Utah medical director requirements for med spas

Medical-director, supervision, and delegation requirements for aesthetic practices. Below are the Utah rules that govern it, each linked to its primary source. Monitoring and reference, not legal advice.

Physician supervision & delegation in Utah

⛔ UTAH LEGISLATES THIS IN GROUPS AND IN MILES. Section 58-1-506 sorts who may be delegated a cosmetic medical procedure into DELEGATION GROUP A (physician assistant, registered nurse, master esthetician, and an electrologist for laser hair removal) and GROUP B (practical nurse, esthetician, medical assistant), then grades supervision — GENERAL supervision requires the supervisor to be available in person to evaluate a suspected adverse reaction and LOCATED WITHIN 60 MINUTES OR 60 MILES of the cosmetic medical facility. For a NONABLATIVE cosmetic medical procedure the supervisor may perform it personally, authorize GENERAL supervision where a registered nurse or master esthetician performs it, or authorize DIRECT supervision where an esthetician or practical nurse performs it. And Utah answers the medical-assistant question flatly: a medical assistant under the indirect supervision of a physician MAY NOT diagnose, MAY NOT establish a treatment plan, and MAY NOT inject a medication or substance — INCLUDING A NEUROTOXIN OR FILLER — for cosmetic purposes. The nursing rules define delegation as transferring authority to another nurse, or to an unlicensed individual only a task that does not require a nursing assessment.

  • "Delegation group A" means the following who are licensed under this title, acting within their respective scopes of practice, and qualified under Subsections (2)(f)(i) and (iii): (i) a physician assistant, if acting in accordance with Chapter 70a, Utah Physician Assistant Act; (ii) a registered nurse; (iii) a master esthetician; and (iv) an electrologist, if evaluating for or performing laser hair removal. (b) "Delegation group B" means: (i) a practical nurse or an esthetician who is licensed under this title, acting within the nurse or esthetician’s respective scopes of practice, and qualified under Subsections (2)(f)(i) and (iii); and (ii) a medical assistant who is qualified under Subsections (2)(f)(i) and (iii).

    Utah Code § 58-1-506(1)(a)-(b) (Supervision of cosmetic medical procedures) · verified Sep 4, 2026

  • "General cosmetic medical procedure supervision" means the supervisor: (i) has authorized the procedure to be done on the patient by the supervisee; (ii) is available in a timely and appropriate manner in person to evaluate and initiate care for a patient with a suspected adverse reaction or complication; and (iii) is located within 60 minutes or 60 miles of the cosmetic medical facility.

    Utah Code § 58-1-506(1)(d) (definition of “General cosmetic medical procedure supervision”) · verified Sep 4, 2026

  • the supervisor supervising the procedure shall: (i) have an unrestricted license to practice medicine or advanced practice registered nursing; (ii) personally perform the nonablative cosmetic medical procedure or: (A) authorize and provide general cosmetic medical procedure supervision for the nonablative cosmetic medical procedure that is performed by a registered nurse or a master esthetician; or (B) authorize and provide supervision as provided in Chapter 70a, Utah Physician Assistant Act, for the nonablative cosmetic medical procedure that is performed by a physician assistant; and (C) authorize and provide direct cosmetic medical procedure supervision for the nonablative cosmetic medical procedure that is performed by an esthetician or a practical nurse;

    Utah Code § 58-1-506(3)(b) (Supervision of cosmetic medical procedures) · verified Sep 4, 2026

  • a medical assistant under the indirect supervision of a physician, may not engage in the following medical practices or procedures: (a) diagnosing; (b) establishing a treatment plan; or (c) injecting the following: (i) medication or substance, including a neurotoxin or filler, for cosmetic purposes; or (ii) cosmetic products with bioactive ingredients with claimed medical benefits.

    Utah Admin. Code R156-67-305(4) (Exemptions from licensure — medical assistants) · verified Sep 4, 2026

  • "Delegate" means: (a) to transfer to another nurse the authority to perform a selected nursing task in a selected situation;

    Utah Admin. Code R156-31b-102 (Definitions — delegate) · verified Sep 4, 2026

  • to transfer to an unlicensed individual, including unlicensed assistive personnel or a responsible caregiver, the authority to perform a task that, according to generally accepted industry standards or law, does not require a nursing assessment

    Utah Admin. Code R156-31b-102 (Definitions — delegate to an unlicensed individual) · verified Sep 4, 2026

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