DR. CHRIS ON WHY TEAMWORK MATTERS IN MEDICAL AESTHETICS
Janine Mendes-Franco
Teamwork makes the dream work
I’ve known Mikaili, one of the aesthetic injectors at our practice, for over 20 years. My grandparents and her family lived in the same neighbourhood, we played together as children, and now, I couldn’t imagine doing my job without her!
One of the many things I’ve come to appreciate in medical aesthetics is that, despite working one-to-one with our patients, we are never truly working alone. There is a huge amount of responsibility that comes with being a practitioner. We make decisions, manage expectations, and sometimes navigate situations where there isn’t one obvious answer. Over time, I’ve realised how valuable it is to have people around you that you genuinely trust.
The entire team at Serpentine support one another in invaluable ways; it’s how we’re able to function like a well-oiled machine. A key aspect of this is trust, which we build through the everyday things: being honest, sharing knowledge, asking questions, and becoming better for it.
Mikaili and I trained on opposite sides of the Atlantic. We have divergent experiences and an understanding of how beauty standards differ from continent to continent. As we continue to work together, her input has become integral to building positively on my aesthetic approach.
Sometimes I’m looking at a situation from one angle, and she asks a simple question that completely changes my perspective. As clinicians, we learn to work in teams, both in hospital and clinic. Every situation has its challenges, so having a colleague who will stand beside you, weigh the options, and share their own experiences makes a huge difference.
“Being part of a strong team doesn’t make you a less capable practitioner; quite the opposite — I believe it makes you a safer, more thoughtful and ultimately better clinician.”
For me, that’s what good teamwork really means: knowing that you don't have to have every answer, and that the people around you will help you arrive at the best solution for each individual patient. So, when you’re being treated by one of us, you’re really being treated by both of us. In aesthetics, where patient safety and trust are at the heart of everything we do, that is something I think is incredibly valuable.