People prioritise their health above anything else in their life. When someone becomes ill or injured, their usual way of life is disturbed, and physicians have the great potential to restore these people’s lives to normal. As a result, becoming a doctor is immensely satisfying.
Dr. Katie Lau is an aesthetic doctor with over ten years of expertise treating patients in the field of aesthetic medicine. In 2017, Katie founded Dr. Katie Clinic in the field of cosmetic medicine as her own private enterprise. Katie earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Hong Kong in 2006. She began working in aesthetics in 2011 after completing her surgical training at Queen Mary Hospital. During this time, she worked for a variety of firms, honing her abilities and gaining expertise.
The Motivation behind Starting Entrepreneurial Journey
Katie had no intention of starting her own business when she began her educational journey as a medical student, nor did she want to concentrate in the disciplines of cosmetic and aesthetic medicine. Her ultimate purpose was to assist those who were in need. Following three years of basic surgical training at Queen Mary Hospital—the University of Hong Kong’s teaching hospital—several unexpected possibilities led her into private practise in 2011. She began her career as a general practitioner and an aesthetic physician. After a few years, she chose to devote herself entirely to aesthetic medicine because it entails more operations and allows for healing with the hands, as opposed to surgery.
Throughout her journey, Katie acquired a strong foundation and tactful approach to dealing with people from various backgrounds, while developing and shaping her missionary principles and direction over time, thanks to a variety of experiences—including technical and personal aspects gained from working for several centres. Furthermore, the sportsmanship she developed as a competitive swimmer throughout her adolescent years helped to shape her strong character, which survived and remained throughout.
Helping those who are in Need
Katie Lau’s cosmetic clinic is not only a place where individuals may have their physical looks changed, but it’s also a place where patients can have their personalities changed because of her sympathetic character. Katie reflected on the period when she was insistent about choosing aesthetic treatment as her last choice, admitting it was the finest decision she had ever made. She sought to use her talents to help others, which gave her a feeling of fulfilment and comfort. Her goal was never merely to give people medicine, but to make them happy by treating their psychological structures as well.
Katie learnt after years of working in this field that many of the ‘imperfections’ identified by her patients were the result of a variety of social or other external influences. The most prevalent reason for people knocking on the doors of aesthetics physicians was peer pressure. She is a firm believer in focusing on visible qualities while also addressing interior difficulties in order to create one’s identity. She quietly counsels her patients with some insightful chats and specific programmes to enhance their highs and reduce their lows, all with this great purpose in mind.
Furthermore, Katie identified certain pain problems while aggressively working at private institutions to acquire expertise, where many actors were highly focused on promoting technological advancements rather than providing appropriate answers to patients. Many private clinic entrepreneurs did not come from a medical background, demonstrating their business-oriented mind-set. Katie, on the other hand, founded her company on the principles of comprehensive patient care. She hopes to build a new-fangled aesthetic philosophy where patients’ total well-being is prioritised by opening this clinic.
Katie’s intriguing vision revolves around treating a human being as an individual in need of the highest care, attention, and compassion, rather than as a body with structural flaws. With her ‘human-centric’ approach, the outstanding female entrepreneur takes great pride in being a game-changer in the field. Recognizing her role as a sculptor who can change someone’s exterior look while also repairing his inner disarray is what she enjoys the most, and it’s also what one can call her venture’s distinctive characteristic.
Dr. Katie Clinic
Aesthetic medicine is a unique medical field with a wide range of services. It’s been described as “half art, half science,” with different doctors using different techniques and each patient’s service experience at each clinic being unique and personalised. As a result, it is usual for patients to window shop and visit many locations at the same time. Regardless, Katie gives her all every day, continues to learn how to do things better, and stresses the fundamental principle of “do no harm” rather than a purely corporate emphasis.
Aesthetics, according to Dr. Katie, is about treating people holistically. It’s not about tackling the problems at hand; it’s about getting to know the patient as a whole and treating all parts of the illness, including the psychosocial components. Katie claims that once a patient’s problems are understood, they will see an increase in their self-confidence. Patients are also more likely to participate in their social, professional, and family life when they take this method. Aesthetics aid in the development of their self-esteem from inside out.
But, above all, as per Dr. Katie, the most vital characteristic is support for both patients and peer doctors who may be discouraged by previous experiences, whether personal or medical. Patient complaints are frequently mutual misunderstandings, misconceptions, and discorded styles, resulting in “mismatches,” according to her. She avoids “misinterpretations” and further exacerbates the gaps by remaining impartial and explaining facts and providing expertise.
Being a Leader
Katie isn’t a fan of traditional leadership styles since she sees herself as part of a team. She says, “I’m not the regular team leader, but I do know my team members well, and I attempt to give tasks to each team member based on their unique features and strengths.” Katie believes that getting to know one’s own team members fosters better cooperation and allows everyone to operate as a cohesive one. She says, “My patients are sometimes fairly intriguing in that they tell my teammates about how they feel in a manner, but then don’t say much in front of me, perhaps because of the stereotype that some people, perhaps, are really fearful of physicians. So it’s truly good teamwork, as well as smart task distribution and time management. ” Katie also realises that her attitude, which her employees and patients like, is similar to the front levers, and that she, like the hierarchy, sets directives and is impatient to follow certain things.
According to Katie, today’s society is indeed a different one. With the internet omnipresent and the media brimming with knowledge, patients are quite informed about their condition and the therapy they are going to get. As a result, treating individuals is no longer a one-way street; it has evolved into a collaborative dialogue in which you draw up plans, examine available choices, and debate with patients what is in their best interests.
Trying New Hobbies to Enjoy Life More
Katie used to live a disciplined life because she was a committed athlete before beginning her professional career. She says that working out in the morning before her consultation and procedure schedule for the day begins keeps her energised for the rest of the day. Katie uses Sundays to interact with her family and friends, which helps her ease into her busy work schedule. Katie enjoys reading books and keeping up with the newest technological developments. She considers learning to be an on-going process in which one cannot afford to stop.
Katie is fascinated by latte art, which is another niche she enjoys. She asserts, “I enjoy coffee and fantasise of opening my own café. I used to study coffee brewing and latte art. Because it’s like an art work, I believe this is fairly comparable to my chart.”
Future Endeavours
Everything is changing quite quickly as a result of the epidemic. And there are a lot of obstacles and expectations sometimes, especially in the last year or so. Katie feels extremely fortunate to be able to sustain and live up to this, sort of like, a global trough. Working out her core concepts, as well as her original purpose of why she pursued medicine, is to assist patients and others around her, says Katie.
Katie intends to continue working and pursuing her career in this field, with the goal of building a top team both locally and worldwide. She plans to resume performing more seminars and training sessions both locally and internationally when the pandemic situation improves. “I’m also hoping to be able to capture my experiences through various media outlets,” she said. Katie has also considered launching a mini-school to disseminate information about the profession while also including her own personal experiences and patient stories. Katie will also have the opportunity to expand her business. With patient demands for clinics all across the world, expanding may become a reality very soon. In 2019, just two years after opening her clinic, she already has a second, somewhat larger unit. And it amounted to at least 1,500 square feet. She now has extra space, which allows her to serve more patients at once with more machines and new procedures such as hair rejuvenation, vaginal tightening, and dermatological treatments.
