Dr. Elis Rabello always knew she wanted to care for people. The initial plan was to pursue a career in medicine, but it was during a career fair that she had her first contact with nursing — and that is where everything changed. Her fascination with closer, continuous patient care spoke louder, and she decided to follow that path with an open heart.
Passionate about caring for others, Elis began her undergraduate degree at UNA, in Belo Horizonte. From the start, she had in mind working in neonatal or obstetric care. But, as happens to many health professionals, it was hands-on experience that guided her toward a new destination.
During her internship at Hospital Mater Dei, she discovered the world of intensive care. The dynamic and challenging ICU environment won her over, and it did not take long for the institution itself to hire her as soon as she graduated.
Elis dove into that world body and soul. She started a postgraduate program in intensive care and lived a demanding, exhausting routine, but one also full of meaning. Even so, something inside her began to ask for change.
“Even though I love it, I also don't see myself in it for long. It is a very stressful profession,” she recalls.
When Care Finds New Paths
The shift began with a seed planted back during her undergraduate studies, when a professor mentioned the possibility of working in aesthetics. At the time, Elis did not imagine it could become a real alternative. But, faced with the fatigue and pressure of the hospital environment, that memory came back strongly.
That was when she made a bold decision: she put her postgraduate program in intensive care on hold to begin a new specialization, this time in aesthetics.
“From the moment I started the program, I allowed myself to be myself. Aesthetics requires you to get involved with marketing, finance, management… All of that motivated me to study even more.”
Aesthetics brought lightness, creativity, and the chance to develop new skills. More than techniques, Elis came to understand the value of positioning herself in the market, building authority, and communicating with the right audience.
Autonomy in Nursing: A New Lifestyle
One of Elis's biggest discoveries was realizing that aesthetics allowed something rare in her career up to that point: autonomy in nursing. The ability to work for herself, build her own schedule, and choose her own paths made all the difference.
“Today we realize that the future is for each person to be independent. Working for yourself brings financial freedom and more time with your family,” she explains.
For her, the change was not only professional — it was personal. The more flexible routine brought quality of life and time to care for herself and others in a more balanced way. And, above all, a new joy in caring for people.
Caring for Self-Esteem Is Also Caring for Health
In aesthetics, Elis found a deep purpose: helping patients recover their self-esteem, look at themselves with more kindness, and live with more confidence. She stresses that, even outside the hospital setting, care remains at the center of everything.
“We don't want to transform anyone. We want to renew. Aesthetics requires caring for the patient's psychological well-being as well.”
This holistic and welcoming view reinforces the value of aesthetics as a legitimate and powerful field within healthcare. For Elis, every appointment is an opportunity to make a positive impact on someone's life.
Education, Safety, and Recognition
Changing fields did not mean she stopped studying — quite the opposite. Elis firmly believes that success and safety in aesthetics depend directly on qualifications and a commitment to constant learning.
She believes that autonomy in nursing should come with responsibility, ethics, and a commitment to excellence.
“We have to study a lot to do it safely. Patients can tell when you master what you are doing. And that builds your authority.”
Today, Elis is just at the start of her new journey, but she already has concrete plans. She dreams of opening her own clinic and expanding her practice, always focused on the patient experience and sustainable growth.
A Growing Movement Among Health Professionals
Elis's journey represents an increasingly common movement among nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, and other health professionals: the desire for more freedom, recognition, and fulfillment.
Aesthetics emerges as a field where it is possible to combine technique, empathy, entrepreneurship, and — above all — autonomy in nursing.
If you also feel that you need a change, perhaps it is time to listen to that discomfort and look for new paths. Like Elis, you can discover a new way of caring — lighter, closer, and full of possibilities.
Laís Bianquini
NEPUGA content team — Núcleo de Especializações Ana Carolina Puga.
