MedEsthetics magazines offers business education and in-depth coverage of the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures for physicians and practice managers working in the medical aesthetics industry.
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Ten years later, Dr. Mauricio—or "Dr. Tess," as her patients call her— has built a mini-empire. She is the founder of fi ve private practices located throughout Southern Califor- nia, including four "M Beauty by Dr. Tess" clinics; hosts "The Doctor Tess" television show; and is currently developing her own product line. She attributes her success to a combination of factors: She offers the latest technology, products and services; differentiates her practices through specialization; has developed a keen marketing sense; and has a good support system. Most impor- tantly, she and her staff keep patients' happiness at the top of their minds. From Two Rooms to Five Locations After completing her dermatology residency at the University of California, San Diego, Dr. Mauricio joined a group dermatology practice but quickly became disil- lusioned. "I wanted to practice medicine my way," she says. "I wanted to spend time with patients. I wanted to approach dermatology holistically." She chose to leave the group practice and leased two rooms from her own family doctor, an internist. Her plan was to run a small, part-time practice, assisted by her sister, an RN. The practice had just one phone: her sister's cell phone. Within a few months, her patient base outgrew those two rented rooms, and she opened her own offi ce in San Diego. Today, just eight years later, she rotates among fi ve locations, each dedicated to cosmetic dermatology— her practices do not offer reimbursable medical procedures—and staffed by physician extenders, physician assistants and registered nurses. The key to building a successful business, Dr. Mauricio quickly realized, is fi guring out what you're good at and focusing on your strengths. In her case, she chose medi- cal aesthetic treatments for skin of color. As a Filipina, she has personally experienced the challenges of treating darker skin types. "As a student, I volunteered for a spider vein removal. It was the most painful experience ever. He really zapped me. I ran to the bathroom with large blisters and scars," she says. Then and there, Dr. Mauricio made it her quest to offer effective and safe cosmetic treatments for all skin types. "It's trickier, and you have to have the right tech- nology," she explains. "The settings and protocols are different. But I have become known for offering safe, ef- fective hair removal and skin rejuvenation for everyone." In too many cases, she says, doctors "turn away pa- tients with skin of color. If they use the technology they have available, they either get no results or else they burn the patient." SUCCESS THROUGH SPECIALIZATION 60 SEPTEMBER 2014 | Med Esthetics D r . M a u r i c i o ' s p r a c t i c e s Dr. Mauricio's practices w e l c o m e p a t i e n t s welcome patients w i t h s t u n n i n g d e c o r with stunning decor a n d f r o n t d e s k s t a f f and front desk staff c o m m i t t e d t o m a k i n g committed to making p a t i e n t s f e e l g o o d . patients feel good.