Botulinum Toxin Training - FAQs

Can a Lay Person inject Botulinum Toxin?

Botulinum Toxin injections are performed by medical professionals only. As a certified teaching facility, we are often called on by medical professionals as well as non-medical professionals such as cosmetologists, who believe that Botulinum Toxin injections may be performed by non-physicians. It is true the technique may appear to be relatively simple to perform, and with proper training it can be; however, only a Physician or qualified health care practitioner can properly treat complications should they occur, and therefore Botulinum Toxin injections are restricted to medical professionals only.

You must be a medical professional and have the necessary Botulinum Toxin certification requirements. 

The requirements include having a valid medical, professional license in the state for which you're practicing medicine and performing Botulinum Toxin injections. Once you enroll in a Botulinum Toxin certification training program, you will need to provide documentation that proves you are licensed in your state. Your medical license also must be active and in good standing with the state. Without a valid medical license you will not be able to become Botulinum Toxin certified 

For more information about State requirements and Botulinum Toxin certification, contact your local State Medical Board. 

For Botulinum Toxin training with Empire Medical Training, you must provide documentation that shows you are a licensed medical practitioner. Specifically, only medical practitioners who hold an MD, DO, DDS, DMD, NP, and nurses under the supervision of a physician may inject at a Botulinum Toxin certification program. For practitioners who are not Physicians, there are usually state specific requirements to be aware of. Every state is different regarding who is allowed to perform a medical procedure, other than Physicians. . Even a simple injection, or piercing the skin, is considered to be performing a medical procedure so it is important to be aware of the regulations.

Foreign medical doctors or foreign medical graduates may attend a Botulinum Toxin training program with Empire Medical Training however, may not perform the injections unless they are licensed in the United States. There is no International reciprocity in medicine. Foreign medical graduates and medical doctors must pass all US licensure requirements to be able to inject at a Botulinum Toxin certification course.

Non-medical Personnel may enroll in an Empire Medical Training Botulinum Toxin Certification program, however, are not eligible to perform any medical procedures or live injections on patients. Non-medical individuals must be sponsored by a professional who holds an MD, DO, NP, DDS, or DMD degree.

The answer is Yes and NO. 

Some Non Physicians may become certified to perform Botulinum Toxin injections; however, this is dependent on their medical degree and the state the procedure is being performed. 

Here are some general guidelines for Non Physicians getting certified in Botulinum Toxin 

Nurses (RNs) will always require the supervision of a physician and may perform Botulinum Toxin injections and become certified to perform Botulinum Toxin injections in most states, but not all. Nurse Practitioners who have the authority to prescribe may also purchase Botulinum Toxin, which is a controlled substance, and also perform Botulinum Toxin injections. This is true in most states; however, it is prudent for the medical professional to confirm this with their local state medical board. 

Physician Assistants (PAs) are usually able to inject with the supervision of a physician, but with some restrictions as to their ability to acquire, dispense, and administer the medicine. Please click on the following regulations concerning mid-level providers by state for scheduled prescription medications.

You need to enroll in and successfully complete training in an accredited, AMA approved Botulinum Toxin Certification Course (be careful, most are not!) Empire Medical Training is a “full time” medical training organization that offers AMA PRA Category 1 CME ™  credits (not just CME credits) for your certification in Botulinum Toxin. Empire’s faculty are highly qualified, expert physician-only instructors who will help you pass the necessary testing that is required to become certified in Botulinum Toxin. Many trainers claim to be approved providers however if there is no proficiency testing or examination of any kind is given, the program is NOT accredited. Empire Medical Training Botulinum Toxin training is approved for AMA PRA Category 1 CME.

 The benefits for physicians and mid-levels in obtaining Botulinum Toxin certification allows others (i.e. malpractice insurance carriers, Allergan, and patients) to know you have successfully completed the learning objectives and hands-on technical training to safely and effectively administer Botulinum Toxin within a practice setting as well as acquire the medication. All healthcare providers benefit in learning these “in-demand” procedures whether a physician practice owner or mid-level provider expanding their skill set. The manufacturers of the various medical supplies such as Botulinum Toxin or dermal fillers, will not sell the medicines to you if they believe you are not qualified so it is in your best interest to become certified. 

It is not necessary to become Board Certified in order to purchase medicines or perform procedures; however, like other areas of medicine the more training and knowledge you have, the better your outcome will be and the more recognized your credentials will be. Empire Medical Training in cooperation with the American Academy of Procedural Medicine (AAOPM) offers the coveted Board Certification in Aesthetic Medicine which is recognized in the Aesthetics community. 

Empire Medical Training is the worldwide leader in CME education for Physicians with over 20 years’ experience and over 100,000 graduates. 

Empire remains the only CME training company to provide the most complete “University Style Curriculum” with over 30 topics in Aesthetics, Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine, Surgery, and Pain Management. 

Empire Medical Training is the nation’s largest training organization for the past (20) years. Empire has successfully trained over 100,000 physicians and licensed healthcare providers in all areas of aesthetic, regenerative, medical, and pain management procedures. 

Above all else, our highly distinguished “celebrity” physician faculty are top trainers and recognized in their state as sought-after practitioners in Aesthetics. Your training can only be as good YOUR TRAINER so make sure before you enroll in any course that your instructor is at least as qualified as the Physician Staff at Empire Medical Training. 

Our board-certified physician faculty are practice owners who actually perform the Botulinum Toxin procedures and are highly credentialed in their specialty. Empire Medical Training also offers many options for Botulinum Toxin Training from beginners to experienced injectors who wish to expand their skill sets. We also offer a variety of training pathways for certification in Botulinum Toxin (Level 1) and (2) advanced training modules in Botulinum Toxin as well as combination Botulinum Toxin and Dermal Filler 1-Day Training. The difference is the experience of our physician instructors, evidence-based didactic, and supervised “hands-on” experience for all attendees. We guarantee our training as evidenced by our WOW Guarantee of satisfaction – no other training organization can make this statement.

Botulinum Toxin-A and HA Dermal Filler injections are very safe procedures to perform in-office and has a high safety profile. These non-invasive, non-surgical procedures though safe to perform due carry a risk aesthetically as well as medically due to incorrect needle placement. The following summary will review possible complications associated with the most popular Botulinum Toxin-A and HA Dermal Filler injections. 

As with any hypodermic needle injection there is always possibility of bruising associated with the procedure as well as certain patients that are more susceptible to bruising we will concentrate on the various areas for incorrect needle placement and associated adverse events.