Aesthetic Biology may be something new for biologists, since the Resolution No. 582/2020 that supports their practice was issued at the end of 2020. However, the idea of entering this field of health has always been present in these professionals' lives.
Even though the tracks offered in a biology degree revolve around zoology, the environmental field, or health, biologists have always known they could go further. In addition, another point that weighs heavily for professionals in this category is the opening it gives into the job market.
Dr. Emília Delarmelina Ferreira graduated in biology in 2009 and has worked in education ever since. She earned a master's degree in animal biology, worked with bats in the Pantanal and with mammals. But after finishing her master's, she ran into difficulties entering the job market.
Because of that impact, she completely changed the direction of her field of study and began a doctorate in clinical analysis. In 2019, along with the arrival of the pandemic, the difficulties began that led her to Aesthetic Biology. An inspiring story that you will get to know in this Success Story!
Aesthetic Biology: Opportunities, Freedom, and Autonomy
Just as Brazil was beginning to feel the first signs of the pandemic, the research field went through funding difficulties, which affected Dr. Emília's doctorate. During this same period, her six-year-old son was diagnosed with ataxia and refractory epilepsy and has been in home care ever since.
“I saw aesthetics as a possibility to work within the health field, where I was already working, but at the same time stay close to my son. Today, my expectation with aesthetics is to have more time to be close to my son, to be able to set my own schedule, and to stay in the health field, which I've been passionate about since I started”, says the doctor.
The biologist says she has always had a passion for aesthetics, first as a client, but she always had a leaning toward this field. However, as a biologist she could not practice.
As soon as the resolution that qualified biologists in aesthetics came out at the end of 2020, Dr. Emília waited for the right time and began her Postgraduate Program in Aesthetic Biology in 2021.
“I had intended to study biomedicine just to work with aesthetics, but going back to the classroom would tie me down again. And since the program is partly online and partly in person, and gives us the flexibility to choose the day of the hands-on class, that made it possible for me to study, which an undergraduate degree wouldn't have”, she explains.
Expectations: Financial Return and Freedom
Even though she hasn't finished the specialization yet, the biologist explains that she already performs some procedures that don't require completing the program, such as aesthetic and paramedical dermopigmentation, piercings, ear projects, and others.
“I do have high expectations of earning a financial return, but I don't picture myself as an extremely rich person, because my intention within aesthetics is that, by having a good financial return, I won't need to work for so long and will have more free time to spend with my son, that is, to have a good financial return without having to work every day of the week”, she emphasizes.
Aesthetic Biology as a Priority and a ‘Great Promise for Biologists’
The biologist graduated almost 13 years ago and points out that biology is a very broad field. Something interesting about her degree, in fact, is that it was one of the programs with a ‘really heavy’ course load compared to other health-field options she had at the time.
“It was even a little frustrating to have such a heavy course load and not be able to work in aesthetics. Because in biology we learn a lot about the health field, we learn practically what all the other health programs offer, like pharmacy, biomedicine, medicine, nursing; our study of the health field is very broad”, she explains.
Dr. Emília stresses that dedication to your studies is extremely important to stand out, but also that there is room for everyone in the field who does good work and likes what they do.
“For biologists who like the health field, aesthetics is a very good promise. It's so rewarding to work, to see the expectation in your patient and the happiness on their face after the treatment. Until now we were very tied to laboratories (which is also great), but it's good that we now have this other possibility, especially for those who like working with people”, the doctor concludes.
Josiele Batista
NEPUGA content team — Núcleo de Especializações Ana Carolina Puga.
