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.

For those courses not on the pre-approved course list (available in the Member's section of the MTAS website at www.saskmassagetherapy.com), the MTAS Continuing Education Committee strongly recommends obtaining approval for courses prior to attendance.  The Committee may decline to accredit courses based on insufficient instructor credentials relative to the course being taught, or inadequate or inappropriate course content.  The Committee does not discourage members for taking such courses, but is not obliged to acknowledge credits for them.  Please note that if a course has been approved by the College in BC or Ontario, MTAS will automatically grant approval for credits; however we will still require the course provider to submit all of the required materials for our files.

 

All courses approved by the Continuing Education Committee are based on specific criteria as related to the definition of primary credits.
1 hour of learning = 1 credit.

 

The following information is required in order for the Committee to complete a course approval:

 

1.       Course Provider Application Form (download here).

2.       Course description.

3.       Proposed course content:

a.       Learning outcomes - list outcomes in behavioural/measurable terms (which are attainable, can be evaluated, and relate to the scope of practice).

b.       Program content - provide an hourly breakdown of time spent of each part of the program (lesson plan).

4.       Presenter list and biography:

a.       List presenters for each topic/content area.

b.       Include work experience in chronological order, summary of qualifications and professional memberships,  for each presenter.

c.       Presenter’s specific qualifications for teaching this course, including theoretical background.

5.       Teaching strategies and methods used to impart information.

 

Please note that brochures, advertising literature and/or the provision of a website address are considered insufficient information on which to base course approval.  It is your responsibility to provide the all of the required information for assessment.  Requests for approval will be denied and returned to the sender if suitable supplementary information is not provided.  The Committee is a volunteer group and does not have the time or resources to do the research for you. 

 

Deadlines

• Please allow up to 10 weeks for the evaluation and assessment process.
• The Committee meets 4 times a year and materials will be forwarded to the Committee from the MTAS Office 1 week prior to each meeting.
• Committee meeting dates: 
         March 1st, June 1st, September 1st, December 1st.
   
• Once the Committee has approved a course, written notification will be provided to the member and/or course provider.
• The Continuing Education Committee, Board of Directors and the MTAS Office are not responsible for any delays that may occur, or for the possibility that a membership may be suspended, due to incomplete information being submitted, courses not being approved, or the required number of credits not being completed on time.

In order to assist members and course providers with the submission of materials for continuing education credit approval, standardized forms have been created for submission with the appropriate documentation. These forms may be downloaded here:

Case Study Form
Literature Review Form
Mentoring Form
Study Group Participation Form

Information Availability

Courses that have been approved by the Continuing Education Committee are listed alphabetically by course name on the MTAS website www.saskmassagetherapy.com, under Continuing Education, in the members-only section.  Listings also indicate the number of credits, whether primary or business, and the course provider name and website. 

Please note that this resource is an historical list of all courses that have been evaluated by MTAS for con-ed credits.  Due to the large number of courses listed, it is not maintained as a database of current course provider information, such as upcoming dates for workshops, costs, etc.  If you wish to take a particular course by a specific provider, we suggest that you contact the course provider directly for this information.

The MTAS website does also contain an up-to-date listing of Upcoming Events about which the office has been informed.  This is the place to check for approved courses/workshops coming up in the near future.

 

If in doubt as to whether a particular course has been evaluated, please contact the MTAS office: mtas@saskmassagetherapy.com 
306-384-7077.  We are available to assist you from Monday to Thursday between 8:00am and 4:00pm.

Caution to Members
If a member is considering taking a course that has not been submitted to MTAS for approval, the member should be aware that this course may or may not receive con-ed credits upon course completion.  MTAS recommends that the member contact the course provider before registering for such a course if he/she is concerned about receiving con-ed credits.  Please be aware that it is the responsibility of providers of recurring courses to submit their course materials for MTAS approval.

Members should also be aware that sometimes workshop advertising materials can be misleading.  If a course is being advertised as "approved for primary credits", you should check to determine that it is "MTAS APPROVED".  If it is, the course will be listed in the con-ed searchable database on the website.  If you are in doubt, we recommend that you contact the MTAS office for verification.