NEW GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

At Gippsland Physiotherapy Group we have a unique, innovative and comprehensive new graduate development program that has been created and refined over 15 years.

The components of this extensive program are:

• Operations Manual – comprehensive information (over 200 pages) on all the policies and procedures involved in working in a GPG private practice including areas not covered in under-graduate programs such as compensable bodies and clinical strategies
• Clinical Mentorship – the allocation of an experienced clinical mentor to guide and mentor each new graduate including case reviews to promote active case based learning
• Continuing Education Allowance – a generous annual allowance for continuing education courses is provided to ensure that all new graduates have the opportunities to pursue their own areas of special interest and consolidate their learning in various clinical areas
• Development Days (Core) – the provision of 7 full day paid continuing education days over the first two years of graduation that are run internally and provide all of the learning required to build comprehensive and high level skills as a private practice clinician
• Development Days (Specialised) – the rare opportunity to participate in 3 two day courses per year presented by external experts that run their events specifically for GPG. The courses are high level and on popular areas of interest such as sports medicine, dry needling and the shoulder. As a team member of GPG the courses are discounted for participants, run as internal events and the continuing education allowance can be used to cover the cost

Some additional information is provided below on both the Core and Specialised Development Days.

Core Development Day 1

• Undertaken prior to commencing practicing DD1 is an introductory session that follows the principles of initially defining what successful physiotherapy practice is
• The meeting of client needs through a system known as the comprehensive Client Care Process (CCCP) is then introduced and outlined
• We then use practical examples to enhance active learning to plan and prepare for individual cases
• Considerable detail is provided in the structure and strategy behind every aspect of the consultation – subjective assessment, deciding the areas to be examined/planning and completing the physical examination, determining diagnosis and prognosis, selecting initial management (treatment), re-assessment selection and strategies and client management
• 60 page manual

Core Development Day 2

• This session follows topics such as client management pitfalls and how to avoid them, letter writing, making follow up calls effectively, managing review consultations, efficient writing of clinical notes, client category procedures and managing X-Ray referrals
• The next aspect of the session is comprehensive analysis of the lower thoracic spine and lumbar spine
• The session covers all aspects of the lumbar spine – subjective assessment, physical examination, special tests, comprehensive diagnostic strategy and list, diagnostic case studies to promote clinical reasoning, practical X-Ray viewing, prognosis guidelines, initial treatments based on diagnosis treatment specifics including manipulation, fracture management and common operations/procedures
• The session is run in an active learning fashion where participants are called upon to give their analysis as a normal part of the program
• The session ends with advanced clinical reasoning using case studies and some information on caseload progression

Core Development Day 3

• This session commences with a comprehensive review of how to manage delayed client progress, how to identify these situations and analyse the reasons involved and how to best address them
• The body of the session is comprehensive analysis of the cervical and upper thoracic spine
• The session ends with advanced clinical reasoning using case studies

Core Development Day 4

• This session commences with introduction and detailed information on the concept of a sub-practice as it relates to the positioning of each clinician within their allocated practice
• The body of the session is comprehensive analysis of the shoulder
• The session ends with advanced clinical reasoning using case studies

Core Development Day 5

• This session commences with conceptual information on how physiotherapy should be seen and valued in private enterprise and questions the way physiotherapist’s see themselves and the product that they provide
• The body of the session is comprehensive analysis of the knee
• The session ends with advanced clinical reasoning using case studies

Core Development Day 6

• This session commences with a comprehensive review of radiological tests, their strengths and weaknesses and when and how to use them in private practice
• The body of the session is comprehensive analysis of the elbow, wrist and hand
• The session ends with advanced clinical reasoning using case studies

Core Development Day 7

• This session commences with efficient clinical note taking in varying situations
• The body of the session is comprehensive analysis of the hip, ankle and foot
• The session ends with advanced clinical reasoning using case studies

Specialised Development Days 1 & 2

Neuromuscular Dry Needling Level 1 presented by Jorgen Forsberg

• History of dry needling
• Diagnosis of myofascial trigger points
• Introduction to neuromuscular dry needling
• Dangers and contraindications
• Safe needle practice (OH & S)
• Reactor types & Trigger Point patterns
• Thoracic pain, CTJ area, Triceps, Biceps
• Neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain, LBP, chronic sciatica
• Sports injuries, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, knee pain, arthritis, TMJ pain
• Superficial and deep dry needling, periosteal pecking
• Elliciting Local twitch responses (LTR)
• Neurophysiology of acute and chronic pain mechanism

Specialised Development Day 3 & 4

Neuromuscular Dry Needling Level 2 presented by Jorgen Forsberg

• Objective measures pre and post needling
• Advanced and complex areas including the spine
• Face, temporal TMJ, head, hands, feet
• Groin/hip area and adductor, iliopsoas
• Complex knee pathologies, tendinopathies
• Ankle, chest, axilla, shoulder and abdomen
• Specific treatments for sports injuries, ligaments
• Needle responsive areas
• Dry needling in pregnancy
• Using a range of different needles
• Effective Non needling – Gua sha/dynamic cupping

Specialised development Day 5 & 6

Sports Injury Management and Rehabilitation

• Details of this year’s course to follow

Specialised Development Day 7 & 8

Shoulder – comprehensive management

• Details of this year’s course to follow