Musculoskeletal (MSK) presentations remain one of the most common reasons patients seek care in general practice, yet many GPs, particularly those in rural and remote areas, often face barriers in accessing timely allied health support or alternative pain management strategies.
To meet this need, GEMt has launched a medically tailored Foundations of Dry Needling course specifically for General Practitioners, focusing on real-world application, anatomical safety, and clinical relevance in a primary care setting. The program is ARCCM CPD-accredited, fully supervised, and designed to be completed successfully in just 2 days with an online component and 1.5 days face to face with our GEMt Director, Robert De Nardis who boasts over 35 years of clinical experience.
“Dry needling transformed my practice” Dr Gaston Boulanger
Dr Gaston Boulanger, RACGP Medical Educator and Director of a large regional Queensland GP clinic on Boyne Island, co-developed the GEMt GP program with global dry needling educator and GEMt founder Robert De Nardis. Dr Boulanger experienced firsthand the impact dry needling had on his practice and patient outcomes as he has completed an Advanced GEMt Dry Needling program.
“Dry needling is easy to learn with GEMt, safe to perform, cost-effective, and strongly evidence-based,” says Dr Boulanger. “It allows GPs to manage acute and chronic pain with far less reliance on medications, imaging, or referrals.”
Over the past two years, Dr Boulanger has used dry needling to treat hundreds of patients with conditions ranging from headaches and neck pain to tennis elbow, gluteal dysfunction, and even tinnitus. He reports significantly improved outcomes, reduced
prescribing of opioids and anti-inflammatories, and greater satisfaction among both doctors and patients.
Six of the doctors in his clinic have already completed the GEMt Foundations of Dry Needling course and are actively integrating dry needling into consultations, with more scheduled to complete training in the coming months.
“Learning and implementing dry needling has been the most impactful clinical innovation I’ve experienced since attending the HWQ Musculoskeletal course 15 years ago” says Dr Boulanger. “It also reinforces fundamental clinical skills that are being lost, like anatomical knowledge and physical examination.”
Course Overview: Safe, Evidence-Based, Immediately Applicable
The Foundations of Dry Needling for GPs course includes:
- Trigger point theory and clinical application
- Anatomical safety and regional contraindications
- Neuromyofascial concepts relevant to primary care
- Hands-on instruction in small group settings
- Supervised needling of commonly treated areas, including the neck, shoulder, lumbar region, glutes, and lower limb
Participants complete online theory prior to the live course, ensuring more time for supervised practical application during the weekend intensive. Course attendees leave with the confidence in their ability to integrate dry needling into daily consultations, especially for managing MSK pain where allied health access is limited in rural and remote parts of Australia.
Giving Back to Rural Communities in May and June
In recognition of the devastating impact of the recent floods in regional Queensland, GEMt is donating $50 from every course registration in May and June to Rural Aid who are actively supporting affected communities.
“This course is designed to support rural GPs in delivering high-quality MSK care and in in-turn we’re also supporting the communities they serve,” says GEMt Dry Needling Director Robert De Nardis.
Register or Learn More
GEMt dates, eligibility requirements, and registration details are available at www.gemtinfo.com.au, or you can contact the GEMt team at courses@gemtinfo.com.au
This is a unique opportunity for regional and rural GPs to gain a new clinical skill that improves patient outcomes, reduces prescribing, and enhances the procedural confidence of GPs, all while supporting rural health where it’s needed most.