Even though you may not be the least bit interested in working with doctors, you might want to seriously consider medical esthetics training. Today, all skin care specialists are thought to be suitable candidates for some form of medical esthetics instruction, primarily because of the public awareness of the superficial chemical peeling with alpha hydroxy acids.

Undoubtedly, the procedures performed by today's esthetician are rapidly becoming more complex with the advent of more scientific discoveries. The use of these cosmetic formulations with pharmaceutical activity is challenging even for the most experienced of skin care professionals. Estheticians must meet these dramatic advances with more knowledge of the scientific aspects of cosmetics and skin care procedures.

In addition to possessing this scientific knowledge, there are also serious liability issues estheticians are forced to acknowledge. Savvy skin care specialists realize that they could be subject to significant legal judgments should adverse skin reactions occur from conducting procedures they know little to nothing about.

Estheticians who have a broader academic background and who have been trained in effective ways to market their professional services have better job prospects. When they do settle into a position in a doctor's practice, they earn higher income then their less-informed colleagues. Additional training in proposal preparation, resume writing and business planning boosts the esthetician's earning potential and provides the knowledge needed to negotiate contracts with physicians for higher wages and better benefit packages.

If you're serious about your advanced education - and you should be - finding the best training facility and taking courses can provide you with the opportunity of a lifetime. If financial success is your dream, you need to be highly trained, so pick your educational facility wisely.

The wrong training program can limit your career options instead of expanding them. If the training program is poor you may miss the chance to acquire the necessary skills, make the contacts and earn the appropriate credentials that will carry you into, and through, your medically-based skin care career.

Identify quality education programs
The first thing to look for is whether the advanced training program that has captured your interest has actually been accredited by a state governing agency. Most schools will include this information in their admissions packet. State certification is the best insurance policy for the unsuspecting student since it offers an assurance that certain quality standards have been met. A certified training institute must be regulated by a State-run board of professionals. For the school owner, the process of obtaining certification is a rigorous routine of annual compliance reviews involving on-site visits, as well as careful scrutiny of curriculum for content.

All the various training courses out there can be a confusing nightmare that can leave the esthetician in a maze of uncertainty. The purpose of the following information is to give skin care professionals seeking advanced education a set criteria for establishing the validity of a quality teaching institution.

Check out the requirements
The best schools usually have some type of admission standards. These requirements generally include an initial interview conducted by an admissions officer. The purposes behind the pre-screening interview are to reveal the student's academic promise, evaluate his of her professional goals and match him or her up with the appropriate course material in his/her desired field of study.

In addition to the admissions interview, a top-tier school will expect applicants to take a pre-entrance exam. It is generally administered by mail prior to enrollment. The results will determine the applicant's acceptance into the program.

Almost all training programs provide their graduates with a document that states their participation in their program or a diploma, but nothing tells the story to a potential employer like a certificate from a reputable State-certified institution. In announces that the student demanded and received the best training possible.

Questions to ask
1. Examine the characteristics of the institution

• When was the school established?
• What type of major courses does it offer?
• What are their educational objectives?
• How modern is the facility and its equipment?
• What is the placement rate and what positions are graduates currently holding?
  

• Is the school operating in accordance with the state's educational codes and appropriately accredited?
• If so, by whom? The State Council for Post-Secondary Education, or the Board of Registered Nursing? Be sure to ask for a copy of their licenses or obtain the Continuing Education Provider numbers for verification.
• Do students receive just a diploma verifying their attendance in the training program or do they receive accreditation for continuing education universities, and are they issued certification upon graduation?
  

• Does the school have an annual calendar listing classes?
• How well presented are the institute's course descriptions?
• What is the total number of faculty?
• Are the faculty members State certified to teach?
• What is the maximum number of students permitted per class?
• Is private training available and if so, at what cost?
• Does the school house its own library of related materials?
• What is the grade point average that will be expected?
• Are students required to take a final exam prior to graduation?
  

• Admissions Exam
• Professional goal questionnaire
• Photographic documentation of your technical abilities
• Letters of reference
  

• What is the cost of tuition?
• Does the institution offer creative financing?
• Are any of the programs eligible for Workmen's Compensation benefits?
  

Ask if all the training materials are included in the costs of the course; items such as workbooks, textbooks, cosmetic materials and/or skin care products.

