65-2002. License required; scope of practice; applicability of act; surgical treatment of the ankle; podiatry interdisciplinary advisory committee. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to profess to be a podiatrist, to practice or assume the duties incidental to podiatry, to advertise or hold oneself out to the public as a podiatrist, or to use any sign or advertisement with the word or words podiatrist, foot specialist, foot correctionist, foot expert, practapedist or chiropodist, or any other term or terms indicating that such person is a podiatrist or that such person practices or holds oneself out as practicing podiatry or foot correction in any manner, without first obtaining from the board a license authorizing the practice of podiatry in this state, except as hereinafter provided.

(b) A licensed podiatrist shall be authorized to prescribe such drugs or medicine, and to perform such surgery on the human foot, ankle and tendons that insert into the foot, including amputation of the toes or part of the foot, as may be necessary to the proper practice of podiatry, but no podiatrist shall amputate the human foot or administer any anesthetic other than local.

(c) This act shall not prohibit the recommendation, advertising, fitting or sale of corrective shoes, arch supports, or similar mechanical appliances, or foot remedies by manufacturers, wholesalers or retail dealers.

(d) No podiatrist shall perform surgery on the ankle unless such person has completed a three-year post-doctoral surgical residency program in reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery and is either board-certified or board qualified progressing to board certification in reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery by a nationally recognized certifying organization acceptable to the board. Surgical treatment of the ankle by a podiatrist shall be performed only in a medical care facility, as defined in K.S.A. 65-425, and amendments thereto.

(e) Not later than 90 days after the effective date of this act, the board shall appoint a five-member committee to be known as the podiatry interdisciplinary advisory committee. Such committee shall advise and make recommendations to the board on matters relating to licensure of podiatrists to perform surgery on the ankle pursuant to subsection (d). The podiatry interdisciplinary advisory committee shall consist of five members:

(1) One member of the board appointed by the board who shall serve as a nonvoting chairperson;

(2) two persons licensed to practice medicine and surgery specializing in orthopedics, chosen by the board from four names submitted by the Kansas medical society; and

(3) two podiatrists, at least one of whom shall have completed an accredited residency in foot and ankle surgery, chosen by the board from four names submitted by the Kansas podiatric medical association.

Members appointed to such committee shall serve at the pleasure of the board without compensation. All expenses of the committee shall be paid by the board. The provisions of this subsection shall expire on July 1, 2018.

History: L. 1927, ch. 246, § 2; L. 1951, ch. 362, § 1; L. 1975, ch. 323, § 1; L. 1979, ch. 197, § 2; L. 1988, ch. 246, § 1; L. 1997, ch. 88, § 1; L. 2014, ch. 131, § 61; May 22.