UCMT, SLC

[Ryan P]

I'm looking into going the SLC school, I've request some information from them and waiting for it to arrive. However, I wanted to know if anyone went there and could give me a bit more then what their website gives, and also your opinion on the school it's self..

Thanks a Bunch,
Jeni

 

[twilight fan team edward]

I am currently a night student attending the Denver School of Massage Therapy which is part of the UCMT Family of Schools.

I believe that the curriculum is very similar across all their campuses. The professional massage therapy program is a 815.5 clock hour program that can be completed in 7 months or 12 months. The 7 month program is full-time and the 12 month program is part-time with night classes. Each class session is 3.5 hours long with three 10 minute breaks. Classes are typically scheduled for 4 days each week. In addition to classes there are 21 clinic shifts that are 5.5 hours long.

A more detailed curriculum outline is included in the student handbook. I'm not sure if I received the handbook when I originally requested information from the school.


Overall I'm not happy with the education I am receiving at the DSMT. If I had to do it over again I would enroll elsewhere. Several of my classmates are very satisfied with the program. Your mileage may vary.


The good
* I truly value the relationship that has been established with the others in my class. Maybe I got lucky with my class.
* This may be a good school if you want to work on a cruise ship because the school is owned by Steiner.
* The program has a lot of hours for clinical internship more than I've seen in other programs.
* There is one instructor on the Aurora campus that has made a tremendous difference for me personally. Instructors vary by campus. Hopefully there are quality instructors at the SLC campus.
* I really enjoyed the cadaver lab. It was only six sessions but it really helped me learn my anatomy.


The not so good
* I have concerns about the quality of the curriculum and a modicum of frustration with many of the texts. For most of the classes, the text used is a spiral bound text published by FCNH (Florida College of Natural Health) which I also believe to be owned by Steiner. I don't believe that these texts are reviewed/revised sufficiently. Spelling errors, incorrect usage of grammar, and inconsistent information make it difficult to learn concepts.
* The faculty/staff turnover has not helped my experience at the Aurora campus. I don't know if the SLC campus has more stable employee retention.
* No apparent capping of admissions. I've heard of a class at one campus of the Arizona School of Massage Therapy that had 70 students. They had additional TAs but I think that the quality of hands on instruction was compromised. I don't know if classes get that large at the SLC campus. My class started with about 28 people.
* I also had a negative experience discussing some of my concerns with student services and another issue with financial aid.


Recommendations
* Visit multiple schools before deciding on a program.
* Get massages from the student clinics at those schools.
* Talk to as many students or graduates as you can about their experiences at those schools.

Good luck in finding the school that is right for you!

 

[Chandru .]

From my experience w/ DSMT (westminster, co campus), I absolutely love it. I go to the day classes, which is a little more fast paced than the night. You graduate in 7 months instead of 12, and you take 2 classes a day instead of one. The curriculum is great, although I do agree with the spelling errors that can be found. It's not too often, though. The anatomy texts are amazing, and the fact that you get to go to 6 cadaver labs really helps you better understand what you are actually working on as a therapist. I honestly think anyone who has had the opportunity to go to a cadaver lab is most likely a better therapist than someone who has not. There's only so much you can get from the pictures of the muscles.

The last post had some good advice, but I think it your experience will definitely depend on which campus you are at. I can only speak for the one I go to, but it's amazing. Everyone, from the instructors, to clinic staff, to student services have been exceptional. They all seem to have a passion for what they do, which makes it more enjoyable to learn.

One tip I have in chosing a school is that not all massage schools offer a clinical internship on campus. You may have to go find your own internship elsewhere. I think the fact that UCMT family of schools provides clinic is a blessing and definitely takes off whatever additional stress that could come from searching for one.

Let me know what you decide.