Integrating research competencies in massage therapy education

The massage therapy profession is currently engaged in a competency-based education movement that has as one of its several focal points an emphasis on promoting massage therapy research competencies (MTRCs) at an introductory or entry level. One of several dimensions that must be seriously considered in advancing MTRCs in the profession is that of the curricular and instructional contexts for teaching these skills (see J. Bodywork Movement Ther. 2003, 7(3), 194). It is precisely this dimension to which this paper speaks in proposing a systems-based model for integrating research competencies in massage therapy education. Specifically, basic guidelines are suggested for preparing, implementing, and evaluating instruction at the unit or module level. An illustrative unit titled “The Experimental Research Process” is provided as an exemplar that could serve any one or more of the following functions: (a) an initial unit among several constituting a foundational core research course in a massage therapy school's curriculum; (b) a self-contained unit as part of a continuing education workshop or mini-course; and (c) a generic unit for a networking educational seminar among diverse health care professionals.