Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is a vital part of maintaining your membership with the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society (ATMS). But beyond compliance, CPE is also an opportunity to keep your knowledge fresh, support your practice, and explore new perspectives in health and wellbeing.

Whether you're managing a busy client list or working part-time while juggling other commitments, online CPE offers a flexible, accessible way to stay current — without the need to travel or take time off work.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to choose suitable ATMS CPE courses and why many remedial massage therapists are embracing online study as their go-to option.

What Counts as CPE for ATMS Members?

ATMS members are required to complete 20 hours of CPE annually. For remedial massage therapists, this must be relevant to your area of practice and contribute meaningfully to your professional development.

Acceptable CPE activities can include:

• Completing formal courses (including online learning modules)

• Attending conferences or workshops

• Reading peer-reviewed journals

• Taking part in research, mentoring, or supervision

Benefits of Online CPE for Busy Therapists

Online CPE is rapidly becoming the preferred choice for many therapists — and for good reason:

• Study on your own schedule: Complete courses at a time that suits you — whether that’s between clients or after hours.

• Access quality content anywhere: No need to attend in-person workshops or travel long distances.

• Pause and replay: Take your time absorbing the material, revisit concepts, and learn at your own pace.

• Earn verifiable certificates: Meet your CPE requirements with downloadable certificates for easy record-keeping and audit compliance.

This format is especially valuable for part-time or regional therapists, or anyone balancing work with family or other professional commitments.

How to Choose the Right Online CPE Course

When selecting a CPE course, it’s worth considering:

• Relevance to your practice: Look for topics that align with your scope, client needs, or business goals.

• Credibility of the provider: Choose courses created specifically for manual therapy practitioners, rather than generic online learning platforms.

• Clear learning outcomes: Ensure the course outlines what you’ll learn, how long it will take, and what you’ll walk away with.

• Ease of documentation: Courses should provide a certificate and summary to help you keep thorough records for ATMS compliance.