It was clear to me that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine before I entered college in 1989.  Choosing Zoology as my major afforded me the opportunity to learn both animal and human science and be part of a small percentage of pre-med students studying this field.  University of Florida offered one of the top Zoology programs in the country.

There were multifarious professions available to me as a highly motivated, educated college student.  There were the highly technical professions, such as an airline pilot, a computer analyst, or an engineer; the people oriented professions, such as a server, a nurse, or a salesman; the team oriented professions, such as a coach, a teacher, or a mailman; and the investigative professions, such as a lawyer, a scientist, or a mechanic.  To me, the field of medicine encompassed the positive attributes of all these professions.  I knew early on that a career solely dedicated to the enhancement and preservation of life would be both rewarding and fulfilling.  Helping those in need has always been a strong desire and goal of mine and being accepted to and obtaining my Physician Assistant degree from Nova Southeastern University allowed me to fulfill my dream.

Anatomy and Physiology were, by far the most interesting courses. Learning about the intricacies of the human body was fascinating and challenging.

Because it requires incredible skill and intellect on the part of a health care provider to investigate, diagnose and ultimately treat an individual, Physical Diagnosis was one of the most beneficial courses for my career.

I think it’s important to pursue your passion.  Medicine is unique because you have the opportunity to practice a specialty, such as Cardiology or Endocrinology, or you can be diverse and practice General Medicine.  Most medical students decide which path best suits them during clinical rotations, where they have an opportunity to experience all fields of medicine.

One of most exciting aspects of being a physician assistant is having the opportunity to pursue another specialty of medicine without having to complete a residency.  Practicing internal medicine for over 10 years was challenging and rewarding and it exposed me to all specialties.  Those years allowed me to diagnose and treat illness and make people feel better in the process.  The clinical knowledge I gained and the patient relationships I established were invaluable.

I had become fascinated with anti-aging medicine during those years.  It is an exciting specialty that is constantly evolving and it is the fastest growing industry.  It’s not so much about making people look good…. my focus is making people FEEL good by boosting their self-confidence.  It is rewarding in so many ways. I was presented with the idea of opening a medical spa with a surgeon I referred to for years.  It was an incredible opportunity to be an entrepreneur and practice aesthetic medicine.

I worked tirelessly for two years researching procedures, training and becoming certified in those procedures, deciding on which aesthetic treatments to offer and what skin care lines to carry in the office.  My practice is located at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, where my medical director is a surgeon.  During the first 2 years, I handled all aspects of the business myself to keep costs low and to build up clientele.  As I became busier, I hired staff, one person at a time.

The responsibilities I have running and maintaining my own practice far surpasses the responsibilities I had while practicing internal medicine.  Nothing has come easy and I have enjoyed attaining my goals and watching my dream of having my own practice as a physician assistant become a reality.  I love what I do and look forward to going into work every day.

I am involved in every aspect of my practice; therefore my work is ongoing. As director of aesthetic procedures, I administer all of the injectibles in the practice, which includes Botox and Dermal Fillers and I perform all laser procedures; laser hair removal, laser skin tightening, and laser skin rejuvenation.  I also perform Ultherapy skin tightening and EMatrix sublative rejuvenation.  Researching and selecting skincare product lines to complement these aesthetic procedures is an integral part of maintaining results for my patients.  As Chief Operating Officer, I manage, hire, and compensate my staff, balance the budget, create all consent forms and medical forms affiliated with the practice, and decide all price points for procedures and products offered.  As Director of Marketing, I designed and created our logo, brochures, business cards, website, and flyers.  I have done articles for the South Florida Luxury Guide Magazine, Miami Modern Luxury Magazine and the New Times and I attend local events to optimize networking opportunities and generate business.

The majority of new business comes from word of mouth and the Internet.  Happy patients write rave reviews on Yelp and Google and refer their friends and family members.  I really listen to my patients and formulate a plan with them to achieve the aesthetic results they are seeking.  They are not rushed during their consultation and treatment and they feel comfortable in our beautiful office.  My staff is very warm, friendly, attentive, and educated in every aspect of the business and they play an integral role in gaining and maintaining our patient base.  In fact, most of our patients will tell you that a visit to our office is like visiting close friends and family.

I was a member of a business-networking group for a few years and it gave me the opportunity to showcase my practice and give aesthetic lectures on a weekly basis, creating more awareness about my industry.  I have been the featured “Trending Beauty” editorial in magazines (South Florida Luxury Guide and Miami Modern Luxury Magazine) and I am looking forward to doing a segment on CBS on Hand Rejuvenation in the near future.  All of these elements, collectively, have served to grow my practice and keep us in business in a highly competitive market.

Avoid excessive sun exposure! The sun is the number one cause of wrinkles and it is important to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF30 to protect against UVA and UVB exposure  

Drink water – hydration is very important for great skin

Eat clean – avoid excessive sugar intake which breaks down collagen and elastin 

Get your beauty sleep! It’s important to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep per night because that is when the skin renews itself and old cells are replaced with new cells 

Throw away the cigarettes! Smoking gives you fine lines and wrinkles and basically “chokes” the skin by depleting it of oxygen and nutrients that are essential to skin health

Use antioxidants on the skin every morning – I love products with green tea and Vitamin C. Antioxidants also boost the effects of sunscreen and fight free radicals in the environment 

Use a Retinol on the skin – retinols promote cell turnover and fight fine lines and wrinkles

Use an eye cream– every morning and night to protect the delicate area around the eyes

There are some people who believe you can’t have an aesthetic procedure done without looking over-filled, too frozen, or plastic looking.  I am a firm believer that as soon as someone can perceive something has been done, you’ve just defeated your entire purpose and it is perceived negatively.  The key is to go to someone who knows how the face ages, can slow that process, and make you look natural with injectibles, laser and/or tightening procedures, skin care regimens or a combination of these things.

Continued medical education is important for both maintaining my licensure and staying current in the industry.  I attend symposiums, participate in hands-on advanced trainings and webinars, stay current in my aesthetic journal reading, and work closely with my pharmaceutical representatives.

Each day, I look forward to a fresh start, a chance to meet new challenges and an opportunity to make a difference.  I’m living my dream and I know that the best is yet to come. I’m in an exciting industry and I can only hope for continued growth and success!