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Iowa Massage Therapy Schools - IA
By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: February 15th, 2010
The required 500 academic credit hours in massage therapy and bodywork must be completed in a Iowa massage school that has been accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized national agency such as the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). At minimum, the curriculum must include study in the following areas:
- Massage therapy fundamentals
- Clinical application of massage and bodywork therapies
- Client-related communication theory and practice
- Health care referral theory and practice
- Physiology and anatomy
- Kinesiology
- Pathology and related skills used to control infection, prevent injuries and promote proper sanitation
- State of Iowa laws and ethics
- Business management skills that include financial and legal aspects, documentation and maintenance of records
- Healthy lifestyle theory and application in areas that include (but are not limited to) hydrotherapy, spa techniques, herbal studies, nutrition and wellness models
In addition to the formal coursework, each student must complete a clinical practicum facilitated by the Iowa massage school he or she is attending. Prior to starting this practicum, students must complete a minimum of 200 hours of coursework (of the 500 total program hours) in massage therapy fundamentals and assessment. At least 100 of these 200 hours must be in the areas of physiology and anatomy and, specifically, must include course study in common pathologies and structure and function of the human body.
Clinical Practicum
- The school or department must provide a maximum of 100 hours (of the 500 hour program) of clinical practicum, which must be fulfilled at either the school’s primary location or at a school-sponsored event
- In any case that a student, as part of the practicum, “delivers physical contact” to students or other persons, a Massage Therapist licensed by the State of Iowa must be present
Finally, applicants much have completed training courses in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid. This training must be certified by the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, or the National Safety Council.
Through campus based and online programs, aspiring Massage Therapists in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Saint Luke's Hospital, and Genesis Medical Center East.