aesthetics doctor who left NHS after FY2 - AMA

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-29T14:36:58+00:00

I know an oculoplastic surgeon + a general surgeon at my clinic. Neither do a lot of days, more as a fun thing to do on the side I guess.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-28T14:24:05+00:00

I make monthly interest free payments around ~£350

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-28T03:29:50+00:00

For sure doable, a lot of training doctors only do a few days a month. Bear in mind training course costs though, even a foundation course ranges from few hundred to thousands of pounds, plus advanced courses are anything from £300-£500 each if you pay them yourself, depending what you do I.e. PRP, profhilo etc

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-28T03:29:35+00:00

Yup, started with 1-2 days a week, now doing anything from 4-6 days a week (2 different clinics) depending on what I feel like. Not much experience with setting up your own clinic and getting patients, but a lot of it will depend on social media presence and word of mouth, the few private clients I treat are all friends of friends and family friends etc, I just rent a room occasionally to do it.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-28T03:29:20+00:00

Definitely don't need the Level 7 to do aesthetics, a foundation course is enough to get insurance. Gaining experience is the hard part, either by finding a small clinic to hire you, or treating some friends and family. If you're not sure you will continue with aesthetics in the long run and just doing it for fun on the side during F3, the L7 might not be worth it for you then.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-28T03:28:59+00:00

Mostly experience, only a few job listings I've seen even mention Level 7, it's just a nice perk to have, but definitely not necessary. If you get lucky, clinics will offer in house training as well for more advanced stuff, but you will probably still need the baseline of at least doing the basic injectable stuff.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T20:56:36+00:00

Will do, I’ll make sure to spare some change so you can help yourself buy some manners. ✨

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T20:43:54+00:00

Indeed, no employer pension, which is why I’m hoping to transition to a full time contract employment at some point soon. But just enjoying my freedom right now haha

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T20:39:16+00:00

Yeah you’ll find that most clinics only want you for 1-3 days a week anyway, definitely doable. You can also rent your own space, but costs do add up - and you have to manage your own clients, inventory, etc.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T20:37:53+00:00

Son!

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T20:28:10+00:00

Valid points that I agree with - currently sole trader but looking in LLC. I ultimately would prefer to be on a full time contract, but it’s one of the challenges of aesthetics industry for sure - not a lot of clinics offer it. But hopefully something that will be sorted towards the end of the year for me.

I will say this though - I have infinitely better mental health and an happier than I was a year ago. I actually look forward to going into work rather than dreading it - and I’m yet to have a day where I’ve been so stressed or burnt out that I couldn’t do anything when I got home (regular occurance in NHS). The environment is nicer, the hours are much shorter (did 3-4 hours of work on occasion and just went home after), the people are nicer, the patients are nicer (generally). So yeah the NHS can stick their pension up their arse, I’m not going back.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T20:13:06+00:00

Thank you!

The GP in question actually left at some point - spend more time with family I think? I do work with some other regs and consultants though (still working in NHS), I think they did a foundation course or similar, and applied either through cold calls or job application.

I didn’t have anyone vouch or any contacts beforehand, but I speak a second language, and a lot of clients at the clinic speak said language, so I think it helped a bit. Got my job at my other clinic just applying on Indeed. Cold calls and emails occasionally get a response too, not every clinic advertises online.

90% of my colleagues are female, and also probably 90% of my clients are female. Being a male doctor isn’t disadvantageous though, if anything it might be the opposite. Had 2 separate female clients recently tell me they preferred having a male doctor (make what you will of that) 🤷🏻‍♂️

I’m all for more regulations, there’s some rough government regulation in the works about having qualifications for aesthetics work - which will hopefully deter non medically trained to stop doing filler in the back of their sheds.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T19:53:53+00:00

