American Academy of Procedural Medicine (AAOPM) vs Rocky Mountain Laser College
Both columns come from each company's own website. "Not published" means we could not find it there.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 2.9/5 (11 of 19 checks) | 2.9/5 (11 of 19 checks) |
| What it is | CME courses in Botox, aesthetics, anti-aging and pain management for licensed clinicians | One-course cosmetic laser certification school in Lakewood, Colorado |
| Starting price | From $699 per course | $6,500 per course |
| How it charges | Per course, course bundles or yearly memberships | One flat course price |
| Setup fee | Not published | None; the site says there are no hidden fees |
| Extra costs | Not published | Not published |
| Minimum term | Not published | Not published |
| Cancellation | Full refund or transfer 30 or more days before the course; 50% refund or full transfer credit at 15 to 29 days; transfer credit only under 15 days; nothing for a no-show | Not published |
| Free trial | Not published | Not published |
| Free demo or audit | Not published | Not published |
| Coverage | United States, in-person at multiple locations plus livestream | In-person training in Lakewood, Colorado, with online pre-work |
| Founded | 1998 | 1948 |
| Support | Phone, Email | Phone, Email |
| Support hours | Not published | Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm |
| Pricing transparency | 3.8 | 5.0 |
| Terms and commitment | 1.7 | 0.0 |
| Med spa fit | 3.8 | 2.5 |
| Proof and track record | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Support and onboarding | 3.3 | 5.0 |
The short version
The American Academy of Procedural Medicine (AAOPM) sells in-person and livestream CME courses in Botox, dermal fillers, PDO thread lifts, cosmetic laser work and platelet rich plasma, priced per course, in bundles or yearly memberships. Rocky Mountain Laser College teaches one program, the Certified Laser Specialist course, starting with online pre-work and finishing in person in Lakewood, Colorado. AAOPM's starting price is $699 per course; Rocky Mountain Laser College's is a flat $6,500. AAOPM publishes a refund and transfer schedule; Rocky Mountain Laser College does not state refund terms on the pages we checked.
Pricing
AAOPM publishes a starting price of $699 per course. It lists a Botox training and certification course at $1,799, which includes hands-on training with live patients, 8 CME credits, course materials and a Certificate of Completion, and an Aesthetics Core bundle at $3,499 covering Botox, dermal filler and comprehensive facial aesthetics training, each onsite. Its site does not state setup fees or extra costs.
Rocky Mountain Laser College publishes one price: $6,500 for the Certified Laser Specialist course. It says that covers tuition, class materials, workbooks, live models and lunch each day of in-person training, and that there are no hidden fees. Its site does not list extra costs.
Neither site states a free trial or a demo.
Contract and cancellation
AAOPM's FAQ gives a dated schedule: a full refund or transfer at 30 or more days before the course, a 50% refund or full transfer credit at 15 to 29 days, transfer credit only under 15 days, and nothing for a no-show. Its course page says payment plans are available.
Rocky Mountain Laser College's site does not state refund or cancellation terms on the pages we checked. Its site says it does not offer in-house financing, is not a Title IV school, and does not accept FAFSA or Pell Grants; it lists outside options such as credit cards and personal loan providers.
Neither site states a minimum term; each starting price is a one-time course fee.
Built for med spas
AAOPM teaches Botox, dermal filler, PDO thread lift, cosmetic laser and platelet rich plasma training, plus anti-aging, functional medicine and pain management courses, in person at locations nationwide or by livestream. Its faculty page says Dr. Cosentino launched AAOPM in 1998. Registration brings a confirmation email within 24 hours, then course materials, preparation instructions, hotel and venue information and a pre-course checklist.
Rocky Mountain Laser College teaches one subject. Its site says it has trained aesthetic professionals since 1948 and focused exclusively on cosmetic laser technology since 1996. The course is 20 hours of online pre-work followed by 40 hours of in-person classroom and hands-on training with live models, then a final assessment and certificate. Its About page names a clinic director and a lead instructor, and it says instructors work in the school's own laser clinic. It publishes office hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
On the pages we checked, neither site names a client, publishes a case study result, or links a third-party review profile.
Which one to look at first
Look at AAOPM first if you want a choice of procedure courses, livestream attendance instead of travel, and a refund and transfer schedule you can read before you register.
Look at Rocky Mountain Laser College first if you want laser certification only, hands-on days at one Colorado location, and a single published price that the site says covers materials, models and lunch. Its site does not state refund terms on the pages we checked, so ask for them in writing before you pay a deposit.
See every school in training and certification.
Scores count what each vendor publishes, not how well it performs. How we score.
Questions and answers
How much do AAOPM and Rocky Mountain Laser College cost?
AAOPM publishes a starting price of $699 per course, a Botox training and certification course at $1,799 and an Aesthetics Core bundle at $3,499. Rocky Mountain Laser College publishes one course, the Certified Laser Specialist course, at $6,500, which it says includes tuition, class materials, workbooks, live models and lunch each day of in-person training.
Which one publishes a refund policy?
AAOPM's FAQ gives a schedule: full refund or transfer at 30 or more days before the course, a 50% refund or full transfer credit at 15 to 29 days, transfer credit only under 15 days, and nothing for a no-show. Rocky Mountain Laser College's site does not state refund or cancellation terms on the pages we checked, so ask for them in writing before you pay.
Can you pay either course in instalments?
AAOPM's course page says payment plans are available. Rocky Mountain Laser College says it does not offer in-house financing, is not a Title IV school, and does not accept FAFSA or Pell Grants; it lists outside options such as credit cards and personal loan providers.
Do they publish reviews from past attendees?
On the pages we checked, neither site links a third-party review profile, names a client, or publishes a case study result. AAOPM names Dr. Cosentino and lists faculty; Rocky Mountain Laser College names its clinic director and lead instructor. Ask each for a recent attendee you can speak to.