This PA Week 2025, we celebrate the remarkable role and lasting impact of our nation’s Physician Assistants (PAs) — the dedicated professionals who continue to raise the bar for patient care, safety, and innovation.
Within dermatology and aesthetics, PAs have become an indispensable force, advancing clinical practice, expanding access, and redefining what it means to deliver safe, effective, and patient-centered care.
According to the American Academy of PAs (AAPA), there are approximately 190,000 practicing PAs in the U.S., engaging in more than 590 million patient interactions each year — with dermatology and aesthetics among the fastest-growing specialties. Their expanding role not only enhances access to care but also drives progress, research, and the evolution of treatment models that balance science and artistry.
In January 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked the PA profession as the #2 Best Health Care Job, citing the field’s rapid growth, flexibility, and high career satisfaction — a reflection of how critical PAs have become to modern medicine.
With the demand for dermatologic and aesthetic procedures continuing to rise, the need for qualified, skilled providers has never been greater. This growing demand underscores the essential role PAs play as clinical leaders, innovators, and educators in this dynamic specialty.
MedSpa Pro recently spoke with Gina McLean, PA-C, and Jennifer Martinez, PA-C, co-founders of SkinLocal, a boutique dermatology and aesthetics practice in Miami, Florida. Reflecting on their most meaningful contributions, they shared:
“Our most meaningful contribution has been bridging the gap between advanced clinical expertise and a personalized, boutique patient experience. As physician assistants, we are uniquely positioned to combine the rigor of medical dermatology with the artistry of aesthetics... We’ve been intentional about cultivating safe, evidence-based, and natural-looking results while also building a practice model that values patient trust and education above all."
By creating practices like SkinLocal, PAs are scaling this philosophy across multiple communities — making high-quality aesthetic care more accessible while maintaining safety, ethics, and clinical integrity.
Where there once existed a significant gap between patient demand and provider availability, the growth of PAs and nurse practitioners (NPs) has helped to close that divide. Their ability to respond to this growing demand has been transformative.
As Gina and Jennifer put it:
“PAs have transformed access and innovation in dermatology and aesthetics. Historically, demand for these services outpaced availability, and PAs have stepped in to meet that need without sacrificing quality of care. Our training gives us the flexibility to excel in both medical and cosmetic dermatology, and our collaborative approach fosters innovation — whether that’s integrating new technologies, championing safety protocols, or expanding patient education.”
Recent insights from Dermatology Times highlight how PAs and NPs are leveraging technology, advocacy, and peer collaboration to advance the field:
Beyond clinical practice, PAs play an essential role in shaping the future of dermatology and aesthetics through mentorship and education.
Gina and Jennifer share:
“We take that responsibility very seriously. We remember what it was like to be early in our careers, looking for mentors who not only taught technique, but also integrity, professionalism, and patient-centered care. As leaders, we see ourselves as role models who demonstrate that you can be both clinically excellent and compassionate, entrepreneurial and ethical. At SkinLocal, we’ve created a culture where PAs, NPs, estheticians, and support staff all learn from one another — whether that’s through shadowing, workshops, or one-on-one mentorship.”
This collaborative spirit mirrors the growing movement of peer learning, where PAs and NPs exchange insights, refine best practices, and continuously improve patient outcomes and business operations.
“By investing in education, we hope to raise the bar for the entire field and ensure that the next generation of providers enter with confidence, strong clinical judgment, and a clear sense of purpose.”
PAs are not only expert clinicians — they’re also innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs. Many are launching or managing successful medical aesthetic practices, blending clinical precision with business strategy and patient-focused design.
The story of Gina and Jennifer exemplifies this growing trend among PAs nationwide — building scalable, ethically grounded business models that uphold the integrity of the profession while expanding access to trusted aesthetic care.
PAs are the cornerstone of modern dermatology and aesthetics. Together with their physician colleagues, they have transformed how patients access care, how providers collaborate, and how practices continue to evolve in an ever-changing landscape.
Their unwavering commitment to education, innovation, safety, and patient advocacy continues to push the industry forward — ensuring that dermatology and aesthetics remain anchored in evidence, elevated by artistry, and defined by compassion.
“As the industry evolves, PAs continue to be at the forefront of advancing standards, driving growth, and shaping how practices deliver care. We’re proud to represent a profession that proves you don’t have to choose between science and artistry, or between business and medicine—you can do both, and do them exceptionally well.”
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