Written by: Brielle Kirk, PA-C
It is very important for a medical provider to get to know his or her patients, but often the patient does not know much about the provider! Being able to relate to your provider may allow you to become more comfortable with that person, so allow me to introduce myself and explain a little about me!
Early Life
I was born and raised in a small town in Southern NJ, right outside of Philadelphia, PA. For as long as I can remember, I loved music and dancing. This inspired me to take piano lessons for 8 years, cheer, and dance. As I got older and busier, I had to choose my favorite activity, which was for sure dance! I started dance competitively at age 12, which continued into my college years when I became the captain of my dance team as a Junior and Senior. They called me Captain Kirk (haha). Dancing allowed me to travel around the country and make lifelong friends for which I am eternally grateful!
A struggle of mine in my early life (and still a little bit to this day) is Acne. I’ve been on every medication under the sun for it. Lotions, creams, pads, antibiotics, and even Accutane! Struggling with this inspired my love for skincare at a young age, and I started out wanting to be an aesthetician to help other people with their skin. Then, I started leaning more towards the medical field because of my love for health and problem solving. By pursuing the medical route, I realized I could always combine my love for both!
Why PA & Journey through PA School
I set out to be a physician and entered college as a “pre-med” biology major. As I went throughout my freshman year in college, I started re-thinking my path after meeting a PA. She was personable, kind, and intelligent, inspiring me to change my route. I switched all of my courses to fit the “pre-PA track”, shadowed PAs, and even took a gap year after college graduation to gain healthcare experience as a Physical Therapy Aide. I was then accepted to the NYIT PA Program in Old Westbury, NY, and the rest is history! PA school was one of the hardest, yet best experiences of my life. If I had to do it all over again the same exact way, I would. I took rotations in primary care, internal medicine, general surgery, orthopedics, OBGYN, emergency medicine, pediatrics, and did an elective in plastic surgery. It was my plastics rotation that gave me a taste of the aesthetic industry, and I was sold!
Career
After PA school, I decided to “do something crazy” and move from the east coast to Austin, TX and start my career in family medicine. Being in family medicine solidified my general medical knowledge, and gave me a further look into the world of functional medicine and aesthetics. I even used Botox to treat Chronic Migraines! After a couple years of this, I realized I wanted more of the functional medicine and aesthetic side, for my philosophy about health and wellness is all about prevention! This led me to L-Aesthetics & Longevity. It is awesome to work with people that have the same philosophies and passions and to care for patients that actually want to visit the office and take care of themselves! I could not be happier!
Now that you’ve gotten to know me, I’d love to get to know you! My goal is to make you both look AND feel your best, so do not hesitate to call our office and schedule an appointment with me!