Shiatsu Society

3.  Information Sheet for Graduates about the Post Graduate Year

a)  What is the Post Graduate Year?

The idea of the Post Graduate Year (PGY) arose out of the need to change the existing MRSS Assessment system, which is cumbersome for the Society and demands extra hoops for Graduates to jump through. Pilot studies which the Society had carried out showed that although a proportion of students sitting their 3rd year Diploma Practical Assessment were not at MRSS standard, their Shiatsu skills were in place and what was needed was more time and clinical experience to bring them to the required level of competence. The Ratification Sub-committee decided that the whole system could be streamlined by ratifying or approving the procedures used in a School’s Practical Assessments (rather as Schools’ Theory Assessments are already ratified), so that Schools’ Theory and Practical Assessments could stand in place of the current MRSS Assessment. Graduates then undertake a Post Graduate Year during which they complete certain Continuing Professional Development (CPD) criteria. At the end of the PGY, provided the criteria have been fulfilled (see Form 3.2), Membership of the Register of Professional Practitioners of the Shiatsu Society is granted automatically.

b)  What are the advantages of the Post Graduate year?

1. There are no more Assessments after the School Diploma. For many adult learners exams and assessments are a major challenge, and have prevented Graduates putting themselves forward for MRSS.
2. The framework of the PGY encourages Graduates to keep in touch with their School or other mentors, and to work actively towards setting up their professional practice.
3. The flexibility of the system enables Graduates to create their own programme of study and to request the support they personally feel necessary in making the transition from student to practitioner.
   

c)  What do I have to do?

Once you have passed your School’s Assessments and obtained your Diploma, you may register for the Post Graduate Year (see Form 3.1 Registration for the Post Graduate Year). You may choose exactly when you begin the PGY:  it is a fixed 1 year period which can be commenced at any time within the 3 years following Graduation.  For example, you may choose to start your PGY in the November following Graduation). You must have been a Member of the Shiatsu Society for 2 years prior to registration for the PGY.

During the PGY you need to fulfil the following criteria:

1. Be a fully insured Graduate Member of the Shiatsu Society.
2. Attend a minimum of two one-hour tutorials with an MRSS(T).
3. Attend four supervision sessions with a suitably qualified supervisor (not necessarily a Shiatsu practitioner) in which issues such as client/ practitioner relationship, practice management, self-awareness and personal growth in relation to Shiatsu practice are covered. Your School Principal can give you guidance as to the direction and focus of attention of your supervision sessions.
4. Receive a minimum of 3 treatments from a current MRSS.
5. Complete and write up professional standard notes on 100 treatments. (These treatments need to be conducted during the PGY period, and so may notbe the same treatments used to obtain your School Diploma.)

At the end of the Post Graduate Year, you apply for Membership of the Register of Professional Practitioners of the Shiatsu Society (see Form 3.2 Application for MRSS), and provided all criteria are fulfilled and relevant signatures obtained you will be granted Practitioner Membership within one month of Application.

Notes:

• Your School Principal will provide you with a letter of recommendation when you register for the PGY. It is also expected that normally your School Principal will be the one who agrees your focus of study for your PGY and signs off your Application for MRSS checklist (form 3.2) at the end of your PGY. Schools can make a charge for this at a rate recommended by the Shiatsu Society (presently £60 at October 2006). You may choose another MRSS (T) to supervise your PGY if you wish.
• Graduate Members can only have Graduate Member status for 4 years: after that time they must either progress to MRSS status via the Post Graduate Year route, or they will be re-designated as Associate Members (which means that their details will be removed from the public registers).
• Graduates should have obtained their Diploma not more than 3 years prior to registering for the PGY, and not more than 4 years prior to applying for MRSS (except see note d) below, and Special Notes for “older” Graduates below).
• In exceptional circumstances a Graduate may interrupt their PGY. They must inform the Shiatsu Society Office of the date when they commence this interruption and must inform the Office again when they re-commence their PGY.
• Members on the Post Graduate year are responsible for the costs of their treatments, tutorials and supervision sessions.
• Please also read Shiatsu Society Rules and Regs. Section 13.

Special Notes for ‘older’ Graduates 

If you obtained your Diploma prior to the start of the New Route to MRSS scheme (January 2006), please see document 3.3 Notes for Current Graduate Members.

Definition of supervision

Supervision in this context is intended to cover a wide range of possibilities, so that you are appropriately supported in your first year of professional practice. The supervision sessions may include:

1. Client – practitioner relationship (recommended 2 of the minimum 4 supervision sessions).
2. Practice management.
3. Self-awareness and personal growth in relation to Shiatsu practice.
4. Building and marketing your business.
5. Advanced Shiatsu techniques/ workshops.
6. Peer supervision and support.

Your School Principal or other MRSS (T) should be able to recommend local supervisors and trainers, and to suggest/ offer appropriate post-graduate training.

Form  3.1   Registration for the Post Graduate Year
Form  3.2  Application to join the Professional Register (MRSS)

These forms are included in the document on the downloads page

3.3  Notes for current Graduates members

You may move into the Post Graduate Year if the following apply:

1. The School from which you graduated has had their current Practical Assessment procedures verified.
2. You completed your studies when the School’ Theory Assessment was ratified by the Shiatsu Society.
3. There has been no major change in how your school assesses their final year since your graduation.
4. The school has a record of your pass mark (both Theory and Practical) and date of graduation/ qualification.
5. You are on the Graduate list of the Shiatsu Society.

Please check the first four with your school and the last with the Shiatsu Society.

You may then complete the requirements for the Post Graduate Year.  Please contact the Office to get a form.

If you completed your studies before your School was ratified, or your School no longer exists, then you are free to join the professional register (MRSS) via the current theory and practical assessments, or you can be assessed by another School via their theory and practical assessments, so as to join a post graduate year.

Graduates may only stay in the Graduate category for four years after this new system starts (summer 06).  They would have to move on to the Post Graduate Year, and so to the professional Register (MRSS), or they would have to move to the Associate category.