Thirst for knowledge

Consultant editor Vicky Eldridge speaks to Professor Steve Davies about his journey into online learning and his role as founding director of the Learna platform

While the relationship between endocrinology and aesthetics may not at first seem clear, the connection between the two fields has been long-lived. In fact, it was a doctor of endocrinology based in Paris named Dr Jean-Jacques Legrand who founded one of the earliest organisations in – the French Society of Aesthetic Medicine – in 1973.

Initially, Legrand appreciated the role of hormones in aesthetics and anti-ageing. Although many now consider injectables as representing aesthetic medicine, it remains increasingly important to appreciate the foundation of the sector and the holistic management of patients.

Like Legrand, Professor Steve Davies began his medical career in the field of endocrinology. He was heavily involved as a lecturer in medicine, teaching students and helping junior doctors to pass exams. The advent of the internet in the 1990s meant that he could extend this passion for education to a much broader audience.

“My colleague, Dr Dean Jenkins and I had the inspired idea of delivering revision material initially to help juniors prepare for the MRCP medical exam”, explains Prof Davies. “This was the forerunner of the website and our business, OnExamination. com, which extended its educational remit to most undergraduate and postgraduate exams and was acquired by the BMJ in 2007.

“Around that time, I’d also begun to develop an interest in aesthetics through my clinical interest in the endocrinology of ageing. Hormones are particularly important with regard to the ageing process. As a clinician, I was drawn to the specialty as an interesting and rapidly evolving clinical area. And, of course, as an educationalist, I saw the need for education not just in injectable therapies but also in the role of hormones, weight management and antiageing strategies that complement them.”

FOUNDING LEARNA

In 2010, Prof Davies established Learna, another online training platform offering postgraduate diplomas, MScs and CPD.

“We started Learna with three people, me included, and just one programme with the University of South Wales”, he recalls. “Latterly, we have grown to 72 employees and more than 400 tutors across 37 postgraduate courses with three universities. Back then, we had 33 people studying on the course. Now we have more than 1,500 students annually. The organisation has come a long way and can attribute its success to the foundation with OnExamination and the evolving opportunities afforded by the internet and online learning.

“Many people had regarded online learning as somewhat inferior to residential. Undoubtedly, residential learning has its merits, particularly when delivering practical sessions. But the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the widespread adoption of online learning and its potential.

“However, delivering a lecture via Zoom does not necessarily utilise the full potential of online learning. So, while the move to deliver online education is positive, ed tech is still rapidly evolving. This is why I think the future of universities will not be ‘red brick’ but an aluminium case. Maybe the futuristic university is on the internet, with centralised tutors delivering lectures to thousands and AI being the personal tutor. Irrespective of the future of medical education, the onus must be to deliver it to the highest quality.”

FURTHERING AESTHETICS EDUCATION

Gaining a degree in healthcare is just the beginning of a healthcare professional’s career, and specialist qualifications are an essential part of the postgraduate development of healthcare professionals. Besides the competitive advantages offered by a postgraduate degree at interview, specialist development with increased knowledge and implementation of evidence into practice is essential in delivering an ultimately better and safer patient experience.

Consequently, Learna has become one of the leading institutions in delivering postgraduate awards that are clinically relevant and cater to the needs of a busy HCP. Amongst the 37 postgraduate medical Diploma and MSc courses, Learna has also developed the postgraduate Diploma in Cosmetic Medicine delivered innovatively over one year, which also enables the student to potentially do a clinical practical Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE), permitting the application for membership of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP). The other pathway to membership of the JCCP for those experienced practitioners is through the two-part Fast Track Assessment Exam.

The master’s course has been specifically designed to promote and enhance working professionals’ knowledge and their practice in cosmetic and aesthetic medicine. The programme lead, Dr Ana Cristina Diniz Silva, is an accomplished clinician with an international reputation in aesthetics. Not only does the award incorporate the ‘traditional’ aesthetic practice of injectables, but it takes the learner further, developing their knowledge of emerging techniques in aesthetic practice exploring topics like the Horvath Biological Clock and therapies in antiageing, novel therapies in weight management and also the management of hair disorders and endocrine aesthetics.

Furthermore, the course develops the understanding of safety in aesthetics, particularly as often the practitioner operates alone and may not have access to the scrutiny offered within the hospital MDT. Patient safety should be at the heart of clinical practice. Consequently, bodies such as the JCCP have been informed to ensure adequate training and regulation in the speciality.

“A practitioner needs to understand that they might cause catastrophic problems wielding a needle and injecting into someone’s face without adequate training”, Prof Davies says. “Aesthetic practitioners need to appreciate this and thereby their limitations, but also, if they are embarking upon treatments, they need to be able to recognise and deal with the complications that may ensue. This also makes commercial sense. The more skilled and knowledgeable a practitioner is, the more they can offer the patient, the greater the confidence patients have in the practitioner and, of course, the greater the business potential.”

Bearing in mind that there are many aesthetic practitioners out there with years of experience and excellent knowledge who may not wish to study for a formal university qualification, Learna, in conjunction with the JCCP, has also developed the two-part Fast Track Assessment (FTA) exam. It is specifically designed for experienced aesthetic practitioners looking to register with the JCCP. Part 1 is a three-hour theoretical examination covering aspects of anatomy, pharmacology, ethics and clinical management. After successfully passing the Part 1 exam, the practitioner can move on to Part 2 – the OSCE. The latter can be completed in approved test centres across the UK, including Cardiff and London.

Successful completion of the FTA provides practitioners with a more convenient way of applying for JCCP registration. Further, it reassures their clients of their competency knowledge and adherence to best practices.

“The FTA route has proven to be very popular among skilled practitioners as members of the JCCP will, I think, become as important in aesthetics as being a member of the Royal Colleges is in pharmacy or nursing or medicine”, says Prof Davies. “Furthermore, I feel that getting a postgraduate certificate/diploma in aesthetics or the FTA not only provides evidence of competence, but I also believe it future proofs your business at a time when regulation is being considered that may mandate certain qualifications.’

He concludes, “It is an exciting time to be involved in a specialty that really is so young. As the specialty matures, it will present opportunities for knowledgeable and skilled practitioners. My mantra is that the best investment you can make is the investment in your education. Whatever stage you are at, keep pushing the boundaries of your knowledge, which will pay dividends for you and your patients.”

PROF STEVE DAVIES -FOUNDING DIRECTOR, LEARNA

Prof Davies is a Consultant Endocrinologist in Cardiff and professor of medical education at the University of South Wales. His educational achievements include being the founder of OnExamination.com, the medical education site acquired by the BMJ and, latterly, Learna, delivering postgraduate qualifications in conjunction with UK universities. He is also an aesthetic trainer and practitioner, has developed a postgraduate diploma/MSc in Cosmetic Medicine and has worked with the JCCP in establishing the Fast Track Assessment Examination. His clinical interests include anti-ageing and weight management. He is also the founder of the You Can Clinic, delivering training and assessment in aesthetics – youcanclinic.com. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, and his research interests include the application of novel technologies in delivering medical education.