the position of Secretary-‐Treasurer with the Association of Physiotherapists and Massage Practitioners Part 3 (“APMP”) in 1983. He has happy memories of a relatively stressless decade with the APMP, but the two professions longed to be separately recognized. When the provincial government decided to bring all of the health professions under one umbrella statute, the Health Professions Act, both professions immediately volunteered, and became the first two designated health professions under the Act, in 1994.
Doug coped superbly with the usual myriad of practical, political, and financial issues, while juggling with the most intimate problems of staff and governance personnel, all the while addressing the hard consequences of running a large organization under the scrutiny of the registrants, the MTA, the provincial politicans and bureaucracy, and the auditors.
Few know that Doug ran this multi-‐million dollar college of health professionals, with today over 2,800 registrants, out of the same shabby office he started in as the APMP Secretary –Treasurer in 1983 on West Broadway. He was assisted in the later years only one other full-‐time support staff member on site, and yet he still managed to answer the phone, and to stay on top of ever-‐changing issues, real and contrived, present and contemplated. Every person he encountered, Registrant, Board and committee member, bureaucrat and aggrieved patient alike, was left with the very real and accurate impression that he cared.
During Doug’s tenure, and in spite of his formidable talent for gentle negotiation and compromise, the CMTBC nonetheless met various challenges in the courts, before the Ombudsman’s Office and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, among others. The results were invariably favourable, to
the credit of the CMTBC and all who served it, and most of all to the credit of Doug’s careful stewardship of the regulation of your profession.
I know I speak for Doug when I say that he and I are are both so proud and privileged to have had the opportunity to serve such a uniquely genuine, literally “hands-‐on”, well-‐meaning, honest and essential health profession, devoted as all of you are to your calling.
I know that you join me in acknowledging Doug’s equally unfailing professional devotion to overseeing your profession, and his devotion to each of you, over the past 28 years.
John David Ankenman
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DOUGLAS M. McRAE, CA
September 12, 2011
To All Members of the College of Massage Therapists of B.C.
Re: Departure as Registrar of the College of Massage Therapists of B.C.
I am writing this letter to express my thanks to all members of the College of Massage Therapists of B.C for the opportunity to be of service to you for the last 28 years. There have been many ups and downs as well as challenges overcome by the College throughout the years. The College has come through all of these and will continue for many years to come.
It has come to my attention that there are rumors and innuendo regarding my departure from my position as Registrar. I can confirm that on July 15, 2011, at a meeting arranged for a different purpose, I was presented with a respectful written communication from the CMTBC President regarding the termination of my employment with the College. This leRer included a fair severance package and, accordingly, my end of employment can be properly described as "termination with pay in lieu of notice". I acknowledge that it is considered an acceptable business practice to deliver this type of news without warning or negotiation and to invite former employees to gather their personal belongings and vacate their offices as soon as possible.
I write this letter in order to assist the College regarding clarification of my departure. I am happy to step aside to allow the Board to prepare for the coming challenges, knowing that it has the financial resources to do what it thinks it needs to do. Overall, the manner of my departure and the resolution of the terms thereof have been conducted politely and professionally by the College.
The flexibility afforded by my employment within this profession allowed me to support my family and to devote sufficient time to the raising of two well adjusted children. I am grateful for that. Massage therapists are caring health professionals who are passionate about their ability to assist their patients. It has been an honour for me to meet so many of you over the years. I wish the College success for the future.
Yours Truly,
DOUGLAS McRAE, CA
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Regarding Removal of the 3,000-‐hour Basis of Accreditation RequirementThe Board of Directors of the CMTBC at a Special Board
meeting voted to eliminate the 3000-‐hour length requirement from our Basis of Accreditation. This change means that massage therapy programs in British Columbia will base their curriculum on our educational documents without adhering to a pre-‐specified time constraint.
Many of our registrants have questions pertaining to this issue and we have attempted to respond to all of their inquiries. Please see the following for our responses.
