Massage Therapy Program at Lambton College gets preliminary accreditation from governing body - Lambton Shield

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Lambton College’s Massage Therapy program has been formally recognized for its high education and training standards.

Following a two-year process, the popular diploma program was recently granted Preliminary Accreditation from The Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation (CMTCA), an independent body that sets standards and provides accreditation for massage therapy education programs across the country.

To achieve approval, educational programs are required to demonstrate that their entry-level program embeds the skills outlined in the Inter-Jurisdictional Practice Competencies and Performance Indicators outlined by the Council. In addition to the curriculum and teaching, programs are also evaluated on other aspects of quality value including student resources, leadership, and infrastructure.

Lambton’s program was evaluated across seven Standards (Curriculum Content, Faculty and Learning, Student Support, Leadership and Administration, Human Resources, Resources and Infrastructure, and Quality Improvement) for which the program had to self-rate for 95 criteria and provided supporting documentation as evidence. The CMTCA then provides their own rating, and an overall score is provided.

Overall, Lambton received a score of 356 out of 380 accompanied by a number of commendations for various criteria.

“This is a process that helps guide our program towards continued excellence and gives our students confidence in the quality of the education they will receive at Lambton,” says Silvana Macdonald, dean, School of Health, Community Services & Creative Design at Lambton College. “This is an amazing achievement for our Massage Therapy program and speaks volumes about the quality of the training we provide and the unique features of the coursework and facilities our students are exposed to.”

Macdonald says the accreditation process is an important step in the growth of the profession, adding that discussion around national accreditation for Canadian massage education programs has been around for some years and is strongly supported by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario.

The preparation and submission for Preliminary Accreditation is only the first step in the process. The College will next undergo a site evaluation to verify compliance with the standards prior to receiving final accreditation.

The Massage Therapy program at Lambton is offered as a two-year advanced diploma. The program is led by a team of experienced, professional faculty and utilizes a brand-new Massage Therapy Lab where students learn the practical aspects required to succeed in the profession. The new lab, housed within the NOVA Chemicals Health & Research Centre, boasts brand new equipment such as electric tables, hydrotherapy, and remedial exercise equipment. The lab can be sectioned off to provide privacy for public clinics or opened up to facilitate group learning. The entire space was designed to emulate the professional environment of a successful Massage Therapy practice.

Limited seats are still available in this program for September. To learn more, go to lambtoncollege.ca/mstc.

During the COVID-19 situation, Lambton’s Enrolment Team is still available to assist with the application process, program information, and other questions about confirming and accepting offers. To connect with an Enrolment Advisor via Live Chat go to lambtoncollege.ca/our-team.