Are you ready to achieve career bliss? Then start your research into spa and wellness schools today, and learn more about the requirements for a spa and wellness career in your state.
What Kind of Training is Best for You?
Massage Therapy
Training programs in massage therapy will teach you quite a bit about the human body. Students need to learn about anatomy and physiology, alongside business classes and of course the actual massage techniques. Many massage therapy schools offer concentrations in certain techniques or specializations. And most programs will have part-time and full-time options.
Regulations and licensing for massage therapy vary state-to-state, so it is best to go to one of your state's massage therapy schools, assuming that's where you will be practicing. Graduation from an accredited massage therapy school or program is often required by the state to practice. And continuing education classes may be necessary throughout the course of your career to continue practicing.
If you would like to be nationally licensed in massage therapy, you would have to take a licensing exam such as the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB). The exam has several eligibility requirements attached, which also vary by state. Additionally, there are other multi-state exams available, which are accepted at the discretion of the state.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic medicine deals with the principle that spinal joint misalignments interfere with the nervous system. Chiropractic physicians believe this misalignment can result in lower resistance to disease, as well as other conditions of diminished health. While many of the alignments and manipulations of the musculoskeletal system take place around the spine area, that isn't the only place on the body in which a chiropractor works. Unlike other specialized physicians, chiropractors seek to get to the source of the pain and treat it, rather than just relieving the symptoms of the pain or other health issues caused by the misalignment. They may recommend lifestyle changes, exercise or use other natural remedies such as massage therapy, but they do not prescribe drugs.
Those interested in attending one of the accredited chiropractic schools in the U.S. must have at least 90 hours of college study before enrolling in a chiropractic program. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report that many students already possess a bachelor's degree before choosing one of the 16 programs at chiropractic schools in the country. Minimum requirements recommend courses in English, humanities, several disciplines in biology, physics, chemistry and psychology.
Most chiropractic schools require a minimum of 4,200 hours of combined classroom and clinical work before graduating from the program. The first two years typically focuses on classroom study in anatomy, physiology, public health, microbiology, pathology, and biochemistry. The remainder of the training includes classroom training in manipulation and spinal adjustment as well as other specialized medical training and clinical training. At the end of the course in chiropractic school, students are awarded a Doctorate of Chiropractic. All states require licensure before practicing chiropractic medicine.
Physical Therapy
You must be licensed to work as a physical therapist, and more than 172,000 of physical therapy professionals are licensed in the U.S., according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The organization’s surveys have found the median salary to be $75,000, which varies depending on experience, education, position, and work setting.
Nearly 200 colleges and universities offer accredited physical therapist schools, according to the APTA, providing education and training to professionals seeking post-baccalaureate degrees. You can earn a master’s degree (typically a two-year program) or a doctor of physical therapy degree (typically a three-year program), which the APTA says more programs offer. The coursework covers everything from the sciences to supervised experience working with patients in a clinic, and a strong background in biology, chemistry, physics, and other math and science courses is a plus.
Once earning your state license through examinations, you will work with patients to test aspects such as balance and coordination, range of motion, strength, muscle performance, and motor function, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. A crucial role is determining a strategy for treatment (inside and outside the clinic) and what outcome a patient can expect. Some visits to physical therapists include heating up or cooling down the muscle or body parts in pain through hot packs, water tanks, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation.
