Section 2: Persons authorised to practise the profession

The state diploma for masseur-physiotherapists is awarded by the regional prefect to persons who, unless exempted, have completed the preparatory course for the state diploma and passed the theoretical and practical courses as well as the work placements that make up the training. The composition of the jury awarding the State diploma is set by order of the ministers responsible for health and higher education.

The state diploma for masseur-physiotherapists attests to the skills required to practise the activities of the profession of masseur-physiotherapist as defined by : 1° Articles L. 4321-1 and R. 4321-1 to R. 4321-13 of the Public Health Code; 2° The reference frameworks of activities and skills laid down by regulation.

The training leading to the state diploma of masseur-physiotherapist, organised in two cycles of four semesters each, lasts four years, i.e. eight semesters. The training programme organises the development of professional skills. The first cycle provides the fundamental scientific, methodological and professional teaching needed to understand health problems and clinical situations encountered in physiotherapy. The second cycle, based on the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired, organises the development of kinesitherapy…

The preparatory studies include theoretical and practical teaching and a period of work experience in accordance with a programme laid down by regulation. The courses are taught by university lecturers, doctors, masseur-physiotherapist health managers or masseur-physiotherapists who hold a university diploma or level 1 qualification in the areas of teaching or the various fields taught. Qualified persons or experts may also be called upon. The conditions governing compensation for work…

Exemptions from attending and validating some of the teaching units or work placements may be granted to students by the director of the physiotherapy training institute, on the recommendation of the credit allocation committee and after consulting the teaching council, in accordance with the procedures laid down by order of the ministers responsible for health and higher education. They are determined on the basis of a comparison between the training…

Admission to a training institute preparing for the state diploma of physiotherapist masseur is subject to successful completion of a first university year and obtaining 60 European credits from the 2016-2017 academic year. The conditions for admission to these institutes are set by order of the ministers responsible for health and higher education.

The state diploma for masseur-physiotherapists is obtained by acquiring the skills defined in the skills reference framework mentioned in article D. 4321-15. Each skill is obtained cumulatively: 1° By validating all the teaching units relating to the competency ; 2° By acquiring all the skills assessed during the work placements.

The state diploma in physiotherapy corresponds to 240 European credits.

Knowledge and skills are assessed in accordance with the procedures laid down for each of the teaching units in the training reference framework by order of the ministers responsible for health and higher education. Each semester is validated by the acquisition of 30 European credits. The acquisition of teaching units is based on the principles of accumulation and compensation. Teaching units are definitively acquired and can be capitalised once the…

The amount of the annual registration fees required of candidates for the state diploma in physiotherapy who are studying in a training institute run by a public health establishment is set by order of the Minister for Health.