The Board did not ignore the resolution of the registrants at the 2009 AGM; in fact the Board took the resolution in to consideration when deliberating whether or not to remove the 3,000 hour requirement.
The CMTBC board of directors seeks legal advice any time it is proceeding on what might be considered a controversial decision. Based on advice received, the Board was satisfied that it was entitled to consider the request, and that, if persuaded by all of the information available, to conclude that the public interest did not coincide with the Registrants’ interests as reflected in the resolution.
No. The removal of the 3,000 hour requirement for BC accredited massage therapy programs will not lower the educational standards. This decision does not affect the curriculum offered by the schools and the education required of their graduates. These standards are set by other requirements of the Basis of Accreditation and by the requirement of the schools to teach to the Occupational Competency Profile (OCP) and the Guidelines for Foundational Knowledge (GFK) in Massage Therapy Educational Programs. These two documents continue to be the standard to which BC accredited schools are required to teach.
No. Other health professions are accredited in a variety of ways, some of them by national independent organizations and some by independent provincial organizations. The CMTBC has had discussions with other provinces to try to establish a similar process for our profession.
The Basis of Accreditation requirements for BC accredited schools remain the same, with safeguards and criteria for the education and training of students of massage therapy programs. The only change has been the elimination of the 3,000 hour requirement. All competencies and content required of the entry-‐to-‐practice applicant remain the same, and the CMTBC is confident that these requirements ensure graduates are competently trained and safe to practice.
Did the Board ignore the Resolutions of the registrants at the 2009 AGM requesting that the 3000 hours requirement be maintained?
Does the Board obtain legal advice as to whether it is lawful to proceed with controversial decisions proposed by way of a Request For Board Decision?
Will the removal of the 3000 mandatory hours requirement for BC accredited massage therapy schools lower the educational standards for B.C. educated massage therapists?
Are other health professions’ schools in B.C. accredited by their regulatory body?
With the reference to 3000 hours removed, are there any continuing CMTBC accreditation requirements for B.C. massage therapy schools which will protect the public interest in ensuring that B.C. graduates are properly educated and trained?
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?Through the accreditation process, the CMTBC formulates the educational and professional principles and standards that an accredited school of massage therapy is expected to meet. The accreditation requirements reflect the professional and educational attributes identified by the CMTBC as essential to a Massage Therapy program.
Accredited massage therapy programs must enable their graduates to:
1. Acquire an understanding of and competence in their roles in health care so that they may function responsibly and with empathy as members of the health care team.
2. Acquire the technical ability to work accurately and effectively.
3. Acquire the specific competencies listed in the Interjurisdictional Occupational Competency Profile.
4. Acquire and apply the foundational knowledge necessary to perform the specific competencies;
5. Successfully complete the CMTBC registration examination.
No. Even without the 3,000 hour requirement the educational programmes of BC accredited massage therapy schools remain the same, the quality of the training will continue to be scrutinized and set by the Accreditation committee, according to the Basis of Accreditation requirements.
The board of the CMTBC’s paramount concern is safety of the public. There were deemed to be no increased risks to the public, or loss of educational content with the removal of the 3,000 hour requirement. Applicants for entry-‐to-‐practice must successfully pass the board examinations before being licensed to practice and the rigour of these examinations has not been reduced.
The public interest in safety is in no way compromised by the removal of the 3000 mandatory hours requirement. Schools are still required to teach the content and curriculum as listed in the Interjurisdictional OCP, as well as the GFK.
Yes. It is in the interest of both the profession and the public to encourage national standards for massage therapy programs, national examinations and ultimately national accreditation.
No. The Board’s concern is not the profitability of BC massage therapy schools, but rather with the content and quality of their educational programs.
Will market forces influence the quality of the educational programmes of B.C. massage therapy schools if there is no minimum number of hours of overall education?
What public interests may be preserved or enhanced by removal of the 3000 mandatory hours requirement?
