Article 22 - Podiatric Medicine

California Business and Professions Code — §§ 2460-2499.8

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Sections (43)

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 194, Sec. 1. (AB 1501) Effective January 1, 2026. Repealed as of January 1, 2030, by its own provisions.

(a)There is created in the Department of Consumer Affairs the Podiatric Medical Board of California. Any reference in any provision of law to the California Board of Podiatric Medicine shall be deemed to refer to the Podiatric Medical Board of California.

(b)The amendments made by Chapter 775 of the Statutes of 2017 relating to podiatrists shall not be construed to change any rights or privileges held by podiatrists prior to the enactment of that act.

(c)This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.

§ 2460.1

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 194, Sec. 2. (AB 1501) Effective January 1, 2026.

Notwithstanding any other law, the repeal of Section 2460 renders the Podiatric Medical Board of California subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

§ 2460.2

Added by renumbering Section 2460.1 by Stats. 2025, Ch. 194, Sec. 3. (AB 1501) Effective January 1, 2026.

Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the Podiatric Medical Board of California in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount.

§ 2461

Repealed and added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 102, Sec. 3. (AB 2457) Effective January 1, 2019. Section operative July 1, 2019, by its own provisions.

(a)As used in this article:

(1)“Board” means the Podiatric Medical Board of California.

(2)“Podiatric licensing authority” refers to any officer, board, commission, committee, or department of another state that may issue a license to practice podiatric medicine.

(b)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2019.

§ 2462

Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 695, Sec. 14. Effective January 1, 2005.

The board shall consist of seven members, three of whom shall be public members. Not more than one member of the board shall be a full-time faculty member of a college or school of podiatric medicine.

The Governor shall appoint the four members qualified as provided in Section 2463 and one public member. The Senate Rules Committee and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each appoint a public member.

§ 2463

Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 655, Sec. 10.

Each member of the board, except the public members, shall be appointed from persons having all of the following qualifications:

(a)Be a citizen of this state for at least five years next preceding his or her appointment.

(b)Be a graduate of a recognized school or college of podiatric medicine.

(c)Have a valid certificate to practice podiatric medicine in this state.

(d)Have engaged in the practice of podiatric medicine in this state for at least five years next preceding his or her appointment.

§ 2464

Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 655, Sec. 11.

The public members shall be appointed from persons having all of the following qualifications:

(a)Be a citizen of this state for at least five years next preceding his or her appointment.

(b)Shall not be an officer or faculty member of any college, school, or other institution engaged in podiatric medical instruction.

(c)Shall not be a licentiate of the board or of any board under this division or of any board created by an initiative act under this division.

§ 2465

Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 332, Sec. 14. (SB 1236) Effective January 1, 2013.

No person who directly or indirectly owns any interest in any college, school, or other institution engaged in podiatric medical instruction shall be appointed to the board nor shall any incumbent member of the board have or acquire any interest, direct or indirect, in any such college, school, or institution.

§ 2466

Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 621, Sec. 29. Effective January 1, 2006.

All members of the board shall be appointed for terms of four years. Vacancies shall immediately be filled by the appointing power for the unexpired portion of the terms in which they occur. No person shall serve as a member of the board for more than two consecutive terms.

§ 2467

Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 489, Sec. 8. (SB 1478) Effective January 1, 2017.

(a)The board may convene from time to time as it deems necessary.

(b)Four members of the board constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting.

(c)It shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of those members present at a meeting, those members constituting at least a quorum, to pass any motion, resolution, or measure.

(d)The board shall elect from its members a president, a vice president, and a secretary who shall hold their respective positions at the pleasure of the board. The president may call meetings of the board and

any duly appointed committee at a specified time and place.

§ 2468

Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 836, Sec. 15. Effective January 1, 2001.

Notice of each meeting of the board shall be given in accordance with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

§ 2469

Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 655, Sec. 16.

Each member of the board shall receive per diem and expenses as provided in Section 2016.

§ 2470

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 194, Sec. 4. (AB 1501) Effective January 1, 2026.

The board may adopt, amend, or repeal, in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), regulations necessary to enable the board to carry into effect the provisions of law relating to the practice of podiatric medicine.

§ 2471

Added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 588, Sec. 32. Effective January 1, 2008.

Except as provided by Section 159.5, the board may employ, within the limits of the funds received by the board, all personnel necessary to carry out this chapter.

§ 2472

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 194, Sec. 5. (AB 1501) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)The certificate to practice podiatric medicine authorizes the holder to practice podiatric medicine.

(b)As used in this chapter, “podiatric medicine” means the diagnosis, medical, surgical, mechanical, manipulative, and electrical treatment of the human foot, including the ankle and tendons that insert into the foot and the nonsurgical treatment of the muscles and tendons of the leg governing the functions of the foot.

(c)A doctor of podiatric medicine shall not administer an anesthetic other than local. If an anesthetic other than local is required for any procedure, the anesthetic shall be administered by another licensed health care practitioner who is authorized to administer the required

anesthetic within the scope of their practice.

(d)(1) A doctor of podiatric medicine may do the following:

(A) Perform surgical treatment of the ankle and tendons at the level of the ankle pursuant to subdivision (e).

(B) Perform services under the direct supervision of a physician and surgeon, as an assistant at surgery, in surgical procedures that are otherwise beyond the scope of practice of a doctor of podiatric medicine.

(2)Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to permit a doctor of podiatric medicine to function as a primary surgeon for any procedure beyond

their scope of practice.

(e)A doctor of podiatric medicine may perform surgical treatment of the ankle and tendons at the level of the ankle only in the following locations:

(1)A licensed general acute care hospital, as defined in Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code.

