EST. 1998
About the Course
The course is held over 5 days tutored by Martin Jeffrey MBIE Dip FD at the University of St Andrews, School of Medicine.
The course provides a hands -on based approach to cranial/facial reconstruction, soft tissue injuries to the face and airbrush cosmetics. A series of structured exercises have been devised to teach those attending how to complete the reconstruction of a badly traumatised head.
The course will be available to those embalmers who desire to increase their skill levels in the area of post mortem reconstruction. Those attending will have the opportunity to practice the application of specialised techniques on a human cadaver.
The skills and techniques taught during the course will provide the students with the ability to reconstruct a badly traumatised case and turn a closed coffin into an open coffin for viewing, giving the family the opportunity to say a final goodbye, something that would previously would have been denied.
Adding reconstructive surgery techniques to your personal skills provides a much needed and invaluable service to families who entrust their loved ones into our care, whilst showing them the commitment and dedication you have to being a professional embalmer.
Your Instructor
Martin Jeffrey MBIE Dip FD
Martin has worked over 34 years in the funeral profession with 30 years of practical embalming experience, having embalmed in excess of 10,000 cases.
In addition he has attended an impressive list of specialist courses and affiliations to other organisations.
January 1995
Member of the British Institute of Embalmers – MBIE
May 1997 – Funeral Director Diploma
Member of the National Association of Funeral Directors – Dip FD
November 1997
Attended:
Advanced Post Mortem Reconstructive Surgery Course:
Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA
Invited:
Whilst attending the course I was invited to formally become an Honorary member of “SIGMA PHI SIGMA” and Educational Fraternity based at the University. A Faculty of Applied Sciences and Art.
November 2004
Attended:
Academy of Restoration and Embalming – University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
August 2010
Attended:
Fountain National Academy, International Embalming Reconstructive Surgery Conference for Professional Embalmers, Springfield, Missouri, USA
Learning new techniques and new embalming product capabilities whilst networking with colleagues from around the world.
October 2010
Joined:
Blake’s Emergency Services International Response Team .Being available to deploy to any location within the UK or overseas, working within a team to provide emergency mortuary support which responds to mass fatality incidents.
November 2010
Joined:
American Society of Embalmers
Keeping in touch with other professional embalmers whilst being kept informed of continuing education programs that will become available.
March 2011
At William Purves:
Start-up of the first of its kind, William Purves Embalming Academy – Introduction to Embalming. Tutoring on a 1-2-1- basis on a one week course.
May 2011
Attended:
Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills, Springfield, Missouri
Advanced post mortem reconstructive surgery seminar
and
Advanced 2 post mortem reconstructive surgery seminar
Having now completed over 100 hours of specialized instruction at the Fountain Academy in reconstructive surgery.
October 2013
Attended:
Royal Liverpool Community Hospital/British Association of Skin Camouflage/Skin camouflage application techniques to post mortem skin.
November 2015
Attended:
PMR Post Mortem Restituo, Malmo, Sweden
Airbrush cosmetics course covering colour application, concealing techniques, highlighting and contouring techniques.
October 2016 – 2019
Tutored
Start-up of the first of its kind in the United Kingdom and Europe- (5 day) Post Mortem Reconstruction surgery course held at the University of Edinburgh Medical School,
August 2017
Completed
Pearson BTEC Level 3 Award in Education and Training
February 2018
Attended:
Facial Anatomy, dissect and inject course, Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh
March - November 2018
Attended
Edinburgh University Anatomy Workshops, Old Medical School, Edinburgh
March 2020
Authored
A chapter from the book Sudden Death,
Intervention skills for the emergency Service’s
Editor Tricia Scott
May 2024
Tutored
University of St Andrews, School of Medicine, Post Mortem Reconstruction courses (x2) held over 8 days ,focussing on cranial facial reconstruction, soft tissue injury to the face and airbrush cosmetics.
January 2025
Chairman of the British Institute of Embalmers - Scottish Division