The West Coast College of Massage Therapy caught up with Troy Taylor, a Victoria Campus alumni who graduated in 2015.
What made you want to become an RMT?
I chose to become an RMT because I was looking for meaningful work. The benefits of treatment are often immediately noticeable, so it makes it a rewarding career to see your efforts directly help someone.
Why did you choose WCCMT?
I decided to study with WCCMT as the location was very convenient and WCCMT had a great reputation with its longevity of helping students prepare for their board licensure exams.
What was your favourite part about being at the College?
During my time at WCCMT, I felt very lucky to have the instructors and clinic supervisors I did. Of course, the support staff and administration are great, but the instructors deliver the core product of the school; they’re the asset that makes the program what it is.
What was your biggest concern after you graduated?
Without a doubt, passing the board exams! It’s a tough process and it keeps our field at the top of our game. They were so challenging that I was certain that I failed, but in the end the marks I received showed me that I was well prepared by WCCMT.
What are you doing now?
I’m currently working with Fix Healthcare in Victoria. It’s an amazing team and a beautiful clinic, which I’m proud to be part of. I am self-employed and I work with them as a contractor and pay them rent for their services. I also have a clinic space in Fernwood, which I’ve had for a long time, and I plan to be working out of more often.
What do you plan to do with your career moving forward?
Continue building my practice and start to hone my skill-set with further continuing education.
Do you have a particular skill-set you are most curious about?
I’m specifically interested in learning more cranial and myofascial release (MFR) techniques, joint mobilizations, muscle energy technique (MET) and functional assessment. I come from a background in myofascial work as I previously studied Rolfing structural integration prior to studying at WCCMT. I find MFR techniques very effective and am curious to learn more. My training at the Rolf Institute® and WCCMT was limited with respect to cranial. Recently I’ve been working with more patients with head injuries and have been referring out to therapists who have more experience with cranial techniques. I found joint mobilizations at WCCMT also very effective and am keen to learn more. The few techniques I learned in MET were valuable and I use regularly in my practice. Functional assessment is always great to expand upon, because although we often assess movement in the cardinal planes, we don’t really move that way in life.
What do you find most rewarding about being an RMT?
Helping people and making a living doing it. The intrinsic value of the work makes you feel as though you’ve been paid before you’ve been paid. It’s pretty awesome to contribute to someone’s betterment and also be able earn a living.
What would be your advice for someone who would like to become an RMT?
Don’t go into this work unless you like people and like helping people. While the earnings may look appealing, you really need to put your heart into it. I wouldn’t choose this path as a job, I would choose it as a livelihood. And be kind to your instructors, they’ll be your colleagues before you know it.
Thanks to Troy for sharing his experiences with us! Want to share your story? Contact [email protected] to be featured in our blog. As always, WCCMT would love to see you on LinkedIn, our New Westminster Facebook Page or our WCCMT/CCMH Facebook Page so you can stay connected with our community.
