NCETMB and NCETM, Massage National Exam Certification and Licensure

The NCETM/NCETMB or National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork is a 160 question massage test created and overseen by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. The test questions are written and based upon a sample study done of massage practitioners every five years. This ensures that the questions stay up to date with current massage therapy laws and practices. The National Massage Certification Exam is used to measure the skills and knowledge acquired by the massage student in their approved massage school or course work. An approved school or course consists of at least 500 hours of didactic massage training. This includes 100 hours of in classroom training in Anatomy and Physiology, 200 hours of training on massage theory and application and 2 hours of massage ethics. The remainder of the required massage course hours are to be completed in related fields such as pathology, business practices and Complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM for the NCETMB).

The breakdown of the massage questions on the NCETM and the NCETMB is as follows:

25 questions on Body Systems 16%

42 questions on Anatomy, Physiology and Kinesiology 19%

18 questions on Pathology 13%

30 questions on Massage & Bodywork Assessment 18%

35 questions on Massage & Bodywork Application 22%

10 questions on Professional Massage Standards, Ethics, Business & Legal Practices 12%

for a total of 160 questions

NCETM and NCETMB Fees:

$225.00. If you fail the exam you will have to pay the fees again.

You must have your NCETMB application in and processed in order to become eligible for the National Massage Examination. You may also use this NCETMB Online Interactive Application as well. You are eligible when you have received the Authorization To Test Letter (ATT). You only have three months from the time the ATT is issued to be considered eligible to schedule and take the NCETMB or NCETM.

If you feel confident and comfortable, you can even submit your NCETMB/NCETM application before you graduate. That way when you have received the ATT you can take the exam, and decease the waiting period between graduation and Licensure. Some schools even set time aside to help prepare and send your application along with tuition paid NCBTMB fees. Check to see if your educational establishment sends your application to the NCBTMB for you.

NCBTMB New Testing Policies 1/1/09

After receiving your ATT, you must schedule a time to take the exam in a testing center nearest to you. To make your appointment contact Pearson VUE.

Passing Score Information

The Massage-Exam.com website is a resource for basic Massage information about our online practice exams and other links to major Massage organizations. We are not affiliated with NCBTMB, FSMTB, AMTA, ABMP, IMA or AMC. Information gathered from these organizations websites is to help educate and inform our fellow Massage Therapists.

 

Tips on taking and passing the National Certification Examination for Massage Therapy:

These tips have been gathered from dozens of resources. They can be applied to the NCETMB exam as well as any test structured in the same format. Data on the NCETMB and NCETM have been compiled from interviews with certified and licensed massage therapists that have passed the NCETMB or NCETM. From online massage therapy related forums as well as recognized authorities on examination preparation and test taking techniques.

Material to study for the NCETMB or NCETM exam:

* Realistically you should have a working knowledge of all materials covered in your NCBTMB approved massage course. There is no secret method to passing the Massage Exam Practice Testing Application will make you familiar with the format and content of the multiple choice questions. You can solidify the concepts of massage assessment and application by studying the massage answer rationales that accompany every question.

* Even though the NCETMB and NCETM exams have a minimum passing threshold, you should strive to learn more than just what is necessary to pass the exam. Reading the rationale that accompanies every question on Massage Exam, will help further your knowledge and open your understanding to the concepts taught from your text. Thereby building confidence in your personal abilities as a Massage Therapist, bringing a strong foundation for your new career.

The days before the NCETMB or NCETM Exam:

 * Be sure to eat a balanced diet and drink lots of water the days before the massage exam. Try to include B vitamin foods in your meals like oatmeal, bananas and raisins.

 * Do not try to cram for the massage exam. This is not an affective way of preparing for an exam. If you don't know the information you need the night before the exam, you are not going to know it after a day or night of cramming. Get some sleep or just relax the day or night before the exam instead of cramming. The rest will do more for you than pouring over text books and sample massage exam questions.

* Do not eat a sugar loaded meal or drink a lot of coffee before your exam. This will only add to your existing test anxiety.

* Study for your massage exam regularly over several weeks to get the best results from your test preparation.

* Download a map of the testing center location and arrive early to eliminate the stress of being late. Being late for the NCETMB/NCETM is not tolerated and you will have to reschedule. You must be approved and signed up for the NCETMB/NCETM, you can't just walk in to the testing center and request to take the exam. You can only bring your photo ID and a couple of pencils. Scrap paper will be provided for you in the testing area along with pencils if you are in need. These items must be returned at the end of the exam. Some testing facilities may even have a locker issued to you for your personal belongings to be stored during the exam.

* Dress in multiple layers when you go to take your exam so that you can take off what is not necessary if you are too warm. The temperature of the testing center can change during the day especially if the exam is held in a seldom used room or building.

* Use the restroom before you start the exam.

While taking the NCETMB or NCETM:

* Use caution with questions that contain words like always, except, never, most appropriate and other words that qualify a question. Watch out for words that put limitations on a potential answer.

* Be sure to read the entire massage question completely at least two times and then formulate the correct answer in your head before you take a look at the multiple choice answers. If you look at the choices of answers before you understand the question entirely, you may be lead into choosing a wrong answer.

* There are four possible answers to each massage question. Two of the answers can often be eliminated right off the bat after reading the question through two times. Once these two answers are eliminated, you only need to decide the "best possible answer" between the two remaining choices.

* Don't over think or complicate the question. Do not add elements into questions that are not already written into it. These things can cause you to overlook the basics of the question, which is usually what you are being tested for.

* When you have completed the massage exam, review and check your answers if you have time. You are given two hours and forty minutes to complete the exam so you should have a while to review it after you have completed it. There is most certainly at least one question that you read incorrectly. Do not spend your review time waiting out in the car for your friend to get done.

* Don't forget to breath!

The NCBTMB or National Certification Board of Massage Therapy and Bodywork does an excellent job of detailing all of the information about the NCETM/NCETMB, here in this link below.

NCETMB Massage Therapist Examination Handbook

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