CPLA Exam

CPLA Replaced By The MTECA:

Note: The CPLA has been replaced by the MTECA (Massage Therapy Education and Credential Assessment).

From the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario Website: 

Massage Therapists from Unregulated Provinces or Trained Internationally:

Applicants who have not graduated from a Massage Therapy program at a private vocational school in Ontario, or a College of Applied Arts and Technology in Ontario (an ‘approved program’), must have their Massage Therapy education assessed. If their prior training is deemed equivalent to current programs approved in Ontario, they must also successfully complete the Standards and Regulations E-Workshop before being permitted to attempt the CMTO Certification Examinations.

The CMTO education and credential assessment process is called the Massage Therapy Education and Credential Assessment (MTECA).

The MTECA focuses on the individual’s Massage Therapy education, including any relevant professional development course(s) that may have been completed. It is a paper-based review that is less time consuming and less expensive for the applicant than the previous Credential and Prior Learning Assessment (CPLA) process and is designed to be both rigorous and fair.

CMTO will accept MTECA applications throughout the year. Applicants will need to obtain documentation in their home jurisdiction and are encouraged to begin the MTECA application process prior to arriving in Ontario.

For More information about the MTECA,  access to the MTECA application package, including a handbook with detailed instructions, all of the required forms, and fee information, please visit: https://www.cmto.com/massage-therapists-educated-outside-ontario/

 

How to Study for the CPLA exam:

The CPLA – Credential and Prior Learning Assessment (CPLA) exam is used to determine if the applicant has the knowledge and skills equivalent to those acquired through education in Ontario. The CPLA is a three- part written and practical evaluation of an applicant’s knowledge, hands-on, critical thinking and clinical application skills. It involves the following:

THE CPLA EXAMINATION ( There are 3 Parts):

a. Diagnostic Health Studies Written Examination ( “Diagnostic MCQ”)

(It is similar to the MCQ part of the actual board exam.) You will participate in a computer based multiple-choice question (MCQ) examination in health sciences. The MCQ is given at an approved test centre. This examination will include topics such as anatomy and physiology, neuroanatomy and physiology, pathology, kinesiology, nutrition, and the effects of surgery and medicine.

To Study: https://www.massagetherapyreference.com/mcq/

 b. Diagnostic Objectively Structured Clinical Evaluation (“Diagnostic OSCE”)

In this part of the certification exam, the applicant will participate in an approximately 90 minute Objectively Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE) consisting of 5 to 7 stations. In these stations you will be asked to perform tasks related to health history taking, consent, assessment, treatment planning, application of techniques, palpation or structure identification and prescription of remedial exercise. ( This is similar to the OSCE part of the actual board exam)

To study : https://www.massagetherapyreference.com/osce-exam/

 

 c. Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation

In this part of the certification exam, the applicant will participate in a 90 minute clinical placement under the supervision of a registered massage therapist. The applicant’s ability to administer a comprehensive massage therapy treatment to a new client will be evaluated. This includes health history taking, consent, assessment, treatment planning, application of a therapeutic massage therapy treatment according to the client’s chief complaint, prescription of remedial exercise and clinical note taking.

In this part of the CPLA certification exam, you will be asked to perform a comprehensive Massage Therapy Treatment:

  •  You will have a volunteer client that will have an issue and you will be given a health history form of the client.
  • You will treat this client as you would in a clinical setting.
  • You will have to cover everything which would include:
      • Health History taking
      • Review of the Health History if it has been filled  (your questions regarding their health history)
      •  performing an assessment regarding their case
      • devising a Treatment Plan ( current and on-going treatment plan)
      • explaining the Treatment Plan to the patient then getting Consent
      • Performing a Massage Therapy treatment
      • Note taking ( SOAP notes )
      • Remedial Exercise prescription to the volunteer client regarding their condition.

Definitions taken from CMTO ( College of Massage Therapist’s of Ontario)