About Dr. Rebecca Small
Founder of RSMD Aesthetics Training | Harvard MD | UCSF Clinical Professor
Dr. Rebecca Small is a recognized leader in aesthetic medicine, known for her expertise and clear, concise approach to injectable training. She developed the Injectable Safety Zones, authored the best-selling Practical Guide textbook series, and created the signature RSMD Liquid Lift technique. Through RSMD Aesthetics Training, she shares over 20 years of experience, helping providers achieve the highest standards of clinical excellence in aesthetic medicine.
Scroll down to learn more about Dr. Small’s background, teaching, and the experience that shapes her approach to aesthetic medicine.
Dr. Small’s Bio
Dr. Rebecca Small is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and Harvard Medical School. She is a Clinical Professor at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, where she trains residents in plastic surgery and family medicine, and is an Associate Clinical Professor at the UCSF School of Nursing, where she teaches nurse practitioner students. She serves as Director of Medical Aesthetics Training for both the Natividad Family Medicine Residency and the Morehouse Family Medicine Residency, and leads hands-on skills labs as part of the UCSF Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Core Surgical Curriculum (PRSCSC). Dr. Small lectures nationally on dermatologic and aesthetic medicine and has served on planning and curriculum committees developing didactic and procedural workshops for both academic conferences and clinical training programs.
Having spent over a decade precepting UCSF residents in her private office as part of their core dermatology and aesthetic medicine rotations, Dr. Small has developed electives that remain consistently oversubscribed. Known for her ability to tailor instruction to each learner, she integrates didactic teaching, live demonstration, and personalized hands-on precepting—earning top evaluation scores and numerous teaching awards.
In addition to teaching and writing, Dr. Small is the Medical Director at her private practice, RSMD Medical Aesthetics, in Santa Cruz, California, where she has been providing nonsurgical medical aesthetic patient care for over 20 years.
Her dual roles as educator and practicing clinician at RSMD Medical Aesthetics ensure that her teaching remains current, evidence-based, and clinically grounded. Whether publishing, lecturing, or providing patient care, Dr. Small focuses on delivering rigorous training that develops procedural skill, sharpens critical thinking, and promotes clinical excellence in aesthetic medicine.
Dr. Small’s Story
After years of teaching residents, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare providers, I began to see a clear gap in aesthetic medicine training. Clinicians were eager to learn but struggled to find education that offered both medical depth and hands-on practicality. What was missing was a structured, step-by-step approach—training that not only taught procedures, but also built the confidence and clinical judgment needed to apply new skills safely and effectively.
That’s Why I Created RSMD Aesthetics Training
I wanted to build a program that reflects how we truly learn best in medicine—through clear organization, visual demonstration, repetition, and real-time feedback using [Courses], [Cases], and [Precepting]. A program built on principles of anatomy, safety, and technique, yet equally focused on achieving natural results and developing clinical judgment. One that is designed to support providers across a wide range of experience and specialties—from first injections to those refining advanced procedures—delivering the same level of care and precision they strive to offer their patients. This is the kind of training I wished existed when I started—and it’s the foundation of everything I teach today.
Other Contributions
Dr. Small’s commitment to her community includes over a decade volunteering with California’s Youth Delinquency Tattoo Removal Program and mentoring local high school students interested in medicine. She serves as an Expert Reviewer for the Medical Board of California. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and an active member of organizations including the California Medical Association and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. She is also the founder of Skin Care Outreach, a nonprofit offering free tattoo and scar removal to survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, and at-risk youth.