General Information
Continuing Education
Click here to download the Con-Ed handbook.
As stated in the MTAS Bylaws (11.2): “All MTAS members are required to maintain competency by collecting continuing education units (CEUs)”.
The Continuing Education Committee believes that it is important to let members develop their own direction, but that it is also prudent that members keep public safety and their professional reputation as the primary concern. The Continuing Education Committee has designed the CEU program to be accessible to all members of the profession, regardless of physical location, financial restraints and/or time limitations. This handbook sets out the requirements and guidelines for members.
Continuous self-assessment and enhancement of skills are essential responsibilities of each member. Evolving techniques, innovations in healthcare provision and increasing social awareness of the importance of healthcare emphasize the need for members to demonstrate their continued competence to provide high quality therapeutic massage services in Saskatchewan. To this end, the continuing education program serves to:
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Recognize that continuous member self-education is significant to the standard of care provided to clients;
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Give members the opportunity to communicate with other healthcare professionals; and
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Pursue professional excellence, as stated in the MTAS Code of Ethics (available on the "About MTAS" page of this website.)
Each member is expected to perform and operate their practice within the parameters of ethical and responsible means, as outlined in the Bylaws, Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. The choice of courses taken and/or direction of professional development are the responsibility of the individual therapist. Therapists are encouraged to evaluate their choice of courses/workshops and related activities in terms of their benefit to the ongoing quality improvement of their practice.
The Massage Therapist Association of Saskatchewan (MTAS) awards continuing education credits to courses that meet the submission criteria and that contain instruction that falls within the MTAS scope of practice. However, MTAS cannot attest to the quality of the courses or instructors. It is the responsibility of the course registrant to select what is of value and what is within the MTAS scope of practice to be used within his/her practice.
Member Responsibility for Continuing Education
In order to maintain membership in MTAS, all members must comply with the following Bylaw:
11.2 Competency of Members
a. All practicing members must obtain a minimum of forty (40) competency credits over a three year period to maintain registration and/or license with the corporation. Required competency credits may be obtained as 40 primary credits OR a combination of 33 primary credits and 7 business credits totaling the required 40 competency credits.
b. Competency credits will be granted to courses or professional development activities, according to the policies set by the Competency Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.
c. Members are responsible to provide evidence to the satisfaction of the Board that the required educational credits have been obtained. The evidence must be filed with the Registrar.
d. Members shall review the Corporation’s Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice and Bylaws on an annual basis.
Please note that it is the responsibility of each member to ensure that all required paperwork and documentation is submitted to the office in a timely manner.
You are also responsible to maintain your own con-ed file with the certificates from the courses you have completed.
Each member is required to:
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Determine what professional skills are needed to carry out his/her current or future responsibilities.
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Establish a plan to develop, maintain or improve those skills by obtaining the required minimum number of credits per window. Members are expected to foresee and overcome administrative difficulties (e.g. the cancellation of a planned activity). You are given three years in which to attain the required credits and are provided with an array of different options. It is the responsibility of each member to ensure that you know the window dates and that you plan your professional development over the course of the three-year period.
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Maintain detailed documentation of all courses/workshops completed for each continuing education window.
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Upload required proof of course completion in a timely manner and prior to deadlines (see Monitoring and Recording Credits).
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For courses not currently on the approved list, submit course information for approval prior to registration for the course.
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Provide additional course documentation if requested by the Continuing Education Committee for evaluation purposes.
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Advise the MTAS Continuing Education Committee in the event of extenuating circumstances that prevent the completion of the continuing education requirements (see Extenuating Circumstances) prior to the submission deadline.
A. Practicing Member Requirements.
All established practicing members (those who are past the grace period for new members) must obtain a minimum of 40 credits within the specified 3-year window.
Credits must be acquired in the following categories:
Primary Credits Minimum 40 per window (includes 5 for CPR/SFA - once per window)
Business Credits Not mandatory, maximum 14 allowed
*** NOTE: if a therapist earns the maximum allowed 14 business credits, the primary credit requirement will be reduced to 21, plus the 5 credits for CPR/SFA, for a total of 40 credits.
B. Non-Practicing Member Requirements.
The policy for these members has changed, effective November 1st, 2012. For each COMPLETE year of non-practicing membership, the 40-credit requirement is reduced by 13 credits.
*** NOTE: if a therapist upgrades from non-practicing to practicing status part-way through the membership year, the required credits revert to the practicing membership obligation of 13 credits for that year.
Ex. 1: Year one – non-practicing = 0 credits
Year two – non-practicing = 0 credits
Year three – non-practicing = 0 credits
Total for the window = 0 credits
Ex. 2: Year one – practicing = 13.333 credits
Year two – practicing = 13.333 credits
Year three – non-practicing = 0 credits
Total for the window = 27 credits
Ex. 3: Year one – non-practicing at renewal then upgrade to practicing = 13 credits
Year two – non-practicing = 0 credits
Year three – non-practicing = 0 credits
Total for the window = 13 credits
NOTE: Whilst non-practicing, members are not required to maintain current CPR/SFA; however the certification must be renewed before upgrading to practicing membership.
C. New Member Requirements.
New members who have just graduated from a 2,200-hour massage program and have successfully completed the MTAS Member Qualifying Examination will have a grace period of two (2) years before being required to earn primary credits; however the minimum 7 business credits are mandatory. This two-year period is interpreted as beginning the year after the year of graduation, (e.g. a 2017 graduate’s grace period would be 2018 and 2019). New members will be permitted to carry forward up to and including a maximum of 40 credits earned during this time (refer to the chart below). No additional pro-rating will occur for new members who take non-practicing membership status.
D. Transferring Member Requirements.
Any continuing education credits earned in another province may be transferable to the requirements for MTAS, providing that the course was completed during the current MTAS window. If these courses are not on the MTAS pre-approved list, the responsibility falls to the member to ensure that they are submitted to the MTAS Continuing Education Committee for a course evaluation (see Course Evaluation Process). Please be advised that the MTAS course evaluation criteria may be different from that of other jurisdictions. It is the responsibility of the member to contact the MTAS office in advance of the submission deadline to ensure appropriate course approval has been granted.
E. Honourary Member Requirements.
Honorary Practicing Life Members: Currently these members are required to meet the same CEU responsibilities as practicing members, as directed in the Bylaws of the Association, Section 9.3(f)(iii).
Honorary Non-Practicing Life Members: These members are no longer practicing massage therapy and are therefore not required to maintain the current CEU requirements (Bylaws Section 11.2(a).