The range of injection courses on offer is wide, and so are the differences. This checklist helps physicians to compare courses before booking – regardless of the provider. For each criterion there is a question you can put to the organiser.
| Criterion | What to look for | Question for the provider |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Target group | The course is aimed at licensed physicians, and the licence to practise medicine is checked. | Who may take part? |
| 2 · Course leadership | Led by physicians with treatment experience of their own; the speakers are named. | Who teaches, and who supervises the practical part? |
| 3 · Group size | In the practical part, what counts is the number of participants per supervisor – not the size of the lecture hall. | How many participants are there per supervisor? |
| 4 · Hands-on share | You inject yourself and do not merely watch. What matters is how many areas you treat. | Do I inject myself, and how often? |
| 5 · Models | Models are provided, have been informed by a physician and have given their consent. It is good if you are allowed to bring your own model. | Who provides the models, and how are they informed? |
| 6 · Anatomy | The courses of vessels, danger zones and injection planes are taught systematically – not just injection points. | What share does anatomy have? |
| 7 · Complications | Vascular occlusion, hyaluronidase and an emergency plan are an integral part; for botulinum toxin, ptosis. | How is complication management practised? |
| 8 · Product neutrality | You learn about the active substance and several products. If a manufacturer supports the course, this is disclosed. | Is the course supported by a manufacturer? |
| 9 · Law and practice | Patient information and consent, documentation, liability insurance and advertising law are covered; there are materials for later reference. | What materials will I receive? |
| 10 · Recognition and price | It is clear whether and by which Chamber of Physicians CME credits are recognised and what the price includes (products, materials, models, VAT). | Have CME credits been applied for, and what is included in the price? |
A course day teaches the fundamentals and the first injections of your own. Routine comes afterwards, through many treatments with manageable indications. A good course says so openly and shows how things continue: with advanced courses, case discussions or a contact person for queries.
Theory and practice can be separated. Those who work through anatomy, active substances and techniques online beforehand use the time in the in-person course for what is only possible there: working on the model under supervision.
You should become sceptical if a course admits participants without a licence to practise medicine, if it remains unclear whether you inject yourself, or if complications are only touched on in passing. Who is allowed to inject at all in Germany is set out in the guide Who may inject Botox and hyaluronic acid?.
MEDEMIE courses are aimed exclusively at licensed physicians, are led by physicians and follow the principle of anatomy before product. The theory is available in online courses; the practical training takes place in hands-on workshops in small groups. Individual workshops are held on behalf of manufacturers; they are identified as such. The online courses are currently not CME-certified; whether a workshop carries CME credits is stated in the respective course announcement.
There is no fixed number. What matters is the ratio in the practical part: the fewer participants there are per supervisor, the more you inject yourself and the more precise the feedback.
For the fundamentals and first injections under supervision, yes. Confidence comes afterwards through practice with a few manageable indications and through consolidation in advanced courses.
For the theory, yes: anatomy, active substances, indications and techniques can be worked through online at your own pace and repeatedly. Injecting itself can only be learned in person.
That depends on the provider. Ask beforehand whether models are provided and whether you may additionally bring your own model.
By whether the active substance and several products are covered or only one product – and whether it is disclosed who supports the course financially. Courses held on behalf of a manufacturer can be very good; you should simply know beforehand.