Features Continuing Education Education
Reminder from CMTO: CEU cycles/reporting is ending

While the CMTO continues to seek input into the development process, the Quality Assurance Committee has chosen to discontinue the collection of Continuing Education Units (CEUs), effective July 1, 2018, in preparation for the new program.

Why are the CEU cycles/reporting ending?
Evidence shows that collecting units or hours of education does not determine a practitioner’s level of competency or abilities and that hours of learning does not translate into the way someone performs in their job or in the care they provide for their clients. We can all remember attending a course/workshop and not learning anything new or reading an article that we quickly forget about. The new QAP will allow Massage Therapists (RMTs or MTs) to determine how much and what type(s) of learning they need to become more effective at providing safe, evidence-informed practices to their clients. Identifying strengths and areas for development and establishing meaningful plans takes learning and practice. CMTO will provide resources and education to further develop these skills and prepare you for the new QAP.

What does the new QAP look like?
The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, outlines what each College must have in a QAP and CMTO will meet these requirements in the following ways:

1) Self-Assessment: A revised, easy to use, Self-Assessment Tool will be sent out for stakeholder feedback shortly. This tool walks you through the Essential Competencies of practice and allows you to score your own performance in each category. You will be able to describe what you do in your day-to-day practice to meet these expectations.

2) Professional Development/Continuing Education:

a.
A Learning/Action Plan will guide you to establish goals and identify the “actions” you plan to take to achieve these goals based on your learning needs. You will record what you did to complete the learning goal(s), reflect on what you learned and indicate how you will incorporate your learning into your practice.

b.
Education Module: A dynamic, interactive learning module that focuses on a topic relevant to client safety, RMT practice, legislation, etc. The topic/module will change annually and will provide you with current information needed in your practice. You are encouraged to work through the information and scenarios with peers and to discuss the application of the information to your unique practice setting.

3) Peer/Practice Assessment: This component is still to be finalized, however, there will be an assessment process where a peer (MT) assesses alignment with the Standards of Practice, legislation and regulation and will provide mentorship where needed.

What do you do with the CEUs you have already completed?
The CEUs you have already completed will still be useful in the following ways:
1) Apply what you have learned from these activities into your practice.

2) The first two QAP tools will be launched later in 2018 and you will have the opportunity to try the new Learning Management System that will house these tools. Your completed CEU activities will be useful to enter into the QAP tools and allow you to record them while testing out the new system.

3) Reflect on your learning activities to help identify your strengths and learning opportunities and what you would like to focus on in the next 1-2 years. This will help you to identify your learning needs and will help you complete the new QAP tools.

What are the benefits of the new QAP?
1) You will receive education that is consistent to all registrants which will ensure a minimum level of knowledge is achieved by all MTs.

2) You will have greater flexibility to customize your learning to meet your client and professional needs. You may find that the learning activities you select are more relevant to your work and can better suit your work/life balance by removing the minimum number of hours required.

3) The new QAP tools will be housed in a new on-line learning platform that will be user-friendly and will allow for easier access to learning resources and tools.

4) Personal cost savings as there will be no minimum number of hours spent on learning activities, allowing you to be more creative in the activities you choose – some of which may be of little or no cost.

For questions contact:

Marnie Lofsky, Director, Professional Practice
marnie.lofsky@cmto.com

Or

Jonathan Norton, Manager, Professional Practice
jonathan.norton@cmto.com