Changes

Like everything in life, things change and the massage therapy profession is facing some really exciting times. Sure there will most likely be some bumps along the way but in the long run I think this will be for the better.
As it stands, students who study massage therapy in British Columbia get 3 000 hours of education (or more depending on the place of learning...), students in Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador - which are the only other regulated provinces - have around 2 200 hours of education. When a student who has studied in an other regulated province comes to BC and wants to work, they are granted a temporary license and have 18 months to do some upgrading and then they have to take an board exam on their newly acquired knowledge.
With the growth and aging of the population the demand for massage therapists is increasing. So much so that we are not capable to keep up. Especially here in BC where there are 2099 Registered Massage Therapists (one of which is Darla who passed her board exams and is now an RMT! Congratulations Darla :)). There are 8250 in Ontario alone. So what the government wants to do is that they want to make things even across the country. They want people who have studied in Ontario* to be able to come and work in BC without any trouble.
This is great because that would allow the public to have a larger choice of RMT's to chose from and it would allow the RMT's to move without having to worry about upgrading.
This may also change things for the unregulated provinces such as Alberta. There, massage therapists have an education of 1 000 hours.
So what do we do about the difference in education? What would prevent someone from going to Ontario to do their education then come back to BC to practice? Now this is where things are going to change. I don't know what they changes are going to be but I will be very interested in watching the progression.
On October 26th the powers that be (schools, college of massage therapy - which is the regulatory board for massage therapy here in BC... etc.) will get together to try to find suggestions for change. As the general public, students or even massage therapists, we are not allowed to be present at this meeting. We will just have to wait and see what they come up with.
Am I at all upset or frustrated that this shift is happening while in school? I mean I could have paid less for my education and may have gone to school for less then 3 000 plus hours. Nope. I am happy the way I have it. I really like the way the program that I am in is structured (despite the headaches, sleepless nights, hours of stress... it's all part of being a student) and feel that I am really fortunate to be going to school in such an exciting time.
By April 2009, massage therapists from Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador will be able to come and practice here in BC so the changes in the profession will have to happen quickly. It'll be interesting to see what's on the horizon.

*and Newfoundland and Labrador as well.