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Steps for Starting a Career in Aesthetic Medicine
Becoming an Aesthetic Injector
Are you looking to become an Aesthetic Injector?
Follow these few steps to begin a career in Aesthetic medicine.
Becoming an aesthetic injector is a highly sought-after career in an industry seeing exponential growth year after year. However, there is more to becoming an aesthetic injector than meets the eye. Follow this blog to learn how to become a competent and successful aesthetic injector.
Licensure
Before you begin this path, you must hold an active and unencumbered license as a nurse, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, dentist, and medical doctor.
Experience
Although there is no set rule for the length of time a licensed healthcare professional has at the bedside, experience as a bedside provider will serve you well in your interviews and your patients’ overall safety and outcomes as you move into aesthetic medicine. After you have acquired your entry-level qualifications, the next step is to attend a neurotoxin course and a dermal filler course. Do not be fooled, as not all courses are created equal. Neurotoxin and dermal filler initial trainings should NOT be combined in a one-day learning event. These exceptional skills deserve a whole day dedicated to that particular drug and treatment. Plan on needing more than one day and even a weekend course before you can comfortably inject. Although I offer one-day courses at DCCM™ Academy, I am sure to let all of my delegates know they will need more training after our 10-hour intensive courses.
Aesthetic Training
In order to be insured, it is necessary for the provider to have additional training in the field of aesthetic medicine beyond their basic professional licensure; therefore, starting with an entry-level course is critical. Any course that you take should be accredited. The accreditation process is fundamental to guaranteeing patient safety and satisfaction while ensuring practitioner competence (Delle Chiaie, 2022; Frank et al., 2020; Kream et al., 2022). Training academies need to be accredited based on a certificate of completion rather than competency (Delle Chiaie, 2022). Not having standardized education to gain entry into the aesthetic community can muddy the waters with what constitutes a good program. Often providers are left to choose a training program based on location and cost when those two concepts do not equate to competency and proficiency, allowing providers the opportunity to practice aesthetic medicine safely. The accreditation process is arduous for training academies, but it is necessary to ensure consistent education with integrity backed by evidence-based practice. Accredited programs help to strengthen the quality of teaching and ease the transition from a class to practice (ACEN Accreditation Manual, 2020; Cupp Curley, 2020). Pre-test and Post-tests will help
to measure competency, a mentorship post-training will allow for education beyond the classroom, supporting the provider with their new skillset.
What Should the Aesthetic Class Include?
- The Basics of Toxins or Filler
- Detailed Injection Techniques
- Extrusion
- Anatomy
- Safety Zones
- Artistry
- Aging Process
- Risks and Possible Side Effects
- Contradictions
- Procedural Preparation
- Supply's needed
- Reconstruction if applicable
- Reversal and Adverse Event Management
- Patient Selection
- Preparation of a Treatment Plan, Consent, Pre and post-care intersections, and a Policy for administration
Special Notes to Consider When Selecting a Training Course:
- Only accept licensed professionals with an active and unencumbered license
- CEUs and/or CME
- Course manual with accurate anatomical illustrations
- Live Full-Face Models
- Product Included
- Models Included
- Mentorship
- Option for further learning
- Limited student per instructor (4 per instructor max)
Becoming an Aesthetic Injector
To become an aesthetic injector, you will need to meet certain requirements and complete specialized training.
Here are the general steps you can take to begin a career as an aesthetic injector:
- Get a medical or nursing degree: Most aesthetic injectors have a background in medicine or nursing. You’ll need to complete a minimum of an associate degree in a related field and then attend medical or nursing school.
- Get licensed: Once you complete your medical or nursing degree, you’ll need to become licensed in your state. Requirements vary but typically involve passing an exam and completing continuing education courses.
- Training: training coupled with mentorship and residency is paramount to an injector’s success in this industry. If you want to become a skilled injector with a good reputation; training is key to your success and your patients’ outcomes; however, it starts with a comprehensive core competency in nursing and medicine.
- Gain experience: Before you start injecting patients, you’ll need to gain experience in the field of nursing or medicine. You will want to have a comprehensive understanding of the human body and the many varied responses one can have in the face of medicine and medical procedures. Many aesthetic injectors start by working as a nurse or assistant in a medical spa or plastic surgeon’s office. At DCCM™ Academy, we require two years minimum at the bedside in a traditional role as a medical or nursing professional. These rudimentary; yet essential skills will serve the greater good of your aesthetic patients.
- Complete specialized training: To become an aesthetic injector, you will need to complete specialized training in the use of injectables like Botox and dermal fillers. You can find courses through professional organizations or medical training companies. The only training one should partake in for entry level is training that is accredited by the board of nursing and medicine. Accreditation ensures structure and consistency with a minimum standard for entry-level education. This phenomenon is paramount in this field.
- Build a network: Once you are licensed and specialty trained, you’ll need to build a network of patients and referral sources, along with partnerships with fellow colleagues. Consider joining professional organizations and attending industry events to meet potential patients and colleagues.
- Stay up to date: The field of aesthetic injectables is constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay up to date on the latest techniques and products. Attend continuing education courses and read industry publications to stay informed. Tara has several of her publications posted on her Instagram handle; however, she strongly encourages her students to not be linear-focused. She encourages her fellow colleagues to attend trainings in primary care medicine, functional medicine, dermatology, infectious disease, immunology, and beyond. As aesthetic providers, we cannot be narrow-minded and only focus on our aesthetic treatment. We must focus on the whole patient and be able to differentiate between aesthetics, mental health, and the physical health of our patients.
