§ 6549. Performance of medical services. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a specialist assistant may perform medical services, but only when under the supervision of a physician and only when such acts and duties as are assigned to him or her are related to the designated medical speciality for which he or she is registered and are within the scope of practice of his or her supervising physician.

2. Supervision shall be continuous but shall not be construed as necessarily requiring the physical presence of the supervising physician at the time and place where such services are performed.

3. No physician shall employ or supervise more than two specialist assistants in his or her private practice.

4. Nothing in this article shall prohibit a hospital from employing specialist assistants provided they work under the supervision of a physician designated by the hospital and not beyond the scope of practice of such physician. The numerical limitation of subdivision three of this section shall not apply to services performed in a hospital.

5. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, nothing shall prohibit a physician employed by or rendering services to the department of correctional services under contract from supervising no more than four specialist assistants in his or her practice for the department of corrections and community supervision.

6. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a trainee in an approved program may perform medical services when such services are performed within the scope of such program.

7. Nothing in this article or in article thirty-seven-A of the public health law, shall be construed to authorize specialist assistants to perform those specific functions and duties specifically delegated by law to those persons licensed as allied health professionals under the public health law or this chapter.