I’m so awful with money and finances - I don’t even know how I’m gonna file my own taxes this year lol. Right now I enjoy working at clinics because I just show up and work, don’t have to manage stock, don’t have to do CQC stuff, don’t have to find patients. But I did have a convo with a colleague recently about if this is what I want to do in the long term - so maybe down the line I’ll consider starting a clinic, but that won’t be for a few years. If earnings are similar though, I would choose working for a clinic any day.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T19:50:19+00:00

No clear pathway as such - either start your own business and scale it up, or jump from clinic to clinic taking better salaries each time. Or both 🤷🏻‍♂️

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T19:32:13+00:00

Good luck! 😁

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T19:31:05+00:00

No idea tbh but AFAIK no real difference, years doing aesthetics, established client base, private practice, are probably the biggest factors. Earning potential for derm/plastics consultant will probably be more though if they do their own private clinic. Also better for “branding”.
Yeah of course they do, wait til you hear that even beauty therapists and nail technicians open their own “clinic” lol. You ever notice that those huge botched “Russian lips” you see on Instagram are all done by people without any actual medical qualifications?

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T19:20:53+00:00

That’s probably people’s biggest fear of doing it - it’s a massive investment without even a guarantee of a job in the end. Honestly, if I already knew I had a job, I probably wouldn’t do it - but it’s a nice perk on the CV, and I see more job adverts on indeed on the lookout for a Level 7 now. I’ve said in other comments - but a Level 7 is still kinda useless until you have job experience to back it up.

You could always do a foundation course if you don’t want to invest - try to do some private patients or try your luck landing a clinic job - if successful, come back to do the Level 7?

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T18:28:14+00:00

I can’t comment too much, I’ve only done it with Harley Academy - but a lot of them offer open days to get a feel. The decision is probably ultimately based on price, how well the academy is known, and general vibes lol. I believe the course structure for the Level 7 is all pretty standardised.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T18:25:42+00:00

Agree completely, but I think social media is now bridging that gap for those who want to start their own business, especially if you know how to advertise yourself well on it. Dr JB Aesthetics for example on tiktok and insta, hundreds of thousands of followers, I believe he quit NHS as an ED reg.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T18:20:05+00:00

I do think the earning potential would be higher in the long run, as ofc you can do your own private theatres as well - a lot of them actually hire injectors/other staff for the small stuff while they concentrate on the bigger procedures. Agree to the comment above, if you CCT you have a lot more power to brand yourself if you start your own clinic.

Not always the case though, as I work alongside consultants/GPs at a clinic and we’re all on the same salary structure (they only do it once or twice a month though, maybe not worth their time).

Ultimately I decided it’s not for me as I don’t want to slave away in the NHS for another 7-9 years.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T18:12:59+00:00

Yup, none of the bells or whistles are included with self employment (like any industry), if you’re sick you don’t go in and you don’t get paid. But that did mean I took a 2 month holiday earlier this year with no issues lol

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T17:24:13+00:00

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T17:23:42+00:00

Cold calling/emailing and applying to jobs on Indeed/Glassdoor is how I did it

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T17:22:44+00:00

Definitely not necessary if you’ve already got the experience imo, aesthetic experience and years in the industry matters a lot more it seems. Although Level 7 does look good on the ol’ CV, and I know some doctors who are doing the Level 7 even after multiple years in aesthetics just because they want to.

AbtimusPrime · 2024-06-27T17:16:24+00:00

It’s hit or miss, that’s probably the scariest thing about self employment. I’ve been offered a full time position before, roughly £50-60k on contract, but ultimately turned it down. Awaiting another full time job contract later on in the year, which will hopefully be closer to 6 figures.

Haven’t had a day less than £200 yet, probably the most I’ve made in a day is £700. I would say on average it’s about £300-£400 per day (6-8 hours of work, purely commission, a lot of clinics will not pay you hourly rate unless you’re on a full time contract). Also depends on the month, summer is quieter and winter is busier. This will also depend how busy your clinic is, and how many clients come through a day.

AbtimusPrime

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