Invest in training
Once you graduate, a considerable effort will have to be devoted to marketing and promoting yourself. You must be able to convince the doctor that your services will add value to his or her practice and will produce added revenue.

Regardless of what others will tell you, it is not easy to find a job in medical esthetics. The job search is often difficult because of its very personal and egocentric nature. You leave yourself wide open every time you apply for a position and negotiate a new offer. Seek out top notch training centers that recognize this and offer their alumni additional ongoing support. You may find it tough to get your foot in the door. If finding a well-paying position with a great benefits package is your priority, then make it a point to find a school that will teach you how to go though the interviewing and negotiation process step-by-step.

Victoria L. Rayner lectures on personal growth, stress management, image development and motivation and wrote The Survival Guide For Today's Career Woman and Clinical Cosmetology: A Medical Approach to Esthetic Procedures. A contributor to several professional and consumer publications, she's a frequent guest on radio and television. Rayner received the distinguished KRON (NBC affiliate) "For Those Who Care" award and was honored by the Commission on the Status of Women. Rayner operates the Center for Appearance and Esteem. San Francisco, CA, (415)398-6013, and The Rayner Institute for Career Advancement, Washington, D.C., (202)667-6297.

The Power of Advanced Training
By Victoria Rayner - Published in Skin Inc Magazine, May 2000

Training can be expensive, and some estheticians feel they cannot afford the time or the money required for advanced training courses. However, practicing advanced esthetics without the proper educational background can be even more costly. Have you ever heard the expression "if you think education is expensive, try ignorance?" Imagine how long it would take to arrive at a destination for the first time without a map. Think of the frustration and of all the expended effort it would take, not to mention the cost of wasted gasoline. There is nothing worse than wandering around not knowing whether the direction in which you are headed is the right way to go.

Advanced education offers confidence, access to information, second opinions, critiques, networking opportunities and enhanced communication skills. Yet, despite all the advantages, there still are a few in the esthetic profession who think they can learn just as much about skin care through trial and error experiences as they can in a structured program. There is something terrible about not knowing you are wrong. It may take a while, but the "not knowing" eventually will catch up with you. It is not the facts about a subject that are important in and of themselves, but the choices we have when we possess the knowledge of the facts. Skin care practitioners are limited when they cannot see things from different perceptual points of view.

A different perspective

Advanced education is the means by which estheticians obtain a broader perspective on techniques, procedures and developments in the esthetic industry. Learning more about what other estheticians do helps in gaining perspective and keep up to date with the industry. Pure logic and improved perceptions allow professionals to do their jobs better. Additionally, training also increases professionals capabilities, which are increases caring capacity, Think about the most admired professionals in this industry. What makes them so valuable? It is their vast knowledge.

All professional-minded estheticians desire to be proficient and well respected for what they do. Education offers that chance. Gaining fresh professional knowledge revitalizes interest in work and provides learners with enthusiasm. Advanced education moves professionals from just doing their jobs to truly enjoying their careers and lives. Education also will provide the tools needed for professional survival.

Professional survival

An enormous change has taken place in the skin care industry in the last two decades. Who would have thought that physicians would become so actively involved in esthetics and that estheticians would be rendering their professional services in physicians' offices and clinics? Any and all advanced training will help keep professional esthetic careers on track as the two industries continue to merge.

Large corporations boldly challenge their top personnel to continuously upgrade their professional knowledge by offering them rewards for academic efforts. Employees are given a choice: learn more about their position or receive a pink slip. Running a business is a costly, complex affair to support an unproductive staff.

Do you envision any industry trends? Potentially fewer salons will gamble on estheticians fresh out of school. The notion that a license in basic esthetics guarantees success is a myth. Advanced training is going to become a major prerequisite of any job placement. Estheticians who do not pay attention to this hiring trend are going to find themselves caught off guard when trying to secure profitable employment.

The days of casual and carefree job assignments are over. Job security comes only when performance is above and beyond what is expected, and making yourself indispensable in an area of qualified specialization is an absolute must. Those who sign the paychecks need to know that you care about the advancement of their business.

