The mission of this regulatory agency is “to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of Tennesseans by requiring those who practice the profession of massage therapy be qualified.”
The board:
- Determines standards of practice to ensure professional conduct.
- Issues licenses to prospective massage therapists who meet educational and exam requirements.
- Enforces license renewal and continuing education rules.
- Approves massage schools that meet criteria concerning curricula, instructors, policies, and resources.
- Mandates that massage establishment owners who are not licensed MTs receive two hours of continuing education in massage laws and rules every two years.
- Investigates alleged illegal activity and unethical behavior, taking disciplinary action when necessary.
- The governor appoints seven board members, who serve two five-year terms.
Minimum Education Requirements for Massage Therapy Programs in Tennessee
Massage therapy schools admit only applicants who have a high school degree or GED. Taking college-level science, health, and business classes may help in winning admission.
Schools that qualify for state approval are authorized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the Tennessee Board of Regents, or a comparable agency in another state.
The board mandates that MT programs provide at least 500 clock hours of instruction. There must be 200 hours of science coursework, including anatomy, pathology, kinesiology, physiology (Eastern or Western), and hygiene/blood-borne pathogens.
The classes are to cover the benefits and contraindications of massage; basic massage techniques; manipulative techniques such as kneading, stretching, percussion, and joint movements; and draping, positioning, and personal body mechanics.
Ten hours need to be devoted to ethics, and five hours to Tennessee laws and rules. The state also calls for instruction in business practices, interpersonal communication, first aid, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The student-to-instructor ratio in the hands-on portion of a board-approved course may be no more than 14:1.
Programs vary in the types of massage and other therapies they teach. Most have courses in Western and Eastern modalities.
Students seeking to specialize in certain methods should examine the classes that schools offer.
To become a massage therapist in Tennessee, a graduate applies to the board for a license. This involves getting approval from the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards to take the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx). The test is available regularly at Pearson VUE assessment centers in the state.
The board requires practitioners to renew their licenses, and obtain 24 hours of continuing education, every two years.