CGIMS is the professional designation for a medical doctor or physiotherapist who has completed training and is certified in Gunn IMS. However, Looking at the myriad of ways practitioners choose to denote their certification in Gunn IMS is much like collecting coins. There are so many out there, you will never complete your collection. Here is some history and and recommendations about using the designation:
Dr. Gunn coined the term Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS) in his early papers in the 1970’s. His first dry needling courses were taught at the Institute for the Study and Treatment of Pain (iSTOP) and were simply called IMS. With changing times some American jurisdictions started using Dr. Gunn’s term when referring to all dry needling. Additionally, courses were popping up with components of their curriculum purporting to include ‘IMS’. Eventually, it was clear that use of the term he coined was no longer simply the property of iSTOP and Dr. Gunn. We made the decision to change IMS to Gunn IMS back when courses were taught at iSTOP. Today, in the new UBC location, we still use this term. When you are referring to the collective theories, assessment and treatment that you learn here it is appropriate to use ‘Gunn IMS’. Upon completion of our course you will be certified in Gunn IMS. We advise you to use the credentials ‘CGIMS’ when listing your professional title on websites and business cards.
The CGIMS designation does not distinguish between those who did their training through the UBC Faculty of Medicine and those that did their training through iSTOP.