From AMSA to NZCAM to NZSCM - what’s it going to be?

The beginning of AMSA in 1995 was initiated by a small group of Appearance Medicine Practitioners wanting to create a forum for professional discourse and improved patient care.

It was a natural progression for AMSA to build a training course for new practitioners in the field. A name change in 2006 to NZCAM, the NZ College of Appearance Medicine, reflected this change towards a training body.

7 years of discussions between NZCAM, the Medical Council and the College of General Practitioners led to the NZCAM training scheme becoming the Diploma in Cosmetic Medicine. MCNZ defined Cosmetic Medicine as an extended scope of practice within the Royal NZ College of General Practitioners mandating training through the diploma course for independent practice in our field. For NZCAM this meant yet another, final, name change.

The Society in Cosmetic Medicine, NZSCM, is now the single unified body in Cosmetic Medicine in New Zealand representing our profession and providing training, supervision and professional accreditation.

Our name change into a “society” reflects our position within the regulatory framework as the provider of post-fellowship training. “Cosmetic Medicine” will fit better with international nomenclature and the Medical Councils regulatory language. It will also keep the door open for affiliations with other professional groups working in our field of specialisation.

The Greek symbol Phi symbolises the Golden Ratio in mathematics and the arts, a fitting logo for a craft combining medical science with the beauty of the human body.

We have set the scene for the next few decades.
Our future looks bright.

NZSCM’s Mission statement

To provide a professional environment in which physicians with an interest and/or expertise in Cosmetic Medicine can develop the skills required for the pursuit of excellence in the modalities encompassed by Cosmetic Medicine.

These skills are provided taking into account the holistic nature of the client’s needs, including physical, emotional, psychological and environmental.