65-2002. License required; scope of practice; applicability of act; surgical treatment of the ankle. (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 two-year post-doctoral surgical residency program prior to July 1, 2007, or a three-year post-doctoral surgical residency program on or after July 1, 2007, 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.

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; L. 2019, ch. 68, § 3; July 1.