What is an Aesthetic Doctor?
An aesthetic doctor is a general practitioner who specializes in altering the cosmetic appearance. Aesthetic medicine has diverse applications both for dermatological and surgical conditions. Certified AP can offer care to patients with skin imperfections, excess fat, cellulitis, obesity, unwanted hair, or spider veins. They provide non or minimally invasive treatments to patients with skin conditions.
To practice as aesthetic physicians, GPs should get a specific certification called the Letter of Credentialing and Privileging (LCP), which they would take after the compulsory medical training. GPs receiving their LCP Certificate can start working in the cosmetic industry, a broad area with many aesthetic doctor job opportunities.
What is the difference between APs and plastic surgeons?
There is a specific difference between an AP and a plastic surgeon, who seem the same because both make alterations to physical characteristics. Yet, aesthetic medicine procedures are generally performed to improve the patient’s physical or cosmetic appearance, while plastic surgery aims to improve both the appearance and the functions of either the face or the body. Also, while APs are general practitioners with a specific certificate in cosmetic procedures, plastic surgeons are specialists in skin conditions, meaning they have a minimum of 6 years of additional specialized training in plastic surgery.
There are two educational paths to becoming a plastic surgeon: MSPRS and MAPACS. To complete MSPRS, physicians would enroll for plastic surgery training as medical officers and then get two years of training. Yet, for MAPACS, doctors can enroll in 4 years of general surgery, two years of training, two years of plastic surgery postgraduate masters, and two years more training as plastic surgeons, which is a way longer path. However, MSPRS has a limited intake per year.
Plastic surgery focuses on reconstructing facial and body defects due to birth disorders, trauma, burns, or diseases, while aesthetic procedures improve physical and cosmetic appearance. An aesthetic doctor can not offer surgical procedures on the face or the body but may refer their patients to relevant plastic or cosmetic surgeons.
Besides, an AP and a plastic surgeon have different job vacancies. APs can work in beauty centers and clinics as beauty consultants, advisers, or APs in medical institutions. In contrast, plastic surgeons usually work in fully-equipped hospitals to perform reconstructive procedures.
Educational Path for Aesthetic Physicians
You need to complete an MBBS degree to become a doctor
Medical students need to have an MBBS degree to become a doctor in Malaysia, which often takes five years, depending on the university. MBBS training includes pre-clinical and clinical training. In pre-clinical training courses, medical students learn the theoretical foundations of medical sciences. Graduates can get their provisional medical license and begin clinical training during post-medical school.
The estimated cost of MBBS training in Malaysia can range from a minimum of RM 55000 to 600000 RM per year.
After MBBS, you would have 2 years of Housemanship
Medical students who successfully have their MBBS should get two years of housemanship to progress as medical officers. It is a period of training in a public hospital for practitioners completing MBBS. Medical students learn to be organized and proactive. Physicians completing their housemanships can start working as general practitioners, which is the first professional step to becoming an AP. Passing SPM/SPMV/O-Level with a min of 5 credits in training courses such as Mathematics, Physics, Biology, and Chemistry. Besides, physicians generally must have A levels in English and Bahasa Malaysia.
So, what do we get from Housemanship?
During housemanship, medical students would gain fundamental clinical skills and competence in managing patients even under heavy pressure. Housemanship will also let physicians experience the required work discipline and help them get familiar with the environment while teaching them comprehensively the healthcare and medical sciences concepts. During their housemanship, physicians can get a provisional medical license with MMC, and after the housemanship, they would be able to register fully as medical officers.
Referrals to Rural Clinics
After completion of housemanship, physicians would likely be transferred to rural clinics to have a period of compulsory healthcare service. According to the Medical Act 1970, doctors must serve the government for two more years except for housemanship. The compulsory service of physicians refers to the policy that governs the retention of a doctor, mainly in Sabah or Sarawak, for a bit of time. It is essential to balance the access to medical services among the citizens of Malaysia while ensuring doctors work in district hospitals. Medical officers can start working as general practitioners after their compulsory training.
Start working as an AP
The practice of aesthetic medicine has gained significant popularity in Malaysia. Despite not being recognized as a healthcare speciality in the country, the aesthetic doctor’s work is scientific in its approach and practice with non-invasive and minimally invasive courses.
According to the Guidelines on Aesthetic Medical Practice for Registered Medical Practitioners, physicians wishing to become board-certified practitioners must register with the National Registry of Registered Medical Practitioners Practising Aesthetic Medical Practice. General practitioners who like to have training courses in cosmetics would be registered in Chapter 1 of the National Registry.
General practitioners must pass the examination of Pertubuhan Doktor Estetik Berdaftar Malaysia to receive the Letter of Credentialing and Privileging (LCP) in Aesthetic Medical Practice. With the LCP, practitioners become able to combine aesthetic medicine with their practice. They can also be registered to the national registry with the Letter of Credentialing and Privileging.
What are the letters of Credentialing and Privileging (LCP) requirements?
There are several requirements for doctors to have their LCPs:
- A medical practitioner who wants to practice medical aesthetics must fully register with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC).