What public interest considerations did the Board include in its decision?
Is it in the B.C. public’s interest that the CMTBC foster and encourage national standards for the regulation of massage therapy, for massage therapy school curriculums, for national examinations, and ultimately for the national accreditation of all Canadian massage therapy schools?
Did the Board consider the profitability of B.C. massage therapy schools as being a public interest issue?
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There is no discernible difference in quality of massage therapy, or in frequency of breaches of the standards of practice between those educated under the 3,000 hour requirement and those who studied in programs of lesser hours, nor of those who transferred to the B.C. jurisdiction from other provinces or countries.
There have been no changes to the eligibility standards for examination candidates. Currently, any student who has graduated from an accredited B.C. school, upon satisfying all other requirements of the College bylaws, shall be entitled to write the next registration examinations. In addition, any candidate approved through the Credential and Prior Learning Assessment process will also be eligible to write these examinations.
The purpose of the registration examinations is to ensure that those candidates for registration with the CMTGBC are competent to practice massage therapy in a manner which will ensure public safety. The board exams reflect and test the competencies and foundational knowledge taught at all accredited massage therapy programs. Examination and accreditation standards will not be changed. If a particular school’s students are failing at a high rate, that school will be expected to the quality and duration of instruction to maintain accreditation.
No, the schools cannot lower the educational standards as set by the OCP and the GFK. Should they do so they would risk losing their accreditation. The requirement to provide 3,000 hours of instruction had nothing to do with standards and content.
The CMTO has no hourly requirement for their massage therapy educational institutions.
All provinces in Canada with regulation for Registered Massage Therapists teach and exam to the same OCP. These jurisdictions include BC, Ontario and Newfoundland/Labrador. Other jurisdictions have indicated a strong desire to adopt the interjurisdictional competency profile as the template for their curriculums. The intention of the regulated provinces is to work toward a national standard.
CMTBC has, since it began accrediting massage therapy programs, require the following: “The school must ensure that the student completes at least 550 hours of clinical education”. This basis of accreditation requirement has not changed and there is no current discussion, within the CMTBC, about amending this requirement.
Currently all insurers offering coverage for massage therapy do so for massage treatments administered by Registered Massage Therapists. Insurers make no distinction in respect to the length of time required to meet the standards set by the College. Nor do
What if the failure rate for the board exams increases significantly?
Will shorter program graduates be able to sit the next registration examinations?
Given that most B.C. trained RMTs have been practising since before B.C. massage therapy schools offered a 3000 minimum hour curriculum, has the Board determined whether these senior RMTs provide lower quality massage therapy, or are involved in more frequent breaches of the standards of practice?
Did the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) decide that it takes approximately 2,200 hours to learn the required competencies?
Now that the failsafe of a 3,000 hour requirement has been removed will the schools not be at liberty to make changes that could result in a lowered standard?
What are the differences between the CMTO program and the program in BC?
Does the CMTBC consider maintaining a minimum requirement of practical experience for all B.C. massage therapy schools?
How do we know that the insurance coverage won’t change?
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??insurance companies make a distinction as to whether or not you were granted registration with the CMT having graduated from a massage therapy program in another Canadian jurisdiction or indeed, even another country.
The Ministry of Health Services has made no comment on this issue. The Minister, through the Health Profession Act, sets out the parameters within which a College must operate and generally expects each health profession regulatory body to manage its own affairs on issues relating to qualifications and standards for practice.
The elimination of the 3,000 hour requirement does not lower the educational standards, nor does it necessarily mean less education. The number of hours required to teach the occupational competencies is a matter for the schools to determine. B.C. accredited schools are still required to teach the same curriculum as before, and to teach it to a standard that will see their graduates successfully write the registration examinations and enable the schools to retain their accreditation. The CMTBC is confident that, with the accreditation process we have in place; there will be no reduction in quality of education or lowering of standards. Indeed it is open to the schools to continue to offer a 3,000 program or up the ante and offer a four year program if they choose.
