The Last Word

Dr Martin Godfrey argues the importance of regularly attending aesthetic conferences in order to remain up-to-date with the specialty

Medical aesthetic conferences are a fantastic way of keeping up-to-date with this ever-changing specialty and refreshing knowledge and skills. But to some, especially those who are new to aesthetics, these events may feel quite overwhelming. As an attendee, the abundance of information, albeit useful, may leave some feeling bewildered, as there is a lot to be taken in within a short space of time. So, why attend conferences when you could read journals and textbooks instead? And why attend not just once a year, but several times? Some practitioners may believe attending just one conference a year ‘will do’, but I believe it is essential to attend multiple conferences each year in order to remain , highly skilled and safe. Although I am unaware of any statistics to back this up, I strongly believe from my experience of regularly attending aesthetic conferences that there is an 80/20 rule in play: 80% of the aesthetic practitioners who attend these meetings are the same 20% of the total UK population of aesthetic practitioners. In other words, if my theory is correct, the majority aren’t regular attendees. It is possible that some practitioners assume that it is just as easy, but less hassle, to keep up-to-date through reading magazine articles, going on training courses and having a couple of visits from sales representatives. Others may worry conferences represent a lot of ‘in your face hard-sell’ and too many ‘over-slick and over-promising’ presentations, although this isn’t the case. On paper, the conference agenda might seem to have very similar presentations to the previous congress, but what might look like a similar presentation is likely to be very different in person. The aesthetics specialty is forever changing and almost every session is likely to be updating delegates with the latest clinical research and findings. Therefore, those that do register to attend will certainly reap tangible rewards. But of course, it is not always a cheap day out – taking a small group to one of these conferences could match the cost of that new device or skincare brand you’ve been looking at, which most likely puts off many people. However, many events offer free entry to the exhibition and a number of presentations, which is certainly something that ought to be taken advantage of. Aside from this, there are many other good reasons to make the effort to attend the main conference itself. The importance of attending Going to conferences gives perspective; it’s all very well looking at adverts or watching videos promoting the latest product or treatment, but you do this in isolation. The great thing about conferences, particularly by attending regularly, is having the ability to judge far more objectively what our peers really rate as good or bad; discovering what the latest trends are and learning about other practitioner’s experiences with certain machines, procedures, side effects and companies. You can assess this on several levels – go to a presentation and a peer you respect, someone like you, facing the same issues and challenges, gives you new insights, helping you to make an informed decision about whether to make a purchase. Conferences and exhibitions also give us the opportunity to get our hands on the equipment. Aesthetics is a very practical specialty and without seeing the goods in real life and being able to compare them to others on the market, it can be difficult to understand what we need or what we aspire to. There’s also an ever-expanding list of competitive devices and materials being developed. It can be near impossible to choose one without trying it out, even vicariously at an exhibition stand. The events provide a variety of learning opportunities all in one place; giving us the chance to see live demonstrations, develop business skills, which may be difficult to advance when you work alone, and the opportunity to meet and listen to speakers from all over the world in one place.

Going forward
The question then remains – how often should we be attending conferences? At the end of the day, it does come down to personal preference. My preference, and what I recommend, is to attend at least two to three big meetings a year. If you have the funds, then travelling to international events can be very insightful, however, there are a number of hugely educational conferences available in the UK that provide content that is equally as valuable and allow you to meet manufacturers, suppliers and distributors working within your local area. In addition, presentations are likely to be more relatable as the speakers will have a good understanding of UK trends and how to successfully communicate with your patients. A number of UK-based conferences also feature speakers from abroad – if you are looking for a little international flair.

Conclusion
While of course a thorough understanding and training in the treatment you are offering is essential to creating optimum results for your patient, it is my opinion that you should also be up to date with all the latest news, techniques, treatment options and business development opportunities within aesthetics. And to do this, conferences and exhibitions offer a valuable source of education for every practitioner.