(1) As used in this part:

    (a) “Medical care services” means those services within the scope of practice of podiatric physicians licensed by the board, except those services that the board prohibits or otherwise restricts within a practice agreement or determines shall not be delegated by a podiatric physician without endangering the health and safety of patients as provided for in section 18048.

    (b) “Participating podiatrist” means a podiatric physician or a podiatric physician designated by a group of podiatric physicians under section 18049 to represent that group.

    (c) “Podiatric physician” means an individual who is licensed under this article to engage in the practice of podiatric medicine and podiatric surgery.

    (d) “Practice agreement” means an agreement described in section 18047.

    (e) “Practice as a physician’s assistant” means the practice of podiatric medicine and podiatric surgery with a participating podiatric physician under a practice agreement.

    (f) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (g), “practice of podiatric medicine and podiatric surgery” means any of the following:

    (i) The evaluation, diagnosis, management, and prevention of conditions of the lower extremities, including local manifestations of systemic disease in the human foot and ankle, by attending to and advising patients and through the use of devices, diagnostic tests, drugs and biologicals, surgical procedures, or other means. The evaluation, diagnosis, management, and prevention of conditions of the lower extremities may include osseous and soft tissue procedures that address the pathology of the foot, ankle, and the contiguous attachments below the tibial tuberosity.

    (ii) The treatment of ulcerations below the tibial tuberosity and of human nail diseases, callosities, and verruca.

    (g) “Practice of podiatric medicine and podiatric surgery” does not include amputations proximal to the tibiotalar joint, proximal osseous procedures that do not involve the tibiotalar joint, or the administration of intravenous sedation or general anesthesia.

    (h) “Task force” means the joint task force created in section 17025.

    (2) In addition to the definitions in this part, article 1 contains general definitions and principles of construction applicable to all articles in this code and part 161 contains definitions applicable to this part.