Over 100 million Americans have been treated with Botox® and/or Dermal Fillers. The Doctors and Nurses who administer these treatments are all trained after graduating medical or nursing school. Yet the majority of training courses advertised online are unaccredited, incomplete, or simply unqualified to certify a provider in these procedures.

Providers need two things to legally inject a prescription substance like Botox® or Dermal Fillers.  

First one needs LICENSURE. This is the state-issued license as a Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, or Physician in any of the 50 states. In addition, Dentists (30 states) and NMD’s (4 states) may inject cosmetic Botox®.

Second, one needs TRAINING. Training in these procedures is not included in any licensure’s schooling. Therefore, all providers learn these procedures after graduating from the licensure program. Any training program must have all of the following elements before anyone should register…

• Accreditation with CME and/or CEU credits.
• Qualified Faculty of Equal or Superior Rank to the attendee.
• Hands-On in Small Groups with one-on-one supervision.

All Botox Training Programs Must Be Accredited

Educational content must be reviewed for standards of accuracy and lack of bias. Training programs partner with a continuing education co-sponsor to review and issue credits. All class listings must state the number of approved hours and the joint sponsor information.  AMA Category 1 is the Physician’s gold standard, but other organizations like AANP (for NPs), ANCC (for nurses), AAPA (for PAs) also accept AMA credits. However, MD’s cannot use AANP or ANCC credits. None of the above can use credits for Dentists (ADA).  Also, some courses are listed as “State Board Approved”. This is only for Dentists, and has no bearing on non-Dentists. The course still might not be unaccredited for MD’s or nurses even if a Dental board allows it.

“Certification” is NOT Accredited Training

Since the pandemic, unaccredited niche providers of training have emerged. Search engine rankings do a poor job of screening medical content for quality, instead relying on metrics other than accreditation. A common buzzword is “certification”; however, certification only means giving one a certificate or a plain piece of paper. A piece of paper confirming training, no matter how fancy it looks, is worthless if not backed by accredited CME credits.  These fake “certifications” will not be accepted by potential employers and medical malpractice insurance carriers.

Botox® Training Faculty Must be Qualified and Carry Rank

Nurse Practitioners cannot train MD’s. RN’s cannot train PA’s. And Dentists should not be training any non-dentists, yet around 40% of the time, Botox® Injection Training is performed by people who are outranked by their own students. RN’s teach a majority of the unaccredited courses, yet in most states, RN’s cannot even legally design a straightforward injection treatment without a supervisor to sign off on the treatment plan. RN’s can only train other RN’s.

Any training provider that does not clearly list the name and qualifications of the instructor for every hands-on training location likely has something to hide. Never reserve training not knowing the qualifications and degree of who will be teaching.

Small Group One-on-One Hands-On is Essential

One travels to train for the valuable supervised hands-on instruction for Botox® and Fillers. Remarkably, not all training providers include hands-on products in the cost of tuition, only to charge hundreds of dollars more. If the course does not mention exactly how much toxin and filler to inject, then none is provided.

Finally, class size matters. A Botox® hands-on training that is scheduled for 4 hours but has 8 or more attendees will not be able to provide the time needed to plan and learn the technique. If the course specifically state maximum class size, or social media images show large crowds, avoid it. That provider will do anything to grab extra tuition for a date and dilute the experience of everyone else.

Making the Right Training Decision

Do not choose the cheapest course. Do not choose the closest course geographically. Research what the training program offers for the tuition money. Choosing the wrong training will reduce patient retention rate. For example, saving $2,000 now and taking a substandard training while retaining 50% of patients (instead of 80%) would result in a loss of revenue of over $40,000 in year one alone.

Finally, certain descriptors have no legal standing and are simply used for marketing. Some examples of these terms show no legal status or exclusivity for any company or graduate of a training program… “Diplomate”, “Advanced Injector”, “Master Injector”, “American Academy of…”, “Fellowship”, “Member”, “Institute of…”, in addition to “Certification”.

It never pays to enroll in a course that is protocol-based, full of slick marketing and empty promises, or taught by mystery people in a mystery location.  Remember that search rank is not an indication of quality in this area. Do the research and find the best accredited certification training to start that safe and successful practice that satisfies patients.

Author: Gregory P Zengo, MD is the Medical Director, PracticalCME Medical Training. He has also served on the faculty of Emory University School of Medicine in the Department of OB/GYN and has run a successful aesthetic and wellness practice for 24 years. He has treated over 12,000 patients and 1.3 million units of Botox®. He has been a national educator for diverse interests such as Saliva Testing, Bio-Identical Hormone Balancing, PDO Threads, in addition to Botox®, Fillers, Sclerotherapy, Microneedling, and PRP.  

Learn More about accredited small-group training, or live chat now with any questions and Take a look inside an accredited training program.

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Media Contact

Name
PracticalCME Medical Training
Contact name
Gregory P Zengo, MD
Contact phone
877-263-1234
Contact address
1582 Mars Hill Rd
City
Watkinsville
State
GA
Zip
30677
Country
United States
Url
https://www.practicalcme.com/