Brits who are aspiring to be cosmetic surgeons can pursue their dreams in their own backyard as Anglia Ruskin University launches the world’s first post graduate degree in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery Practice at its Chelmsford campus in Essex.

Currently, all qualified plastic surgeons receive training of safe surgery management at the Royal College of Surgeons, but this does not include privately funded cosmetic surgery. Although, there are several universities across the world that give plastic surgery degrees, but the Anglia Ruskin course will be the first to teach in a surgical training environment.

“Aesthetic plastic surgery is not actually recognised as surgery. At the moment, cosmetic surgery is being done by non-plastic surgeons”, said James Frame, Professor of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery at Anglia Ruskin.

Report compiled by British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons suggests that aesthetic plastic surgery demand in the UK is rapidly increasing. According to their report, last year alone 43,069 procedures were carried out in the country, recording 5.8% rise from 2010.

“At present a newly-qualified, fully-accredited plastic surgeon is released, totally lacking any experience in aesthetic plastic surgery, and is able to operate in the private sector. This degree will benefit surgeons and therefore should improve the quality of surgery that patients receive”, course leader Professor Frame added.

With the introduction of degree in aesthetic plastic surgery, the university heads hope to reduce the number of Brits flying abroad for so-called “safari surgery”, as a survey in 2007 found 18% of UK patients, who took treatment overseas suffered complications.

British students can enroll for the MSc in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery Practice from September this year, while accredited overseas cosmetic surgeons can sign up from 2013.