- Physicians wishing to have LCP must possess a valid Annual Practising Certificate.
- Practitioners must not have any disciplinary issues.
- General practitioners wishing to start aesthetic practice need to undergo aesthetic medicine training as stated:
- Introduction to Aesthetic Practice
- Aesthetic medical practice modules include chemical peels, laser procedures such as laser hair removal, intense pulse light, skin tightening procedures, cosmetic and toxin injectables, botox, and dermal fillers. The length of each training changes in the range of two weeks to two months.
Practitioners who managed to receive the LCPs can start working as APs in Malaysia.
Is Being an AP a good career choice?
Some of the career opportunities for aesthetic practitioners:
There are many career options available for board-certified aesthetic practitioners, such as:
- Working as an aesthetic physician in a medical institution
- As an aesthetic beauty consultant in a beauty center
- As a beauty adviser
- As a skincare professional
- As a laser technician
- With a plastic surgeon as an assistant
- As a clinical instructor
- As a beauty therapist
- As a beauty clinic manager.
Check out Doctor Jobs Today for job vacancies in aesthetic medicine.
What is the approximate salary range for APs?
An AP can earn a minimum of MYR 8000 to MYR 30000 in Malaysia. The payment scale for APs might change depending on the institution.
Benefits of being an aesthetic doctor
Working as an AP is beneficial from various perspectives, such as:
Training is shorter
As a medical professional, whether you want to shift focus or start a new career, you would have long and challenging periods to get related training. Aesthetic training for physicians is quick to complete. General practitioners interested in aesthetic medicine can become board-certified APs after hands-on training on procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers, chemical peels, cosmetic injectables, and laser procedures, among others.
Aesthetics practice is a growing market
Aesthetics and cosmetics is a huge, growing industry worldwide, and accordingly, the demand for minimally-invasive or non-invasive cosmetic procedures is increasing in the country too. Malaysia is one of the most popular medical tourism locations in South Asia. People are looking forward to improving physical features with aesthetic procedures. Due to the lower costs in Malaysia, medical tourists would instead choose to get the procedure in the country. Thus, you would also have many clients and career opportunities as a qualified aesthetic practitioner in Malaysia.
Better doctor-patient relationships
The main purpose of APs is to make their patients satisfied with their facial features by making alterations and improvements. The face is one of the most vital parts of our outer body and is important for expressions. Thus an AP can make their patients happier with minimally invasive procedures.
Predictable hours
With aesthetic medicine, APs would have more predictable scheduling in their professions. Patients come in for treatments during your medical institution, clinic, spa, or private office’s specific working hours. The procedure schedule will follow the availability of the doctor, patient, and health clinic. Thus, APs often have more flexible working hours than other medical professionals.
Challenges of Being an Aesthetic Physician
There are also several challenges of working in a demanding area:
Too much competition
Becoming an AP would have a length of a maximum of 2 months after your compulsory training. Thus, except for physicians with a specific interest in cosmetics, medical professionals eager to start their careers or make money as early as they can also choose to become an AP. And as the barriers to entry are low, there is a high supply of APs. To successfully catch your dream job in the industry, you must do deep and current research to stay up to date.
Unrealistic expectations of patients
One of the common challenges in aesthetic practice is the patients’ unrealistic expectations. Because of misleading advertisements from channels or social websites, people wish to have the same facial features according to the social perspectives of beauty. When cosmetic change requests from patients are at a level that may harm their skin health, an aesthetic physician will offer alternative aesthetic procedures. Some patients may still not be satisfied with the result even if you have improved the feature successfully or may be persistent in their requests for alterations.
Becoming an AP is a challenging path as well as satisfying. Just consider the pros and cons and look at alternative career options. If you start your AP schooling with great awareness of the job scope, you could feel pleased and satisfied with your profession.
About Doctor Jobs Today
Doctor Jobs Today is the first job-seeking platform in Southeast Asia dedicated to serving the job searching needs of healthcare professionals. We have created a space to connect employers and medical job seekers seamlessly. As part of the healthcare community, we aim to cater to medical doctors for their vacancy inquiries better than traditional job portals. So here, you will only get job options that are relevant to you, sourced from the prestigious healthcare institutions in the country, because we are just as picky as you are!
Doctor Jobs Today has all the right vacancies you’re dreamed about: a higher salary, a better-equipped hospital for your specialisation, or even a career shift from patient care.
About Docquity
If you feel like your educational and professional experience has not been sufficient to make your CV pop, expanding the network to other healthcare professionals to practise peer-to-peer learning might be the answer. One of the ways to do it is by joining a social platform for healthcare professionals, such as Docquity.
Docquity is an AI-based state-of-the-art private & secure continual learning network of verified doctors, bringing you real-time knowledge from thousands of doctors worldwide. Today, Docquity has over 300,000 doctors spread across six countries in Asia.
Meet experts and trusted peers across Asia where you can safely discuss clinical cases, get up-to-date insights from webinars and research journals, and earn CME/CPD credits through certified courses. All with the ease of a mobile app available on Android & iOS platforms!
