Student Massage
How It Works
Your massage treatment at The Mend will be performed by one of our students under the tutelage of an experienced Registered Massage Therapist. All our clinic instructors are fully qualified and passionate about equipping the next generation of RMTs.
Student interns are well into their studies by the time they’re gaining hands-on experience at The Mend, and continue to refine their skills until the end of their program.
How It Works
Treatment Steps
Total Treatment Time: 75 Minutes. Total Massage Time: 45 – 55 Minutes.
Treatment Steps
Your massage appointment will consist of the following important steps to ensure thorough, complete and safe care.
Total Time: 75 Minutes
Step 1
Consultation & Assessment
Before starting your first treatment, you’ll be asked to fill out a clinic intake form. This allows your student intern and their instructor to better understand your medical history and any areas that need extra care or attention. Once in your treatment room, your student intern will take you through the following steps as part of their training:
- Review your intake form or previous charts
- Identify your primary complaint and any secondary concerns
- Perform an assessment that aligns with their stage of learning
- Explain the results of the assessment to you and define goals for treatment
- Propose a treatment plan for the massage session
- Ask consent from you to perform the proposed treatment
We ask for your cooperation during this assessment period, as thoroughness with these steps are crucial to the student intern’s learning process.
Step 2
Instructor Approval
Your comfort and safety are a top priority. Once your treatment plan has been discussed, you’ll be instructed on how to prepare for your session and the student intern will leave the room. You will disrobe only to your level of comfort. During treatment, your body will always be fully draped (covered with a sheet) with the exception of the area on which the student intern is working.
While you are getting settled on the massage table, your student intern is having a valuable conversation with their clinic instructor that includes the following steps:
- Report the results of your assessment and their clinical findings for your individual case
- Review the treatment plan and goals along with the techniques intend to achieve them
- Receive feedback and tips based on the instructor’s clinical experience
- Secure approval to proceed with the treatment plan
The guidance provided by the supervising RMT is a critical step to improve the student’s critical thinking skills; this, in turn, enhances the effectiveness of your treatment.
Step 3
Student Lead Massage
This is your time to relax and enjoy the massage! Your student intern is trained to use a variety of techniques, depending on their level of clinical internship.
Remember, the Mend is a learning environment and therefore the clinic supervisor may enter your treatment space to check in with the student. During this time, the instructor may ask about specific goals, demonstrate a treatment technique, or ask questions to help improve your experience and the knowledge of the student.
Remember that communication with your student intern is important to ensure that your experience is a positive one. The students welcome constructive feedback throughout the hands-on process to ensure they are effectively achieving their planned results.
Step 4
Reassessment & Homecare
Once the hands-on portion of your appointment is complete, the student intern will leave the room so you can redress. When they return, you’ll be asked a few questions and to repeat a few assessment techniques to reassess your state and determine the effectiveness of the massage. They’ll provide you with a homecare plan that may include exercises, stretches, relaxation techniques or hydrotherapy that you can do at home to continue your care.
Treatment Planning Tips
Arrive Prepared
Think about your primary reason or desired outcome for visiting us. Your student intern can help you define this if you’re unsure. Discuss your reason for booking an appointment with your student intern to ensure that the treatment goals they define align with your expectations. Know that the more clearly you can define your goals and expectations for care, the easier it is for your Student Intern to progress through assessment, treatment planning, & instructor ‘sign off’.
Treatment Planning Tips
Make Sure To Chat
Understand that our students are trained to focus on one primary complaint per visit to ensure thorough assessment & treatment; secondary issues may need to be addressed at follow up visits. Communicate with your Student Intern during the treatment to provide feedback – every interaction with a patient is an opportunity for learning and growth. Keep in mind that a Clinic Instructor (or supervising RMT) may be overseeing part of your massage or providing hands-on technique demonstrations (with your consent). Assess how you’re feeling after your visit and note any improvements that occurred.
Treatment Planning Tips
Home Care &
Repeat Visits
Ensure you understand the home care that your Student Intern provides and how it relates to your health & wellness goals. Rarely are all issues/complaints completely resolved in one treatment so plan to book follow up visits with the same student intern when possible) for complete care. Book repeat visits with the same student intern for optimal care that follows an outlined treatment plan. If the presentation of your symptoms is more complicated than the student intern can manage, consider selecting a higher treatment level for follow up bookings (or lower if your concerns are simple).
