Does a med spa in Iowa need a medical director?

The rest of what Iowa says on this

Every other rule we have verified under physician supervision & delegation, each linked to its primary source.

• A medical director at a medical spa shall: a. Hold an active unrestricted Iowa medical license to supervise each delegated medical aesthetic service; b. Possess the appropriate education, training, experience and competence to safely supervise each delegated medical aesthetic service; c. Retain responsibility for the supervision of each medical aesthetic service performed by qualified licensed or certified nonphysician persons or qualified laser technicians;

  Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—655.6(3) (Medical director) · verified Sep 4, 2026

• Ensure that all qualified licensed or certified nonphysician persons or qualified laser technicians receive direct, in-person, on-site supervision from the medical director or other qualified licensed physician or other qualified supervising nonphysician licensed health professional at least four hours each week and that the regular supervision is documented;

  Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—655.6(5)(c) (Supervision) · verified Sep 4, 2026

• Provide on-site review of medical aesthetic services performed by qualified licensed or certified nonphysician persons or qualified laser technicians each week and review at least 10 percent of patient charts for medical aesthetic services performed by qualified licensed or certified nonphysician persons or qualified laser technicians;

  Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—655.6(5)(d) (Supervision) · verified Sep 4, 2026

• Be physically located, at all times, within 60 miles of the location where delegated medical aesthetic services are performed;

  Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—655.6(5)(e) (Supervision) · verified Sep 4, 2026

• “Qualified laser technician” means any person, licensed or unlicensed, who has successfully completed a minimum of 120 hours of training, including a minimum of 40 hours of didactic study and 80 hours of clinical training, in the safe and effective use of lasers in the performance of medical aesthetic services at an accredited laser training program. For the purposes of this rule, a qualified laser technician may only use lasers in the performance of delegated medical aesthetic services under the supervision of a qualified supervising physician at a medical spa. An unlicensed qualified laser technician may not perform any other medical aesthetic services defined in this rule.

  Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—655.6(1) (definition of “Qualified laser technician”) · verified Sep 4, 2026

• Develop and implement protocols for responding to emergencies or other injuries suffered by persons receiving delegated medical aesthetic services performed by qualified licensed or certified nonphysician persons or qualified laser technicians;

  Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—655.6(5)(h) (Supervision — emergency protocols) · verified Sep 4, 2026

• A physician with an active permanent, special, or temporary Iowa license who is actively engaged in the practice of medicine in Iowa may supervise a physician associate.

  Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—659.1 (Physician supervision of a physician associate) · verified Sep 4, 2026

How other states answer this

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Related Iowa questions

• What must the supervising physician actually do in Iowa?
• Who may operate a cosmetic laser in Iowa?
• Can a medical assistant give injections in Iowa?
• May an esthetician or laser technician perform microneedling in Iowa?