2054.
(a) Any person who uses in any sign, business card, or letterhead, or, in an advertisement, the words “doctor” or “physician,” the letters or prefix “Dr.,” the initials “M.D.,” “M.D.” or “D.O.,” or any other terms or letters indicating or implying that he or she the person is a physician and surgeon, physician, surgeon, or practitioner under the terms of this or any other law, or that he or she the person is entitled to practice hereunder, or who represents or holds himself or herself themselves out as a physician and surgeon, physician, surgeon, or practitioner under the terms of this or any other law, without having at the time of so doing a valid, unrevoked, and unsuspended certificate as a physician and surgeon under this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor.(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), any of the following persons may use the words “doctor” or “physician,” the letters or prefix “Dr.,” or the initials “M.D.”: “M.D.” or “D.O.”:
(1) A graduate of a medical or an osteopathic medical school approved or recognized by the medical or osteopathic medical board while enrolled in a postgraduate training program approved by the board.
(2) A graduate of a medical or an osteopathic medical school who does not have a certificate as a physician and surgeon under this chapter if he or she the individual meets all of the following requirements:
(A) If issued a license to practice medicine in any jurisdiction, has not had that license revoked or suspended by that jurisdiction.
(B) Does not otherwise hold himself or herself themselves out as a physician and surgeon entitled to practice medicine in this state except to the extent authorized by this chapter.
(C) Does not engage in any of the acts prohibited by Section 2060.
(3) A person authorized to practice medicine under Section 2111 or 2113 subject to the limitations set forth in those sections.
(4) A person holding a current and active license under another chapter of this division, to the extent the use of the title is consistent with the act governing the practice of that license.
(5) A person whose use of the word “doctor” or the prefix “Dr.” is not associated with any claim of entitlement to practice medicine or any other professional service for which the use of the title would be untrue or misleading pursuant to Section 17500.
(c) (1) A person shall not use any medical specialty title, including the names or titles “anesthesiologist,” “cardiologist,” “dermatologist,” “doctor of osteopathic medicine,” “emergency physician,” “endocrinologist,” “family physician,” “gastroenterologist,” “general practitioner,” “gynecologist,” “hematologist,” “hospitalist,” “internist,” “interventional pain medicine physician,” “laryngologist,” “medical doctor,” “nephrologist,” “neurologist,” “obstetrician,” “oncologist,” “ophthalmologist,” “orthopedic surgeon,” “orthopaedic surgeon,” “orthopedist,” “orthopaedist,” “osteopathic physician,” “otologist,” “otolaryngologist,” “otorhinolaryngologist,” “pathologist,” “pediatrician,” “perinatologist,” “plastic surgeon,” “primary care physician,” “proctologist,” “psychiatrist,” “radiologist,” “reproductive endocrinologist,” “rheumatologist,” “rhinologist,” “surgeon,” “urogynecologist,” or “urologist,” or any other titles, terms, letters, words, abbreviations, description of services, designations, or insignia, alone or in combination with any other title, indicating or implying that the person is licensed under this chapter to practice as such, unless the person has at the time of so doing a valid, unrevoked, and unsuspended certificate as a physician and surgeon under this chapter. A person who violates this subdivision is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(2) This subdivision does not prevent a person holding a current and active license under another chapter of this division from using any term identified on their license, certificate, or registration, or from making any truthful statement that they specialize in a service or field that is within their licensed scope of practice and that does not contain any of the medical specialty titles specified in paragraph (1).
(3) This subdivision does not prevent an individual licensed under this chapter from using the term “surgeon” as long as that individual has been granted privileges to perform surgery in a health care facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, a surgical clinic licensed pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 1204 of the Health and Safety Code, an outpatient setting accredited by an accreditation agency, as defined in Section 1248 of the Health and Safety Code, or an ambulatory surgical center certified to participate in the Medicare Program under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395 et seq.).
(4) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any person who possesses a license pursuant to Section 1626, or holds a special permit under Section 1640, when using a dental specialty or discipline title, as defined in Section 1640.1.