It is also important to note that becoming an aesthetic injector requires a high level of skill and attention to detail in all specialty fields. Patients trust you to enhance their appearance while also ensuring their safety, so it is important to take your responsibilities seriously and prioritize patient care and patient safety as your number one priority, and that extends beyond delivering beautiful results.
Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming the BEST Aesthetic Injector:
The best way to gain proper understanding and begin practicing safely is to first:
- Take an entry-level neurotoxin course and filler course
- Have an observation day
- Take private training
- Participate in a six-month fellowship
- Read copious amounts of journals on Neurotoxin injections, filler techniques, and facial aging in aesthetic medicine
- Read the textbook Essentials of Neuromodulation: A comprehensive guide for aesthetic practitioners
This is just the beginning steps; you will want to take courses on anatomy, adverse event management, and facial assessment.
After completing these six steps, you are ready to begin injecting in a supervised environment. There is an extensive and involved learning curve in aesthetic medicine, and the recommendation from experienced providers and the literature is to work with a collaborator that can help foster your growth for the first few years.
Your investment in yourself will be worth the effort and the cost of attending various trainings. When you are ready to begin practicing the art and science of aesthetic medicine, you will want to feel comfortable with the resources available for success. It is an extremely steep learning curve; however, your patients deserve the investment within yourself to keep them safe and looking refreshed. Below is a table demonstrating the quick return on investment regarding initial investments and profitability.
Your investment in yourself will be worth the effort and the cost of attending various trainings. When you are ready to begin practicing the art and science of aesthetic medicine, you will want to feel comfortable with the resources available for success. It is an extremely steep learning curve; however, your patients deserve the investment within yourself to keep them safe and looking refreshed. Below is a table demonstrating the quick return on investment regarding initial investments and profitability.
At DCCM™ Academy, we show our students that the best investment they can make is in their education by providing them with the skills, techniques, knowledge, and confidence to become the next generation of cosmetic injectors.
Our vision is to set the standard for higher education in aesthetics and to be the global reference for what an ever-growing and evolving understanding of aesthetic art and technology should look like.
Conclusion
The growth of this industry has been exponential and wildly rapid. Many providers practice outside their scope of practice. At the same time, some need to recognize the harm they are doing as they were never taught properly due to the industry’s loose regulations and many gray areas. Investing in your education and investigating the differences in educational programs is critical to the success of your skill and the safety of your patients.
Additional Tips and Tricks to becoming the best Aesthetic Injector
You can only become a safe injector once you know your anatomy.
Mastering the art of aesthetic medicine occurs with experience.
You will become a master after 10,000 hours and ten years of experience in the industry fueled by heart and a solid moral compass. Even after ten years, 10,000 hours, knowledge, and heaps of advanced courses, you still need well-respected colleagues in your back corner.
Don’tDon’t go it alone. Go with knowledge, stay humble, and invest in healthy and honest relationships in the business.
There is more to becoming an injector than one course. You and your patients deserve more than mediocracy; this is why at DCCM™ Academy, we give our students everything we have and then a complimentary mentorship to ensure you have the tools you need after learning with us.
Tara Delle Chiaie
My name is Tara and I am the owner of Delle Chiaie Cosmetic Medicine. I have been in medicine since 2002 as a Registered Nurse. In 2011 I graduated from the accelerated program at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). My goal is to continually fine-tune the art of bringing one’s inner beauty to the surface.
2023 Course listings
We have minimal seats available as we keep our courses intimate to enhance the learner’slearner’s overall experience.
- January 3rd-6th
- March 7th-10th
- May 2nd-5th
- August 1st-4th (Sold Out)
- September 5th-8th
- November 7th-10th
For more information, visit www.dccmacademy.com
MEET
Tara Delle Chiaie
DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, APRN, ABAAHP
Owner/Master Aesthetic Injector
My name is Tara and I am the owner of Delle Chiaie Cosmetic Medicine. I have been in medicine since 2002 as a Registered Nurse. In 2011 I graduated from the accelerated program at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and immediately became nationally recognized through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner. I grew up in the beauty industry and found it was a great union to blend beauty with medicine. I have an astute sense of safety, while my experience guides my practice to produce beautiful and natural results. My goal is to continually fine-tune the art of bringing one’s inner beauty to the surface.
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REFERENCES:
ACEN Accreditation Manual, (2020). General Information. Accreditation commission for education in nursing. https://www.acenursing.org/acen-accreditation-manual-general-information/.
American Society of Plastic Surgery, (2019). 2018 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report.
Retrieved from www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/News/Statistics/2018/plastic-surgery-statistics-full-report-201 8.pdf
Cupp Curley, A. L. (2020). Population-based nursing: concepts and competencies for advanced practice (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
Delle Chiaie, T. (2021). Essentials of neuromodulation (1st ed.). Elsevier Academic Press.
Frank, J. R., Taber, S., van Zanten, M., Scheele, F., Blouin, D., & International Health Professions Accreditation Outcomes Consortium. (2020). The role of accreditation in 21st-century health professions education: Report of an international consensus group. Bio-Medical Central Medical Education, 20(1), 305. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02121-5
Grandview Research (2020). Global aesthetic medicine market size report 2021-2028. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/medical-aesthetics-market.
Kream, E. J., Jones, V. A., & Tsoukas, M. M. (2022). Balancing medical education in aesthetics: Review and debate. Clinics in Dermatology, 40(3), 283–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clindermatol.2021.11.011
