Presented by Amanda Winter

Research Made Relevant: From Evidence to Clinical Practice 

An educational 3-part webinar series designed to help Registered Massage Therapists find, understand, apply, and contribute to research. The series will explore the role of research in massage therapy, from locating credible information relevant to clinical practice to understanding how individual RMTs can contribute to the profession's developing evidence base.

Each webinar will be offered as a standalone learning opportunity, allowing participants to elect the topics most relevant to their professional interests and learning needs.

Part 1: Finding the Evidence — Where to Look and How to Make Sense of What you Find

Research can be a valuable resource for Registered Massage Therapists seeking to better understand the conditions, symptoms, and health concerns encountered in clinical practice. However, knowing where to find credible research and how to navigate the available information can sometimes feel overwhelming.

This introductory webinar will focus on developing practical research literacy skills that RMTs can apply to their everyday clinical practice. Participants will learn how to transform clinical questions into searchable research topics, identify reliable sources of scientific information, and navigate databases such as PubMed to locate relevant peer-reviewed literature.

The session will also introduce strategies for refining literature searches, identifyResearch can be a valuable resource for Registered Massage Therapists seeking to better understand the conditions, symptoms, and health concerns encountered in clinical practice. However, knowing where to find credible research and how to navigate the available informationcan sometimes feel overwhelming. This introductory webinar will focus on developing practical research literacy skills that RMTs can apply to their everyday clinical practice. Participants will learn how to transform clinical questions into searchable research topics, identify reliable sources of scientific information, and navigate databases such as PubMed to locate relevant peer-reviewed literature. The session will also introduce strategies for refining literature searches, identifying differenttypes of research publications, and recognizing the importance of evaluating the credibility and relevance of information. Rather than focusing on specific treatment techniques or prescribing clinical approaches, this webinar will emphasize how research can support a broader understanding of patient presentations, health conditions, and the factors that may influence clinical decision-making.

Participants will leave with practical tools and resources to help them independently locate research relevant to their professional interests and clinical questions.ing different types of research publications, and recognizing the importance of evaluating the credibility and relevance of information. Rather than focusing on specific treatment techniques or prescribing clinical approaches, this webinar will emphasize how research can support a broader understanding of patient presentations, health conditions, and the factors that may influence clinical decision-making. Participants will leave with practical tools and resources to help them independently locate research relevant to their professional interests and clinical questions.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Formulate focused clinical questions to guide literature searches.
2. Identify credible databases and sources of peer-reviewed research relevant to massage therapy practice.
3. Demonstrate basic literature search strategies, including keywords, Boolean operators, and search filters.
4. Recognize different types of research publications and assess their relevance to clinical questions.

About the Presenter:

Amanda Winter, RMT, BHSc, MSc

Amanda Winter has been a Registered Massage Therapist in Ontario since 2006. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences and a Master of Science in Health and Rehabilitation Science (Health Professional Education) from Western University. With over a decade of experience teaching massage therapy at Fanshawe College, Amanda is passionate about fostering research literacy and encouraging RMTs to remain curious, ask meaningful questions, and recognize their potential to contribute to the profession's   Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario (RMTAO) and is an accreditation surveyor with the Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation (CMTCA). A recipient of the 2025 RMTAO Research Award, Amanda is committed to strengthening the profession through education, advocacy, and interprofessional collaboration.

Notes:

-Registration Deadline: Wednesday February 3, 2027, at 2:30PM

-All webinar registrations are on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited capacity on total registrations per webinar.

-Webinar will be recorded. All registered participants will receive a link to the webinar recording. Access to the recording will be available for up to 3 months from the webinar date.

- Early bird deadline expires 2 weeks before the webinar date.

Recording Consent Disclaimer for RMTAO Webinars:

This webinar will be recorded. By registering for the event, you are providing your consent to being recorded and the use of your image and voice by the RMTAO in replaying the webinar in the future.