Since when the Philippine Committee of Examiners for Massage Therapy (CEMT) of the Department of Health (DOH) headed by Dr. Kenneth G. Ronquillo, Director IV of the Health Human Resource Development Bureau (HHRDB) took the helm in the conduct of the massage licensure examinations, many significant changes has been made which I feel the public, particularly the spa and wellness stakeholders, and would-be examinees, must be informed about.
But before going any further, let me remind everyone about one difficult statement of fact on massage. And this is it: The (Philippine) law expressly says that, “No person is authorized to practice massage in the Philippines without holding a valid certificate of registration xxx” (Section 9, Chapter XIII, PD 856, the Code of Sanitation of the Philippines. Thus, enrolling in a review class and applying and taking (and of course, passing) the DOH massage therapy examinations is the right thing to do if one wishes to legally practice in the country.
To solve that, here are the simple steps to be observed, as follows:
A. First, make sure you meet all application requirements
The following are the latest and updated application requirements for the DOH Exams:
1. Age requirement- Based on the IRR of PD 856, the basic age requirement for anyone who wish to earn a license on massage must be between 21 to 60 years old. However, during the last June
2010 exams, the CEMT allowed non-twenty one (21) year old applicants to take the exams, however, according to them, unless the provision on age requirement has been lowered down to eighteen (18) years old, said applicants may get their license on their 21st birthday. Sounds good? Also, based on the proposed PD 856, Section XIII, amendments, anyone beyond 60 years old, for as long they remain able, may also be allowed to take the said examinations. To me, this will surely make a lot of senior therapists occupied and happy (Thank you, DOH!).
2. Certificate of good moral character from the Barangay.
3. Certificate or clearance from the NBI or provincial fiscal citing no conviction in court involving moral turpitude.
4. Medical Certificate from a Government Physician- Perhaps due to lack of information, many applicants still submit a health certificate. Although the said certificate has been duly signed by a government physician but the CEMT would rightfully insist for a Medical Certificate instead of the former.
5. At least a high school graduate. Make sure to submit a true, authenticated copy of your High School diploma or transcript of records. Cheating on your documents will never give you peace of mind, and, worse, when truth comes out, this will be bring an abrupt, shameful end to your massage career.
6. Basic Academic and Practical Instructions- The original IRR on massage says that applicants must have basic instruction on Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Hygiene and Sanitation, Ethics and Jurisprudence and the Practice of Massage. However, in last two massage licensure examinations all exam takers are required to be honed according to the following DOH-prescribed curriculum: Module I – Anatomy and Physiology; Module II- Microbiology and Pathology; Module III- Massage Therapy I (Fundamental Concepts of Massage Therapy); Module IV-Massage Therapy Application; Module V (Practice of Massage Therapy). Only DOH Accredited Training Institutions can provide a certification on this regard.
7. Marriage contract among married female applicants.
8. Special note on citizenship requirements – Only Filipino citizens are allowed to take the DOH massage therapy examinations.
B. Second, enroll in a Review Class
1. Identify a DOH Accredited Training Institution (*Complete list of updated TIs is available in this article) near you and enroll yourself.
2. Always be on time for class and, as much as possible, never be absent from any session.
3. Make sure that you meet the required 136 hours of training both in academics and practicals.
4. Study your lessons thoroughly and practice the Swedish massage inputs seriously.
5. Pass all in-house tests and evaluations. Training centers shall be reluctant to send people to DOH who does not show any promise of passing.
C. Third, take the Exams
1. Allow your review center to process your documents – All application requirements shall be submitted to the DOH by the TIs. The DOH does not accept direct applications nor entertains follow-up inquiries related to massage licensure exams.
2. Choose the right review and exam schedule for you- Exams are normally scheduled every first week of June and December of each year based on Section 8, Chapter XIII, PD 856 (Code of Sanitation).
3. Pay the required fees- Aside from the minimal examination fee of less than 300 pesos, the CEMT may collect a Practical Examination Fee of Five Hundred Pesos (Php500) to be used exclusively as fee for the services of individuals posing as exam dummies or subjects, for equipment, supplies and materials except for towels. Bringing your own towels for the exam is the most hygienic thing to do, isn’t it?
