No one I know decided to become a physician to be rich or famous. It’s a calling and a passion and we’re fighting hard to keep it that way. Being a dermatologist is a little different than many other fields of medicine because we also have a subset of us that practice aesthetic medicine as part or all of our area of expertise. The draw to aesthetics, selling products and performing procedures can have a strong pull because of the financial potential but every treatment or product has a consequence and your reputation rides on your honesty and ability to deliver on what you promise.
You’ll have pressure from all sides. Patients will pressure you to do more- bigger lips, bigger cheeks, more frozen faces. They may say they want to look “natural” but they keep asking for more. This is where saying “NO” is very important. There’s no amount of money you can make that’s worth compromising your integrity or aesthetic vision. Companies will pressure you to buy their device. They’ll woo you with return on investment (ROI) numbers, tell you everyone asks for their product by name, make you feel like it’s a can’t live without device. It’s very important to do your due diligence before investing in any device, know what you’re getting, know the carrying costs, consumables, support from the company.
I find that a simple rule that will never fail you is to follow your instincts. You have to filter out all the other factors and know from within yourself if it feels right or wrong and never cross that line. Never do something because of the money or patient pressure or for your ego. If you filter those out and follow with a healthy degree of skepticism about every new product or treatment and wait for proof of efficacy, you may not be the wealthiest of doctors but you will be the most successful and you will do more than just fine financially as well as your reputation grows from your honest work and results.
Did you like this article? If so, read more like it here.
