What to look for at an in-person visit.

Compare the visit, not the setting

For an exam face to face, ask for an office visit. If you want advice about a particular health problem, ask whether a specialist in that problem would help.

If you prefer some later visits online, ask whether the same service offers both office and screen visits. These choices can overlap; compare what each visit includes.

Ask whether the visit starts with your concern or with a preselected product. Bring the treatment name from the advertisement and ask what else could be considered.

• Who carries out the assessment?
• Is there time to discuss alternatives?
• What does the visit fee include?
• How would follow-up work?

Check the people involved

A full name and a licence type let you use California’s state search for the person treating you.

For a peptide visit about a health concern, ask who makes the medical decision and whether a doctor supervises that person.

If you are also comparing cosmetic treatments at a medical spa, the Medical Board says to check both the treating professional and the supervising doctor.

In that cosmetic-treatment guidance, checked in September 2026, the supervising doctor need not be in the building but must be immediately reachable.

For your peptide visit, ask what supervision applies to the person treating you; the medical-spa guidance alone does not answer that.

Get the plan before leaving

Ask for the product name, the reason for choosing it and the follow-up plan in writing. If a pharmacy is involved, ask for its name too.

A visit can leave a question open. Ask what information would resolve it and when the next discussion happens.