4. Things to do on the D-day (written and practical) – Wake up early. Say your prayers. Take a modest breakfast. Be on time for the exams. Give your best and expect the best.
Important Reminders Before and During the Exams
· Visit the exam venue a day before the examination. According to some, half of the battle is won after seeing the battlefield.
· On the eve of the exams, relax, perhaps watch a movie and avoid last minute cramming.
· Bring water, candies and a happy heart.
· Never forget your exam stub and sharpened pencils.
· For the written exam, take your time in answering questions. Don’t be in a hurry; after all, you have the whole morning to answer only two hundred (200) items.
· Enjoy the whole examination process.
· For the practical exams, please note that the whole exercise shall be largely based on case analysis, discussion and performance for a minimum of at least thirty (30) minutes. You will be asked to choose a case to deal with. (For example: How do you manage a geriatric client suffering from back pain at the lumbar area?). It is easy to handle if you have studied your lessons well.
o More helpful guide in tackling the practical exams : 1) Read aloud the case you have selected; 2) Discuss briefly (in English or Filipino) what the case is all about, how to deal with it stating the massage strokes appropriate or inappropriate at the time, discuss the indications or contraindications of the strokes you will apply; 2) Proceed in the practical application but before doing so seek permission to talk to the massage subject (the supposed client) and do some briefing (This is important) ; Set up the massage bed; Do the client intake procedure- this includes taking the vital signs; Discuss with the client your assessment of his/her health history profile ; Assist the client towards the massage bed; Do the necessary draping and warm up procedure; Perform the massage and intersperse it with brief discussion on what you are doing.
o When the examiner says, in effect, “Time is up!” Never abruptly leave your client. Here is your chance to perform the After Care which includes- draping back the client, gently advising him or her that the massage session is done and that he/she has to take a 5-minute rest, after the said rest period, ask the client to assume a side lying position, first, before assisting him/her in getting up from the bed. Once done, you may ask the client what beverage he/she prefers. While waiting for the beverage, you may ask him/her how the massage session was.
· Finally, the practical exam is a lot easier and less stressful now because the examiner talks less and the examinee is allowed to be creative in dealing with the chosen case.
Additional Information and Tips
· Never miss having a copy of the DOH Massage Therapy Licensure Examinations Manual (2010) from your school (This is your passport to success!).
· Learn to verbalize your knowledge on massage because during the practical exams examinees are expected to explain the massage case at hand. The good news here is that you may communicate either in English or Filipino.
· Make sure that before enrolling in any review class program, you have already acquired basic hands-on knowledge and skills on Swedish massage by Susan Salvo (Find more on this in the internet).
· Exercise unwavering discipline during your review program.
· Exercise positive Imagineering. Believe that you will make it- and you can!
· Common Mistakes Among Some Students Before and During the Examinations
I believe that the moment a person enlists for a licensure exam review program, he or she is set towards the goal of earning a massage license. But how come some people do not make it? There are many reasons for failing to reach the benchmark. Here are some of those:
§ They take the review class haphazardly.
§ They are physically, mentally and psychologically unprepared.
§ Minutes before the exams, they mingled with negative exam-takers (I call them “grace-killers”. Grace-killers are those whom after listening to them they make you depressed and discouraged instead of being motivated and encouraged.
§ They panic.
§ They lost focus.
§ They cheat.
§ At the end of the day, the best antidote to all these is simply: BE ADEQUATELY prepared.
I hope that the aforementioned discussion shall give the reader a better understanding on what to expect before, during and after the DOH examinations. Generally speaking, as mentioned earlier, hurdling the DOH massage licensure examinations has never been this easy. All that the student needs to do is basically to make use of the knowledge and tools which have been outlined herein and claim the much-sought DOH Massage Therapy License. And imagine vividly wearing that precious LMT badge.
These articles have got thorough discernment without unclear the readers.
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