OSCN Found Document:Practice of Medicine and Surgery - Title - Hospital
Title 59. Professions and Occupations

Oklahoma Statutes Citationized
  Title 59. Professions and Occupations
    Chapter 11 - Medicine
      Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act
        Section 492 - Practice of Medicine and Surgery - Title - Hospital
Cite as: O.S. §, __ __


A. Every person shall be regarded as practicing allopathic medicine within the meaning and provisions of this act, who shall append to his or her name the letters "M.D.", "Physician" or any other title, letters or designation which represent that such person is a physician, or who shall for a fee or any form of compensation diagnose and/or treat disease, injury or deformity of persons in this state by any allopathic legend drugs, surgery, manual, or mechanical treatment unless otherwise authorized by law.

B. A hospital or related institution as such terms are defined in Section 1-701 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes, which has the principal purpose or function of providing hospital or medical care, including but not limited to any corporation, association, trust, or other organization organized and operated for such purpose, may employ one or more persons who are duly licensed to practice medicine in this state without being regarded as itself practicing medicine within the meaning and provisions of this section. The employment by the hospital or related institution of any person who is duly licensed to practice medicine in this state shall not, in and of itself, be considered as an act of unprofessional conduct by the person so employed. Nothing provided herein shall eliminate, limit, or restrict the liability for any act or failure to act of any hospital, any hospital's employees, or persons duly licensed to practice medicine.

C. The definition of the practice of medicine and surgery shall include, but is not limited to:

1. Advertising, holding out to the public, or representing in any manner that one is authorized to practice medicine and surgery in this state;

2. Any offer or attempt to prescribe, order, give, or administer any drug or medicine and surgery for the use of any other person, except as otherwise authorized by law;

3. a. any offer or attempt, except as otherwise authorized by law, to prevent, diagnose, correct, or treat in any manner or by any means, methods, devises, or instrumentalities except for manual manipulation any disease, illness, pain, wound, fracture, infirmity, defect, or abnormal physical or mental condition of any person, including the management of pregnancy and parturition, except as otherwise authorized by law,

b. except as provided in subsection D of this section, performance by a person within or outside of this state, through an ongoing regular arrangement, of diagnostic or treatment services, including but not limited to, stroke prevention and treatment, through electronic communications for any patient whose condition is being diagnosed or treated within this state by a physician duly licensed and practicing in this state. A person who performs any of the functions covered by this subparagraph submits himself or herself to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state for the purposes of any cause of action resulting from the functions performed, and

c. nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall be construed to affect or give jurisdiction to the Board over any person other than medical doctors or persons holding themselves out as medical doctors;

4. Any offer or attempt to perform any surgical operation upon any person, except as otherwise authorized by law; and

5. The use of the title Doctor of Medicine, Physician, Surgeon, Physician and Surgeon, Dr., M.D. or any combination thereof in the conduct of any occupation or profession pertaining to the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of human disease or condition unless, where appropriate, such a designation additionally contains the description of another branch of the healing arts for which one holds a valid license in this state.

D. The practice of medicine and surgery, as defined in this section, shall not include:

1. A student while engaged in training in a medical school approved by the Board or while engaged in graduate medical training under the supervision of the medical staff of a hospital or other health care facility approved by the state medical board for such training, except that a student engaged in graduate medical training shall hold a license issued by the Board for such training;

2. Any person who provides medical treatment in cases of emergency where no fee or other consideration is contemplated, charged or received;

3. A commissioned medical officer of the armed forces of the United States or medical officer of the United States Public Health Service or the Department of Veterans Affairs of the United States in the discharge of official duties and/or within federally controlled facilities; and provided that such person shall be fully licensed to practice medicine and surgery in one or more jurisdictions of the United States; provided further that such person who holds a medical license in this state shall be subject to the provisions of the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act;

4. Any person licensed under any other act when properly practicing in the healing art for which that person is duly licensed;

5. The practice of those who endeavor to prevent or cure disease or suffering by spiritual means or prayer;

6. Any person administering a domestic or family remedy to a member of such person's own family;

7. Any person licensed to practice medicine and surgery in another state or territory of the United States who renders emergency medical treatment or briefly provides critical medical service at the specific lawful direction of a medical institution or federal agency that assumes full responsibility for that treatment or service and is approved by the Board;

8. Any person who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery in another state or territory of the United States whose sole purpose and activity is limited to brief actual consultation with a specific physician who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery by the Board, other than a person with a special or restricted license; or

9. The practice of any other person as licensed by appropriate agencies of this state, provided that such duties are consistent with the accepted standards of the person's profession and the person does not represent himself or herself as a Doctor of Medicine, Physician, Surgeon, Physician and Surgeon, Dr., M.D., or any combination thereof.

E. Nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall prohibit:

1. The service rendered by a physician's unlicensed trained assistant, if such service is rendered under the supervision and control of a licensed physician pursuant to Board rules, provided such rules are not in conflict with the provisions of any other healing arts licensure act or rules promulgated pursuant to such act; or

2. The service of any other person duly licensed or certified by the state to practice the healing arts.

F. Nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall prohibit services rendered by any person not licensed by the Board and practicing any nonallopathic healing practice.

G. Nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall be construed as to require a physician to secure a Maintenance of Certification (MOC) as a condition of licensure, reimbursement, employment or admitting privileges at a hospital in this state. For the purposes of this subsection, "Maintenance of Certification (MOC)" shall mean a continuing education program measuring core competencies in the practice of medicine and surgery and approved by a nationally-recognized accrediting organization.

Historical Data


Laws 1923, SB 143, c. 59, p. 104, § 12, emerg. eff. March 31, 1923; Amended by Laws 1965, SB 255, c. 399, § 1, emerg. eff. July 5, 1965; Amended by Laws 1974, HB 1784, c. 305, § 2, emerg. eff. May 29, 1974; Amended by Laws 1987, HB 1478, c. 118, § 12, emerg. eff. July 1, 1987; Amended by Laws 1990, HB 1882, c. 91, § 1, emerg. eff. April 18, 1990; Amended by Laws 1993, HB 1323, c. 230, § 25, emerg. eff. July 1, 1993; Amended by Laws 1994, HB 2123, c. 323, § 12, emerg. eff. July 1, 1994; Amended by Laws 1996, SB 745, c. 147, § 1, eff. November 1, 1996; Amended by Laws 1998, SB 1364, c. 324, § 4, emerg. eff. May 28, 1998 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1999, HB 1189, c. 23, § 1, eff. November 1, 1999 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2000, HB 2090, c. 52, § 4, emerg. eff. April 14, 2000 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2009, HB 1569, c. 148, § 4, eff. November 1, 2009; Amended by Laws 2009, HB 1897, c. 261, § 2, emerg. eff. July 1, 2009 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2016, SB 1148, c. 40, § 1, eff. November 1, 2016 (superseded document available).

Citationizer© Summary of Documents Citing This Document
Cite Name Level
Oklahoma Attorney General's Opinions
 CiteNameLevel
 2001 OK AG 28, Question Submitted by: Lyle R. Kelsey, CAE, Executive Director, Board of Medical Licensure and SupervisionCited
 2008 OK AG 26, Question Submitted by: The Honorable Mike Shelton, State Representative, District 97, James Gormley, M.D., President, Okla. State Bd. of Medical Licensure and Supervision, Kim Glazier, R.N., M.Ed., Executive Director, Okla. Bd. of NursingDiscussed
 2017 OK AG 13, Question Submitted by: The Honorable Mike Ritze, State Representative District 80Cited
 2025 OK AG 2, Question Submitted by: Representative Steve Bashore, Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 7, Representative Cody Maynard, Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 21, Senator David Bullard, Oklahoma Senate, District 6Cited
 1983 OK AG 133, Question Submitted by: The Honorable Lonnie L. Abbott, Oklahoma House of Representatives, The Honorable Leslie Fisher, Ed.D., State Superintendent, Department of EducationDiscussed
 1986 OK AG 42, Question Submitted by: Mary R. Johnson, M.D., Secretary, State Board of Medical ExaminersDiscussed
 1987 OK AG 81, Question Submitted by: Robert S. Schlottman, Ph.D., State Board of Examiners of PsychologistsCited
 1988 OK AG 30, Question Submitted by: Mark R. Johnson, M.D., Secretary, State Board of Medical Licensure and SupervisionDiscussed at Length
 1992 OK AG 13, Question Submitted by: The Honorable Cal Hobson, Oklahoma State SenateCited
Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals Cases
 CiteNameLevel
 1989 OK CIV APP 94, 790 P.2d 1125, 51 OBJ 1357, Silman v. WhistlerDiscussed
 2004 OK CIV APP 99, 103 P.3d 1111, STATE ex rel. OKLA. BOARD OF MEDICAL LICENSURE v. LITCHFIELDCited
 2023 OK CIV APP 19, 530 P.3d 75, BRISCO v. GERARDDiscussed
Oklahoma Supreme Court Cases
 CiteNameLevel
 2006 OK 39, 143 P.3d 203, GAINES v. COMANCHE COUNTY MEDICAL HOSPITALDiscussed
 1975 OK 126, 543 P.2d 1379, STATE EX REL. CLIFTON v. REESERCited
Oklahoma Session Laws - 2000
 CiteNameLevel
 2000 O.S.L. 52, 2000 O.S.L. 52, [HB 2090] - An Act relating to professions and occupations; amending 59 O.S. 1991, Sections 725.2, (59 O.S. Supp. 1999, Sections 725.2, 731.2 and 731.5), which relate to the healing arts; adding to list of persons who may use the term "Doctor"; conforming language, etc.Discussed at Length
Title 59. Professions and Occupations
 CiteNameLevel
 59 O.S. 567.11, Exceptions to Application of ActCited
 59 O.S. 731.3, License or CertificateCited
 59 O.S. 888.4, Requirement of LicensureCited
Citationizer: Table of Authority
Cite Name Level
Title 59. Professions and Occupations
 CiteNameLevel
 59 O.S. 492, Practice of Medicine and Surgery - Title - HospitalCited
 59 O.S. 492, Practice of Medicine and Surgery - Title - HospitalCited