(2)A licensed surgical clinic, as defined in Section 1204 of the Health and Safety Code, if the doctor of podiatric medicine has surgical privileges, including the privilege to perform surgery on the ankle, in a general acute care hospital described in paragraph (1) and meets all the protocols of the surgical clinic.

(3)An ambulatory surgical center that is certified to participate in the Medicare Program under Title XVIII (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395 et seq.) of the federal Social

Security Act, if the doctor of podiatric medicine has surgical privileges, including the privilege to perform surgery on the ankle, in a general acute care hospital described in paragraph (1) and meets all the protocols of the surgical center.

(4)A freestanding physical plant housing outpatient services of a licensed general acute care hospital, as defined in Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, if the doctor of podiatric medicine has surgical privileges, including the privilege to perform surgery on the ankle, in a general acute care hospital described in paragraph (1). For purposes of this section, a “freestanding physical plant” means any building that is not physically attached to a building where inpatient services are provided.

(5)An outpatient setting accredited pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 1248.1 of the Health and Safety Code.

(f)Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a doctor of podiatric medicine with training or experience in wound care may treat ulcers resulting from local and systemic etiologies on the leg no further proximal than the tibial tubercle.

§ 2473

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 105, Sec. 6. (AB 144) Effective September 17, 2025.

(a)A doctor of podiatric medicine may independently prescribe and administer influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, consistent with recommendations adopted pursuant to Section 120164 of the Health and Safety Code, to persons three years of age or older.

(b)In order to prescribe and

administer a vaccine described in subdivision (a), a doctor of podiatric medicine shall do all of the following:

(1)Complete an immunization training program biennially that is either offered by the CDC or taken through a registered provider approved by the board that, at a minimum, includes vaccine administration, prevention and management of adverse reactions, and maintenance of vaccine records.

(2)Comply with all state and federal recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including providing documentation to the patient’s primary care provider, if applicable, and entering in the information in the appropriate immunization registry designated by the Immunization Branch of the State Department of Public Health.

(c)The board may adopt regulations to implement this section. The adoption, amendment, repeal, or

readoption of a regulation authorized by this section is deemed to address an emergency, for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the board is hereby exempted for this purpose from the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 11346.1 of the Government Code. For purposes of subdivision (e) of Section 11346.1 of the Government Code, the 180-day period, as applicable to the effective period of an emergency regulatory action and submission of specified materials to the Office of Administrative Law, is hereby extended to 240 days.

§ 2474

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 194, Sec. 6. (AB 1501) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)Any person who uses in any sign or in any advertisement or otherwise, the word or words “doctor of podiatric medicine,” “doctor of podiatry,” “podiatric doctor,” “podiatric surgeon,” “D.P.M.,” “podiatrist,” “foot specialist,” or any other term or terms or any letters indicating or implying that they are a doctor of podiatric medicine, or that they practice podiatric medicine, or hold themselves out as practicing podiatric medicine or foot correction as defined in Section 2472, without having at the time of so doing a valid, unrevoked, and unsuspended certificate as provided for in this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b)It is the policy of this state that a doctor of podiatric medicine shall be classified or treated as a doctor of podiatric medicine and

shall not be classified or treated as an ancillary provider or other allied health professional in any health care setting or insurance reimbursement structure for any purpose.

§ 2475

Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 775, Sec. 89. (SB 798) Effective January 1, 2018.

Unless otherwise provided by law, no postgraduate trainee, intern, resident postdoctoral fellow, or instructor may engage in the practice of podiatric medicine, or receive compensation therefor, or offer to engage in the practice of podiatric medicine unless he or she holds a valid, unrevoked, and unsuspended certificate to practice podiatric medicine issued by the board. However, a graduate of an approved college or school of podiatric medicine upon whom the degree doctor of podiatric medicine has been conferred, who is issued a resident’s license, which may be renewed annually for up to eight years for this purpose by the board, and who is enrolled in a postgraduate training program approved by the board, may engage in the practice of podiatric

medicine whenever and wherever required as a part of that program and may receive compensation for that practice under the following conditions:

(a)A graduate with a resident’s license in an approved internship, residency, or fellowship program may participate in training rotations outside the scope of podiatric medicine, under the supervision of a physician and surgeon who holds a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy degree wherever and whenever required as a part of the training program, and may receive compensation for that practice. If the graduate fails to receive a license to practice podiatric medicine under this chapter within three years from the commencement of the postgraduate training, all privileges and exemptions under this section shall automatically cease.

(b)Hospitals functioning as a part of the teaching program of an approved college or school of podiatric medicine in this state may exchange instructors or resident or assistant resident doctors of podiatric medicine with another approved college or school of podiatric medicine not located in this state, or those hospitals may appoint a graduate of an approved school as such a resident for purposes of postgraduate training. Those instructors and residents may practice and be compensated as provided in this section, but that practice and compensation shall be for a period not to exceed two years.

§ 2475.1

Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 695, Sec. 14.2. Effective January 1, 2005.

Before a resident’s license may be issued, each applicant shall show by evidence satisfactory to the board, submitted directly to the board by the national score reporting institution, that he or she has, within the past 10 years, passed Parts I and II of the examination administered by the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners of the United States or has passed a written examination that is recognized by the board to be the equivalent in content to the examination administered by the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners of the United States.

§ 2475.2

Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 655, Sec. 21.

As used in this article, “podiatric residency” means a program of supervised postgraduate clinical training, one year or more in duration, approved by the board.

§ 2475.3