Open Forum

Hello fellow ambulatory leaders,

Is there anyone here familiar from California and is familiar with the scope of practice for medical assistants?  Is it within their scope of practice to perform an ultrasound of the carotid artery?  Specifically, it is the HeartSmart IMT Ultrasound.  I'm told that it is non-invasive and the MAs send the scans to the HeartSmart IMT for interpretation and final report for the physician to review.

After reviewing the information online, I found that the MAs can only be trained by the MD/podiatrist or by an instructor of an accredited facility.  I'm concerned that about the whether this is in their scope of practice.

My initial response is no and I've been trying to find specific information online from the medical board but couldn't find clear answers.  I have sent an inquiry to the California Medical Board, but I thought I should reach out to you all as well to see if anyone has come across this?

I appreciate your feedback.