Ontario and other jurisdictions are looking at a national accrediting body for schools offering training to become a registered massage therapist, That body is the Canadian Medical Association, an agency which currently accredits the following health science programs: Diagnostic Ultrasound Technology, Paramedicine, Physician Assistant and Cardiology Technology among many others. The CMTBC is currently in talks regarding national accreditation and what agency would best serve that role.
The Occupational Competencies upon which the curriculum is based and the registration examinations are set, were determined by the consortium working group of representatives from all three regulated jurisdictions. These competencies were subsequently surveyed by the membership of all three regulated jurisdictions and accepted. There is no suggestion that these competencies are going to be changed.
No. The examination content and process will not change as a result of the removal of the 3,000 hour requirement. The Registration examinations have been based on the Interjurisdictional Occupational Competency Profile since February 2011.
None. The current competency document has been in place for over a year now. It continues to be the standard. No changes have been made to the requirement for 550 clinical practicum hours. The CMTBC has determined only that the requirement for 3,000 hours of instruction should be removed from its accreditation document. Nothing else has been eliminated.
Has the Ministry of Health Services taken any position on this issue?
“Please explain to me how less education and standards are going to ensure safe and effective treatments, competency, and high standards? This is not a rhetorical question.”
Which accreditation body has been retrofitted to this national agenda?
Is there any information as to what is going to happen with the competencies required for the program?
Does this change the examination content and process any?
What courses or clinic times are the schools planning on taking away?
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There will be no change in the board exams and no retroactive discount on dues. The fees for insurance and tuition are not within the jurisdiction of the CMTBC.
Once a student has met the requirements for graduation as determined by an accredited school they are entitled to apply to write at the next exam sitting.
The CMTBC has no proposal to change requirements for continuing education credits.
The long term impact of this change will be discussed by the Accreditation and Registration Committees of the CMTBC and information will be provided to the schools as soon as those discussions have concluded.
Currently many massage therapists from a variety of educational institutions where they received their diplomas in massage therapy are accepted in to the Thompson Rivers University (TRU) transfer program and are evaluated as individuals and given credit for their undergraduate training. That will not change. It is our understanding that candidates from massage therapy programs of all lengths are evaluated by TRU.
The accredited schools offering massage therapy training programs are encouraged to, and capable of, expanding courses offered and skills taught. However, it remains the responsibility of the CMTBC to ensure that all RMTs in B.C. offer only massage therapy services authorized by the Massage Therapists Regulation. Currently, the MTA is considering requests that the Regulation be expanded to embrace modalities and equipment safely used by qualified massage therapists in other regulated jurisdictions including Ontario.
Once any jurisdiction has mandatory accreditation, all schools offering massage therapy programs must meet the educational requirements, along with compliance with all other accreditation standards. We are unable to predict what the impact of this may be on currently accredited schools.
Yes! The curriculum requirements are competency based, and have been since the CMTBC accepted the newly crafted BC Occupational Competency Profile in November 2004.
There is no suggestion that the competency requirements for massage therapy education will change. Entry-‐to practice candidates will still have to successfully pass examinations based upon the occupational competencies.
What impact does any of this have for our Continuing Education credits?
How will this affect someone who is in term seven of the 3000 hour program?
Does this mean the CMTBC is going to ease up on the board exams? Can RMTs in BC apply for a retroactive discount on tuitions, insurance, dues etc.?
Where do I find information on the intended timeline and how this could affect those of us just heading into our second year? Any links?
If CMT is discarding the concept of credit hours, how do I transfer to a university when they work on a system of credit hours to finish a degree?
Are the curriculum requirements competency based?
Do you know what the projected outcome will be once Ontario has mandatory school accreditation? Will all Ontario schools meet the requirements? Will we see an attrition of schools?
