SHADOWING DR JAKE
Dr Jake has a limited number of days per year for Patreon subscribers to join him in a relaxed setting and to observe how he works. Here you can ask him anything you like, listen to his discussions with his patients and observe his injecting.
In Australia, any nurse, doctor or dentist can inject - regardless of their skill set or qualifications. The Australian injectables market is also very unique compared to other countries. This is largely due to how the larger chain clinics have dominated the field. They have influenced pricing, our patient expectations and how many injectors are trained and approach their work.
Yet the competition is fierce and things are rapidly changing. New clinics are opening and new products are being introduced to the market. If injectors don't continually up-skill, challenge themselves and seek out new knowledge, they run the risk of being left behind by hungrier, more open-minded, more ambitious injectors.
It's also difficult to learn or progress when you're also trying to juggle making a living! This is where a lot of injectors get stuck in a rut and many limit their skill set to anti-wrinkle treatments + cheek and lip fillers. This is a problem for both the injectors and their patients. If treatments aren't tailored to your patients needs, poor outcomes will likely creep in. At the same time, injectors risk becoming bored of their jobs and burn out can become a real issue.
WHAT DOES DR JAKE KNOW ABOUT MENTORING?
Every professional needs ongoing development and no-one is perfect. When Dr Jake was a surgical trainee, every operation or procedure he did was observed, scrutinised, graded and documented in an online logbook that he had to present to the surgical college each year. This proved his experience and competency for practical skills that were learnt through hard work, experience, mistakes were discussed and a level of proficiency was demonstrated. This type of accountability may never exist in facial aesthetics, but the best injectors can choose to differentiate themselves by deliberately seeking out opportunities to grow and improve in everything that they do.
But in 2020, Dr Jake was selected by Allergan Aesthetics to take part in a global mentorship programme under Dr Mauricio De Maio. Over a period of two years, he had to film himself injecting cases, discuss and present his work and perform to the highest of standards. His work was compared to 50 other leading doctors from 12 countries. Each injectors videos were watched by the group and critiqued.
Every step of every procedure was scrutinised including:
- teaching and presentation skill on camera
- treatment planning
- preparation
- patient positioning
- sterility
- accuracy of marking up
- understanding of facial anatomy
- hand and finger positions where injecting
- stability of needle and cannula work delivered
- the overall results
It was a very humbling experience for every mentee who took part. But in the end, it instilled incredibly high standards and a willingness to always strive to be a better injector. Dr Jake lives by these principles and as a result of the mentorship was identified in the top 5 injectors in the group.
He subsequently was chosen to participate in another faculty development pathway by Allergan Aesthetics called the 'R.I.S.E project'. This culminated in a meeting in Shanghai, China to further develop his presentation and teaching skills.
Dr Jake's background
Reputation
Dr Jake is a leading injector in Australia and is an international key opinion leader and speaker.
He's injected for 17 years and is respected in the industry for his no bullshit attitude whilst delivering stunning and natural looking-results.
He co-founded 'Inside Aesthetics' podcast in 2019 that has now been listened to over 2 million times in over 100 countries.
Anatomy + Surgery
Dr Jake completed an Anatomy degree before going to Medical School. He then trained as a surgeon in the UK & Australia for over a decade.
He taught at the Royal College of Surgeons England, training doctors in surgical techniques and supervised junior doctor to learn how to operate in theatre. With this background he has a unique skill set and understanding of how to teach hands on skills.
Injecting philosophy
Dr Jake's philosophy is to approach each face with a bespoke methodology. Patients often have a list of wants that they want to achieve - but at the end of the day they aren't the experts, injectors are.
He promotes full face treatments and utilises the a wide range of techniques. He believes in restoring the optimal anatomical foundations of the face and maximising someone's individual features.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE SHADOWING
To get the most out of your shadowing session, it's important to be honest about what your current level is. Shadowing is most useful for injectors who already have some experience and want to refine and observe Dr Jake on a normal working day. Therefore it's not suggested for new injectors who are more likely seeking more basic training, new techniques and a more guided approach to training.
To help plan the session, have a think about the typical patients that you currently see:
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Who are they?
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What demographic are you attracting?
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Do you treat men too?
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Does this demographic suit your own aesthetic and skill set?
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Do you enjoy working with these patients?
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What is your skill set when encountering trans patients?
Then have a think about what you're maybe not so good at and try to clarify what you'll most benefit from in a session being with Dr Jake. It's best to be brutally honest with yourself and think about your last year or two of injecting including:
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Do you resort to cookie cutter patterns with toxins?
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Do you stick to doing lip and cheeks because they are easy?
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What have you struggled with that perhaps now makes you anxious?
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Are you getting any bad outcomes that you can't easily explain?
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What areas do you avoid injecting?
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Do you get frequently find that you have tricky consultations?
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Do you frequently have unhappy patients?
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Are you anxious about injecting?
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Do you feel out of your depth sometimes?
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Have you had many complications?
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What have you learnt from your complications to help avoid them again?
There's also the business and professional side of things to consider:
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How many complaints have you had in the last 12 month?
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What did you do about these complaints?
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Do you have frequent issues like patients cancelling last minute, not wanting to pay deposits, etc?
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What friction points keep cropping up that are making your life difficult?
What a shadowing session might include:
These sessions will be in Dr Jake's clinic with his own patients. Each day will be different and no guarantee can be made for what patients come in for. But you'll definitely see a mixture of:
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Anti-wrinkle treatments patients - using Botox
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Filler treatments - using the Juvederm Vycross range
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Bio-remodelling treatments - using Profhilo & Profhilo Structure
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Bio-regenerative treatments - using Rejuran
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Bio-stimulation treatments - using Sculptra
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Bio-hydrating treatments - using Juvederm SkinVive
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Fat dissolving patients - using Belkyra
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Ultrasound +/- filler dissolving treatments
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
The day won't be formal and you can get whatever you want out of it. If you can arrive at 09:30am, Dr Jake will meet you before the clinic starts to have a breakfast meeting (included in the price). Here you'll discuss your background, your clinic, your current level and what your needs are. But things to think about might include:
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See how Dr Jake set's up his room, what needles and syringes he uses, etc
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Have a look at his booking system and explore how it functions
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Revise Botox reconstitution, dosing and watch facial assessments and treatments
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Learn to fine tune consultations and look at Dr Jake's paperwork for each consultation type
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Understand the purpose and basics of clinical photography
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Differentiating between a patient's wants vs their needs
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Understand filler treatment planning, total face treatment planning
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How to treat patients emotions and the 'messages' of their face
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Get confidence in discussing and treating the entire face
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Business & social media tips
HOW TO BOOK
Shadowing days are only available to current Patreon subscribers
Venue: Infinity Skin Clinic, Surry Hills - Tuesdays (09:30 - 19:00)
The day costs $2000 and includes breakfast, teas/coffees and lunch
Shadowing days are limited and done on a first come, first served basis
Please fill out the application form below. Dr Jake will review your information. If suitable and he can accomodate your date, he will send a payment link to your email. Once payment is received, you'll be added to our Patreon Shadowing Whatapp group for easier communication.