USE OF TITLES AND CREDENTIALS

Background

The Regulated Health Professions Act, the Massage Therapy Act and Regulations provide members with protection of title. In Ontario the use of the title Massage Therapist, Registered Massage Therapist, the French equivalent and any variation or abbreviation is reserved for individuals registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (the College).

Title protection as part of the regulation of a profession is one mechanism used to help the public readily identify individuals registered with the College. It is a privilege extended to those massage therapists who have met the entry to practice requirements and maintain their accountability to a regulatory body.

The use of titles, designations or credentials that are inappropriate, unclear or inconsistent may undermine the purpose of the protected title by making it difficult for the public to determine whether a person is a member of the profession. The (proposed) advertising regulations made under The Massage Therapy Act sets out that an advertisement must not contain any term, title or designation that indicates or implies the member is a specialist in any aspect of massage therapy. This position statement further clarifies the use of titles and credentials by members in order that the public will be able to better identify massage therapists who are members of the College. The intent of the position statement is also to guide the members in the use of titles in conjunction with their practice of the profession.

Position Statement

This position statement has been drafted to provide members with information on which titles, designations and credentials they may use.

1. Massage therapists who have been issued a certificate of registration by the College are entitled to use the protected titles and trademarks that indicate their registration with the College. These are:

   Massage Therapist		M.T.
   Registered Massage Therapist		R.M.T.
   Massothérapeute
   Massage Therapy		Massothérapie
   Therapeutic Massage		Massage Therapeutique

   The College recommends the use of the protected title as the member’s primary means of indicating his or her professional status in Ontario in conjunction with their practice of the profession.

2. The College recommends that academic degrees or certificates from recognized universities, colleges and/or private vocational schools be used after and in conjunction with the member’s protected title.

3. The order of using protected titles and academic credentials should be consistent with the position of the member. If a member is working as a massage therapist, the College recommends that protected titles be used before academic credentials. If the member is working in an educational or other setting it may be more appropriate for them to use their academic credentials first.

4. The use of any other title, term or designation that indicates or implies the member is a specialist in any aspect of massage therapy is not permitted. Members may take courses focused on a specific modality that is not recognized as a specialty or as being in compliance with the Standard of Practice. Reference to these courses, or the title conferred by the completion of them, should not be used by the member. The public may misinterpret these other titles as specialized fields of knowledge with established professional standards of practice and licensing regulations.

5. People who are not registered with the College cannot use the protected titles. Section 7(1) of the Massage Therapy Act forbids anyone who is not a member of the College from using the titles "massage therapist" a variation, or abbreviation or an equivalent term in another language.

Approved by Council: May 12, 2006