Roles a DPM May Fullfill

Medical Director

TDLR does not have any law or rule prohibiting a podiatrist from acting as a Medical Director for a clinic or facility. However, the podiatrist must still only act within the scope of practice for podiatry/podiatric medicine.

A podiatrist's position as a Medical Director cannot supersede the scope of practice limitations for podiatry/podiatric medicine.

Podiatrists are permitted to work in a group setting composed of practitioners from different branches of the healing arts.

Surgical Assistant

A podiatrist may act as a surgical assistant for non-podiatry procedures.

Surgical Assistants are licensed by the Texas Medical Board (Texas Occupations Code Chapter 206 and related Texas Medical Board rules).

Physicians (i.e. MD/DO; licensed by the Texas Medical Board) have the statutory authority to delegate certain medical acts to other persons in accordance with the law and rules of the Texas Medical Board (see Texas Occupations Code §157.001 "General Authority of Physician to Delegate").

However, a podiatrist working as a surgical assistant under a physician’s delegation may not bill for services provided.