Beverly Hills association offering hybrid aesthetics training and credentialing
A long-standing Beverly Hills association whose hybrid Aesthetics 101 program, virtual certification and rare surgical add-ons offer real breadth — buyers just need to do their own verification on pricing, CME specifics and hands-on details, which are lighter on published proof than some rivals.
The American Association of Aesthetic Medicine & Surgery (AAAMS) has operated from Beverly Hills since 2006 as both a professional association and a training provider. Its flagship hybrid "Aesthetics 101" program pairs online didactics — delivered through a Teachable-based portal — with virtual certification pathways and in-person hands-on training.
Unusually for this category, AAAMS also offers advanced surgical add-ons such as fat grafting and liposuction, giving physician members a ladder beyond injectables. Its CME-based association credentialing appeals to clinicians who want ongoing membership, community and credentials from one body rather than a one-off course certificate. The trade-off: as an association-driven brand, its training claims carry lighter independent verification than providers with published accreditation details and third-party review aggregates, so buyers should confirm current curriculum, CME specifics and hands-on logistics directly.
Ideal customer
Physicians, dentists, NPs and nurses who want a hybrid online-plus-hands-on entry into aesthetics with an association credential behind it — including physicians interested in advancing into surgical aesthetic procedures over time.
The American Association of Aesthetic Medicine & Surgery (AAAMS) occupies a distinct spot in aesthetics education: it is an association first and a training company second. Based in Beverly Hills and operating since 2006, it wraps its flagship hybrid "Aesthetics 101" program, virtual certification pathways and in-person hands-on days inside a membership and CME-based credentialing model.
For clinicians who want more than a weekend certificate — an ongoing professional home, a credential tied to an association, and a curriculum ladder that extends beyond injectables — that structure is the draw. AAAMS is one of the few providers in this category offering advanced surgical add-ons such as fat grafting and liposuction, which matters to physicians who see injectables as a first step rather than a destination.
The main caution is verification depth. Compared with providers that publish tuition, accreditation specifics and instructor ratios, AAAMS's training claims carry lighter independent verification: there is no clean third-party review aggregate we could confirm, which is why we publish no ratings, and pricing is quote-based rather than published. That does not make the training weak — it means the burden of due diligence sits with the buyer. Before enrolling, get written answers on current CME credit amounts, who teaches the hands-on sessions, how many attendees share each instructor, and how many injections each student personally performs.
The association framing also cuts both ways. Membership and credentialing are valuable if you want an ongoing affiliation; they are overhead if you simply need a nurse certified quickly and cheaply. And while the surgical add-ons are a genuine differentiator, they are physician-oriented — nurse injectors evaluating AAAMS should focus their assessment on the injectables tracks alone.
Choose AAAMS if you want a hybrid, flexible pathway into aesthetics backed by an association credential — especially if you are a physician who may later add surgical aesthetic procedures and values one educational home for that whole journey. The Teachable portal and virtual certification options make it one of the more schedule-friendly programs to start. Just approach it as a diligent buyer: request current pricing, CME details and hands-on specifics in writing, and compare the hands-on injection volume against tighter-ratio boutique programs before you commit. For med spas that mainly need fast, published-price certification for staff, a high-volume CME provider like AAOPM may be the more straightforward route.
By Med Spa Vendor Hub Editorial Team. Last reviewed June 29, 2026. Independent editorial review — how we score.
Tuition is quoted rather than fully published and varies by track (Aesthetics 101, virtual certification, hands-on days, surgical add-ons) and membership status. Confirm current pricing, CME credit details and what hands-on training includes before enrolling.
Aesthetics 101 (hybrid)
Quote
per program
Flagship hybrid program combining online didactics, virtual certification and in-person hands-on training; surgical add-ons priced separately.
Pricing is researched from public sources and verified periodically; confirm current rates with the vendor.
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Training & CertificationThe American Academy of Procedural Medicine (AAOPM) is a 28-year-old, high-volume CME body offering 1-day hands-on certifications on live patients and board pathways, with rare published pricing — Botox livestream from $699 and in-person hands-on from $1,699.
Training & CertificationAMET is one of the longest-running national aesthetic training companies, offering CME/CE-accredited Botox and dermal filler courses in all 50 states — established scale, though independent reviews raise questions about hands-on injection volume and oversight.
Training & CertificationAesthetic Mentor is a boutique Boston/Hartford training academy led by plastic surgeon Dr. Joseph Russo, offering small-group, hands-on Botox, filler and medical-aesthetics courses with CME available.
