Once a massage therapist has completed his or her initial education, continuing education is often still required. Choosing the right type of continuing education in massage can be a very difficult process, especially for beginning massage professionals. In order to choose the best massage continuing education courses, it is important first to evaluate whether or not the courses in question are accepted by the governing agencies in the region where the professional is practicing. Also, professionals must evaluate the number of credits offered, the specific type of class being taught, and the cost of the program before making a final decision.
In order to choose the best courses for continuing education in massage, it is important for professionals to first determine whether or not the classes that they are considering are accepted by governing agents in the region in which they practice. While governing agencies may vary from location to location, all typically accept continuing education course credits from only specific organizations. Though massage professionals can take courses from outside organizations, potential continuing education credits will not necessarily be accepted. Therefore, it is essential that the individual pursuing the continuing education understand whether or not the course that is being considered will be accepted through the governing agency.
Massage professionals must also evaluate how many credits are offered for the course that they are interested in. In the United States, governing agencies of most states require professionals to obtain between six and 12 credits of continuing education in massage per year. Most classes are usually only one or two credits, though ongoing programs may offer more credits.
Those who are interested in obtaining continuing education in massage must also consider what types of classes are being offered. In order to grow as a professional, it is important to not simply take a class for the sake of taking a class. Instead, the individual enrolled in the program should gain some knowledge or skill through participation. Therefore, it is essential that the massage professional find a class that he or she has a genuine interest in, and which can be put to practice.
While program cost should not be the sole determining factor when it comes to choosing continuing education in massage, it should be considered. In most cases, classes that offer greater learning opportunities are more expensive. While there may be cheaper options available, the quality of the program may be substantially lower. In addition, credit hours may vary substantially, depending on the cost of the program.
