Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jaqcqueline Youtosos. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Jaqcqueline, thanks for joining us today. How’s you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?

Out of residency, I went straight into a dermatology practice owned by a family medicine provider in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Dr. Spence, who is from a town 30 minutes from where I now live and practice in Pittsburg, KS, invited me to join. I went there, started practicing and did all my extra laser training at the Beckman Laser Institute. I focused on dermatology training with derm path and dermatology providers during my residency. That was how I first got into the field, and ended up excelling in that and moved to Kansas where I started my own practice, ReNu Medical & Spa.

Jaqcqueline, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Growing up in Wisconsin, I was exposed to many medical fields; my grandmother was a nurse, my uncle was a plastic surgeon and my oldest sister is a nurse. Always knowing I wanted to help people, medicine became my passion. During my medical training, I was diagnosed with melanoma on my left arm which piqued my interest in dermatology. Growing up on the lake, being on the swim team, using tanning beds and years of being a lifeguard finally caught up with me. After graduating from the University of Chicago Family Medicine residency program I went to work for a family practice provider specializing in dermatology and skin-related conditions, which are in high demand, especially in rural areas. In Ruidoso and Roswell, New Mexico, I cared for hundreds of patients and enjoyed life in the Southwest. I met my husband in Roswell. He is a physical therapist who is originally from Kansas. While we loved our time living in New Mexico, our family brought us to Pittsburg, Kansas.

In 2016, I took a big leap of faith and opened ReNu Medical & Spa! We grew the practice from a two-room office and only 4 other staff members to a wonderful medical building, seven satellite clinics and now 21 other staff members. We love southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri! Providing dermatology skin care to this area has been remarkable!

With anything in life, there are always ups and downs, including settling down and having two beautiful daughters, being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age 35 and being a survivor! Work was my driving force, and caring for others during my chemo and radiation. In the past eight years of being here, I have had a few different opportunities that have brought people to Pittsburg. As a speaker and trainer for Alma Lasers in North America, customers have come here to experience different types of aesthetic lasers. Four years ago, I co-created a medical-grade skincare line with prescription-strength products and CBD called TreCeuticals. This is the first skincare line of its kind on the market.

ReNu Medical & Spa is a medical practice in Southeast Kansas specializing in medical and cosmetic dermatology and skin care. The practice was started in 2016, and in October 2020 we opened our beautiful 8,300 sq ft office building in Pittsburg. Medically, we see patients for skin cancer, skin checks, acne, rosacea, psoriasis and many other skin related conditions. We have expanded to multiple locations including Parsons, Independence, Chanute, Girard, Fort Scott and Iola, Kansas. I also practice at the hospital in Nevada, Missouri. More information on locations and services can be found on our website at www.renumedicalandspa.com

With the larger medical office space, we now have a state-of-the-art spa experience! I have always wanted to open a spa and create a first-class place to experience facials, massages, body scrubs, body wraps,

hot stones, couple’s massages and more. I also wanted to be unique and bring something back home that we didn’t have in the area, so I bought a Float Pod. These help with swelling, arthritis, anxiety and depression. If you haven’t experienced one you definitely need too!

I am most proud of the number of people we are able to serve and how that number has continued to grow over the past eight years. Not only are we successful with the new building, but our outreach through satellite clinics allows us to sustain and support care for people on a regular basis. We are able to bring quality skin care to people who might not be able to leave their hometown in order to receive dermatology care.

What an amazing feeling that is!

I want people to know that customer care is a priority, and you will be seen in the office promptly, professionally and with the care I would give my family. I want you to be seen in a safe and calming environment, but customer service will always remain one of my priorities in addition to excellent patient care. I want to reiterate that my staff and I strive to provide care that is above or equal to our competitors in the area. We continue to make appropriate referrals when outside of our scope of ability for general surgery, ENT, Oncology and Mohs. We aim to maintain an open line of communication between our primary care providers in the area and other providers we work with.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My husband Eric and I had the opportunity to move to Florida, Wisconsin or Kansas. My husband is from Southeast Kansas, so I knew first hand this area was very underserved when it came to dermatology care. The opportunity was there, and I jumped on it, creating my main office in Pittsburg and seven satellite offices. Providing care in an underserved area meant that people wouldn’t have to travel two hours or more to a bigger city to get dermatology care.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Moving to Kansas and opening my own practice, we have now lived here for eight years. In that time, I have had two babies, been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and undergone treatment for colorectal cancer. I am now five years cancer-free! I underwent radiation, chemo and surgery. However, with surgery, I ended up with a complication of a fistula. During my healing of my cancer treatments, I built an 8,300 square-foot-office and started a new skincare line called TreCeuticals [http://treceuticals.com/] all while the world was shutting down in 2020. As you can imagine, it was a very stressful time, but I have learned that persistence is key when you want to improve your business and look for different opportunities. Now, four years later, we have grown from our main office in Pittsburg to include seven satellite offices! We are now looking to open an office in Ruidoso, New Mexico and on the south side of Kansas City moving forward. None of these things would be possible if it was not for the resilience of my family, a great staff and being able to think of ways to grow my business and help the community that I call home.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://renumedicalandspa.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renumedical_spa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/ReNu-Spa-100063579280731/?_rdr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/renu-medical-&-spa-llc

Image Credits
Brett Dalton