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Heritage College, Kansas City, Missouri review

February 17, 2006

I thorough review of Heritage College Massage Course.

Name: Patrick
School: Heritage College (Kansas City Missouri Campus). They have 5 or 6 Campuses that offer the same program.

Attended: May 2003-July 2004

Program: They offer a 10 month 800 hour Massage Certificate Program, and a 14 Month 1200 hour Associates Degree Program.

They will pay for your books, license, national exam, and table.

I took the 14 month program which adds 2 classes, paid continuing education, and a massage chair.

You are assigned a core group of classmates that you are with throughout your program. The programs are designed on a cycle or wheel design. Since all the courses are 100/200 level no prerequisites are required. This means students are introduced into the program anywhere on the wheel, and graduate when you have completed all the courses (Modules) on the wheel. Clinic is the last mod, and you watch a little intro video with workbook to get you ready for your first class. I also recommend getting a few professional massages from different people first too.

There is no full/part time option. You go to class 4 hours a day 5 days a week. You can select from morning, afternoon, or evening. New modules starting every six weeks. About half the hours are class and half are hands on.

This offers a nice mix. One, you can start the program anytime a new "Mod" (Module) starts. Two, new students are put with experienced students and can learn from
them. Third, you review frequently as new students come in. Fourth, older students help pass knowledge to newer students reinforcing the knowledge in the older students mind.

The down side to this is that there is a lot of reviewing, and it can get boring. I already had anatomy and other bio classes which changed my dynamics a bit with it, but I helped others, and made it fun.

The state only requires 500 hours, and we cover everything the state wants with plenty of time for teachers to add a lot of additional knowledge and practice time.

The ten modules are: Neuromuscular Anterior, Neuromuscular Posterior, Medical Massage*, Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine*, Nutrition and Herbology, Clinical Assessment, Musculoskeletal (Anatomy detailed), Deep Tissue/Sports Massage, Business, Clinic. (*only a part of the 14 month program)

As true with all schools, Heritage seems to be able to graduate both good and bad persons and fail some of the best therapists. Here attendance is important if you are good and attend class all the time you will pass. I would recommend you take what the school offers, and supplement with your own studies and practice. If you have to, after you have learned the basics and are almost to clinic, do trades, figure out what you like to get and give, and then practice�some teachers are too formal to let you do this in class so do it at home with the table the school gives you.

Continuing education will meet the state requirements, but the best therapists will go elsewhere for more specialised training.

I have heard a lot of people complain about various things, but after having been at several schools, it�s probably one of the easiest subjects even if I had not had similar studies before. I can not see how a person can complain about how a teacher does not teach well. All the teachers here actually taught me. Compared to other colleges where the teacher does not cover what is in the book these do. If you don't get enough from the teacher, read and know the book... the tests are actually from the information covered there.

After Graduation:

Most of the people don't seem to be doing massage as there primary business after school, and within 2 years many will either cut back or stop unless they build there own practice. It also takes time to grow a client base, and it is hard to afford a place while you grow. If you leave a place that is not yours most clients won't follow.... but many won't stay there either.

Supply vs. Demand, sure the demand is growing for massage therapists, but not nearly as fast as all the schools are graduating students. It�s a scary world and there are people who want more than massage.

Devaluing and poor quality, new therapists hurt our industry. Please practice before you go out into the public. Many spas will hire almost any lady no matter how bad, and if people get a bad massage it hurts us all. I can not blame the therapists either because even a good therapist won't put much effort into massage if they are getting paid next to nothing. $60 per massage is rare. You would be lucky to get 60% of what the spa charges, less if you are there all day--but then you can get an hourly wage too.

The charges at spas vary widely. I have seen spa prices as low as $39.00 to over a hundred. How much can they pay you if they are only getting $39.00? What does $39.00 do for the value of massage in general and at that spa in particular? Do you want to be associated with that only to wear yourself out to point of injury and retirement?

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