(A) A person may not practice medicine in this State unless the person is twenty-one years of age and has been authorized to do so pursuant to the provisions of this article. Nothing in this article may be construed to:

(1) prohibit service in cases of emergency or the domestic administration of family remedies;

(2) apply to those who practice the religious tenets of their church without pretending a knowledge of medicine if the laws, rules, and regulations relating to contagious diseases and sanitary matters are not violated;

(3) prohibit licensed pharmacists from selling, using, and dispensing drugs in their places of business;

(4) allow under any circumstances, physicians' assistants or optometrists' assistants to make a refraction for glasses or give a contact lens fitting;

(5) prohibit a licensed physician from delegating tasks to unlicensed personnel in the physician's employ and on the premises if:

(a) the task is delegated directly to unlicensed personnel by the physician and not through another licensed practitioner;

(b) the task is of a routine nature involving neither the special skill of a licensed person nor significant risk to the patient if improperly done;

(c) the task is performed while the physician is present on the premises and in such close proximity as to be immediately available to the unlicensed person if needed;

(d) the task does not involve the verbal transmission of a physician's order or prescription to a licensed person if the licensed person requires the order or prescription to be in writing; and

(e) the unlicensed person wears an appropriate badge denoting to a patient the person's status. The unlicensed person shall wear a clearly legible identification badge or other adornment at least one inch by three inches in size bearing the person's first name at a minimum and staff position. The identification badge must be worn in a manner so that it is clearly visible to patients at all times;

(6) prohibit the practice of any legally qualified licensee of another state who is employed by the United States government or any department, bureau, division, or agency of the United States government, while in the discharge of official duties;

(7) prohibit students while engaged in training in a medical school approved by the board;

(8) prohibit practicing dentistry, nursing, optometry, podiatry, psychology, or another of the healing arts in accordance with state law;

(9) prohibit the practice of any legally qualified licensee of another state involved in the transport of patients to medical facilities or the lawful procurement of organs or other body parts for medical use.

(10) prohibit a physician from practicing in actual consultation with a physician licensed in this State concerning an opinion for the South Carolina physician's consideration in managing the care or treatment of a patient in this State.

(B)(1) A physician licensed in another state, territory, or other jurisdiction of the United States or of any other nation or foreign jurisdiction is exempt from the requirements of licensure in this State, if the physician:

(a) holds an active license to practice in the other jurisdiction;

(b) engages in the active practice of medicine in the other jurisdiction; and

(c) is employed or designated as the team physician by an athletic team visiting the State for a specific sporting event or team training camp.

(2) A physician's practice pursuant to this section is limited to the members, coaches, and staff of the team by which the physician is employed or designated. A physician practicing in this State pursuant to this section does not have practice privileges in any licensed health care facility and is not authorized to issue orders or prescriptions or to order testing at a medical facility in this State.

(C) Nothing in this chapter may be construed to authorize a physician to delegate the performance of radiological services in violation of Chapter 74 of Title 44.

HISTORY: 2006 Act No. 385, Section 1; 2008 Act No. 411, Sections 1, 2; 2016 Act No. 212 (S.1037), Section 1, eff June 3, 2016.

Editor's Note

Prior Laws:1881 (17) 571; 1887 (19) 820; 1888 (20) 54; 1890 (20) 699; Civ. C. '02 Section 1112; 1904 (24) 512; 1905 (24) 938; 1908 (25) 1083; Civ. C. '12 Section 1618; 1920 (31) 1004; Civ. C. '22 Sections 2399, 2400; 1932 Code Sections 5149, 5150; 1942 Code Sections 5149, 5150; 1952 Code Section 56-1355; 1962 Code Section 56-1355; 1969 (56) 754; 1974 (58) 1948; 1982 Act No. 406; 1976 Code Section 40-47-60.

Effect of Amendment

2016 Act No. 212, Section 1, in (B)(1)(c), inserted "or team training camp".