Mastering Aesthetics Within Six Months & Landing a Job at a Five-Star Medical Spa
Updated: 1 day ago
Preceptorship Graduate Spotlight | Simona Knop, PA
For years, Simona worked as a physician assistant in inpatient pediatrics at Lurie Children’s Hospital. The work was meaningful, but the long shifts and emotional demands left her questioning what she wanted her career to look like.
Aesthetics had been on her mind since she was 12 and struggling with her own skin. What she didn’t have was a clear way into the industry.
Simona’s next step was The Confidence Lab’s six-month Preceptorship program, featuring six in-depth modules designed to build knowledge, skills and confidence in aesthetics. The training and support she gained, combined with her persistence in visiting around 25 medspas with her resume, helped her land her first job in aesthetics at The Fitz Aesthetic Club.
Watch her story, then read the interview below.
Leaving the hospital
What was the turning point when you realized you couldn’t see yourself staying in the hospital long-term?
“I loved working in pediatrics. It was incredibly meaningful, but also emotionally exhausting. I was coming home after shifts completely drained and started to question what my career would look like long-term.”
For Simona, an interest in aesthetics didn’t automatically make the next step obvious. Finding people to speak with, opportunities to shadow and the right training took effort.
“There isn’t a set path to enter aesthetics, and I think that’s the hardest part.”
Finding a way into aesthetics
How did you break into aesthetics?
“Making the career jump was super intimidating, and finding ways to shadow, train or even talk to people about the field was challenging. I followed Rana for a while and took the chance on the Preceptorship to give me a really solid foundation.
“Then I went to maybe 25 medspas in person with my hardcopy resume and even DM’d the owners of The Fitz for months. I finished the Preceptorship in April and landed my dream job at the end of July.”
The training gave Simona a foundation to build on. She followed it with sustained outreach, introducing herself to practices and continuing to pursue the opportunity she wanted.
Building confidence for a new role
How did the Preceptorship prepare you for your new role?
“On the hands-on day I was SO nervous, but I also felt ready. I knew I had spent six months learning and had people there to support me.
“It gave me a quiet confidence. I wasn’t walking into interviews pretending I knew everything, but I knew how much work I had already put in.”
That quiet confidence is at the heart of Simona’s story: having a foundation, recognizing the work she had done and feeling ready to keep learning in a new role.
“You’re never completely ready for a career change. I was in a totally different place six months ago, and now I’m working my dream job.”
Considering your own move into aesthetics?
The Confidence Lab’s six-month Preceptorship gives healthcare practitioners a structured way to develop their knowledge through online learning, monthly support and hands-on training, with shadow opportunities depending on the track.
If training in Chicago isn’t possible, our Virtual Aesthetics Program offers the same six-module core curriculum online. It includes 60+ hours covering neuromodulators, fillers, facial anatomy and complications, plus marketing and branding. You’ll receive 12 months of access and a $250 credit toward hands-on training at The Confidence Lab.
Explore the programs to find the learning format that fits your next step.