Employers should be viewed as clients and their needs should be serviced continuously. To do this, constantly be alert for new ways to improve skills and contribute more to the profit-producing side of the business. It has been said that there are two types of working professionals: the achievers and the sustainers. Sustainers often complain they they feel left out and their jobs are dreary. Achievers, on the other hand, claim they lead exciting career lives and that they enjoy each and every aspect of what they do for a living. The question is "Into what type of professional category do you fall?"

A powerful career strategy

Getting ahead takes more than just outstanding job performance. One of the consistent facts of career life is that professionals have to be better trained to be better employed. Training is an investment... an investment in the future of your career. As with any good investment, it pays dividends in increased effectiveness and productivity for years to come. Estheticians who seek advanced training straight out of school are more likely to be offered higher wages, special commissions and annual merit bonuses. Statistics from the Census Bureau indicate that the best career opportunities frequently are awarded to job applicants who have superior qualifications and strong academic backgrounds. If you expect to outdistance the competition, regularly participate in training programs that contain information about the latest advances in esthetic care and technology. Allow yourself to be driven by the need for information. Keep track of all the latest developments in the industry and establish yourself as a cutting edge skin care expert.

Advanced Programs

There are 12 important points to consider when selecting advanced training programs.
They include:

1) Create an annual training budget and set aside money each month toward a fund to finance advanced education.
2) Don't be paralyzed by the overwhelming number of training courses offered. Instead of wasting time and money taking random courses, focus in on only the programs that are relevant to your career goals and a specific educational need. Be aware of your weaknesses and areas where you can grow within the industry.
3) Make a list of seminars, specialized classes, self-help courses and technical training seminars using time lines to set goals for completion.
4) Obtain references for the educational facilities. Contact the training center you are considering attending and request the names and telephone numbers of graduates. Do not hesitate to call and ask questions that require detailed answers about their training experience.
5) Select a reputable learning institution that offers some form of ongoing follow-up career counseling or job placement for graduates.
6) Regardless of whether you plan to attend a credit or a non-credit course, stick to training programs that have the stamp of approval from accredited associations recognized by the Department of Education. The esthetic industry has its own division for education standards, governed by each state's consumer affairs decision or consumer affairs protection department. These training programs are regulated closely by the state and have clear, concise descriptions of course content and educational objectives.
7) In selecting a long-distance learning course, make sure the program has been audited and is approved by a legitimate educational licensing board. The best independent study programs will have pre-assessment testing, customized study plans and progress tracking. Some home study courses even offer personalized tutoring through teleconferencing for students who have difficulty learning on their own.
8) Searching for purely science-based facts, select courses established by academic institutions.
9) Before committing to an instructor's training program, ask to see the topics that will be covered. Instructors who have authored the course textbooks and training manuals are more likely to cover topics outside the materials. Whenever possible, train with the source. Also investigate whether the instructor will be teaching how to write proposals, author business plans and how to negotiate contract terms.
10) Learn more by taking courses taught by licensed instructors who have the training and background to teach. Certified instructors are more adept at curriculum development, and have better classroom management skills, a broader knowledge and more experience with adult learning difficulties. Course instructors should have certification in the area of expertise in which they teach, with recent hands-on experience in the specialized area as well. Industry practitioners who possess firsthand knowledge of the subject offer students a broader perspective that instructors whose boundaries have not exceeded those of the classroom walls. To guarantee instructors truly are the top experts in their filed, ask them for proof of their research and review articles and books they have labored to publish. Qualified instructors also will care about your career advancement.
11) The best instructors are those who are committed to what they teach. They have made the subject matter their lives' work. These experts love the subject area and want to impart their wisdom to others, and they truly want to see students succeed. They get excited about what they are teaching and expand on information beyond the basic requirements.
12) People who are confident in their professional knowledge are less intimidated by others and are more willing to share their ideas. Whenever possible, stay in touch with students you meet in academic classes. Well-educated estheticians love to share their wisdom, innovative ideas and sometimes even their business secrets. Alliances with these individuals during training could be very important to your career.

Career Advancement

Highly qualified educators and educational institutions know their students must be able to use the knowledge they have shared with them to build on their careers. Such instructors want to be instrumental in the career advancement of their students. Many are known to mentor their students and prepare graduates for long-term work in their field of study. Make the choice to continue your education and make the most of what you learn.

By selecting advanced education that truly can impact your career, you will have the educational background to achieve your goals and a road map to success.