What can be done to see the schools’ programs encompassing more treatment modalities like MLD and cranio-‐sacral, and equipment such as ultrasound, so that students graduate with these certifications?
Is there any information as to what will change with the competencies required for the program?
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College of Massage Therapists of BC
Board Members
PresidentJames McGettigan, RMT
Vice-PresidentKoby Blanchfield, RMTBeth Sampson, RMT
Brent Rowland, RMT
Ronda Maxwell, RMT
Voula Soursos, RMT
Rebecca Darnell (Public Representative)
Marilyn Waithman (Public Representative)
Kareem Allam(Public Representative)
Staff Registrar (Interim)Dan Peebles
Office AdministratorDebbie Newberry
Deputy RegistrarPeggy Bereza, RMT
New Commi\ee Chairs Discipline Marilynne Waithman
Finance and Audit Beth Sampson
ResearchBeth Sampson
Scope of Prac]ce Koby Blanchfield
New Commi\ee Appointees Finance and Audit Michelle Fraser
Unauthorized Prac]ce Joy Uemoto
Quality Management AnneRe Ruitenbeek
Communica]ons Kareem Allam
Research Voula Soursos Michelle Fraser
Welcome New AppointeesThe CMTBC Board would like to welcome the new committee chairs and appointees.
Committee ChairsAccreditation Committee Wendy Rigby, RMT
Communications CommitteePeggy Bereza, RMT
Discipline CommitteeMarilynne Waithman, Public Rep.
Executive CommitteeRebecca Darnell, Public Rep.
Finance and Audit CommitteeBeth Sampson, RMT
Inquiry CommitteeKathleen Wood, RMT
Legislation CommitteeRebecca Darnell, Public Rep.
Nominations CommitteeKoby Blanchfield, RMT
Patient Relations CommitteePeggy Bereza, RMT
Quality Management CommitteeWendy Rigby, RMT
Registration CommitteeLeigh Andrew, RMT
Research CommitteeBeth Sampson, RMT
Scope of Practice CommitteeKoby Blanchfield, RMT
Unauthorized Practice CommitteeVoula Soursos, RMT
#103-1089 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V6H 1E5 (604) 736-3404 Fax (604) 736-6500 Toll Free 1-877-321-3404"
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Events Calendar
November 28, 2011Board Meeting, Blue Horizon Hotel, 1225 Robson St Vancouver.
January 13 Board Meeting, Blue Horizon, Vancouver.
February 24, 2012. Board Meeting, Blue Horizon Hotel.
March 25Location to be announced.
February 15 Written ExaminationsExecutive Hotel & Conference Centre Burnaby, 4201 Lougheed Hwy. Burnaby, BC,V5C 3Y6Tel: (604) 298-2010. February 24 - 29 Oral/practical Examinations.Location to be announced.
December 11 & 12Consortium of Massage Therapy Regulators meeting in Toronto.
March 1 - 4 Consortium of Massage Therapy Regulators meeting in Vancouver.
March 25 Annual General Meeting (location to be announced).
Board Meetings
2012 Registration Examinations
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Other Events
Search for New Registrar
Begins
Update on Developments at the College of Massage Therapists of
Bri]sh Columbia
The Board of Directors has engaged the execuUve search recruitment firm of Odgers Berndtson to lead the recruitment for our new Registrar/CEO. The Board has struck a search commiRee comprised of Koby Blanchfield, Beth Sampson, Rebecca Darnell, Marilynne Waithman and Voula Soursos to work with the search consultants and to bring a recommendaUon to the Board of Directors. It is expected that the search will take three to four months as the search consultants will be approaching suitable individuals across the country for the posiUon.
The posiUon descripUon and candidate profile are posted on the website. If you can recommend someone for the role, we invite you to forward your suggesUon to Ken Werker [email protected] or Irene Hensel [email protected] at Odgers Berndtson. Ken or Irene would also be pleased to answer any quesUons you might have regarding the recruitment.
Thank you.