Commentary proposes mandatory primary care experience for aesthetic clinicians

Nurse practitioner Lori J. Robertson has published a commentary arguing that primary or acute care experience must be a mandatory prerequisite for entering aesthetic medicine, a move that could shift future hiring and credentialing standards for clinic owners. The proposal, reported by Dermatology Times on July 20, 2026, argues that technical training alone is insufficient for safe practice. Robertson, who practices in Brea, California, highlights how the extended face-to-face time during cosmetic consultations reveals critical medical issues that technical-only injectors might miss. She cites two cases from her own practice, including a 46-year-old man diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the jugulodigastric gland and a 52-year-old woman diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and thyroid eye disease. To formalize this standard, Robertson proposes establishing a national certifying body to verify baseline medical competency across nursing, physician associate, and physician pathways. For medical directors, this underscores the value of screening job candidates for broad clinical backgrounds, ensuring your injecting staff can recognize complex systemic diseases and psychological conditions like body dysmorphic disorder.

Source: Dermatology Times, https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/primary-care-experience-should-be-the-foundation-of-aesthetic-practice-np-argues