Sec. 4. Nothing in this article shall be construed as preventing or restricting the following:

(1) A physician or surgeon from engaging in the practice of medicine in this state, or a person under the supervision and control of a physician or surgeon from conducting hearing testing, provided such a person is not called an audiologist.

Terms Used In Indiana Code 25-35.6-1-4

  • audiologist: means an individual who practices audiology and who presents himself to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words audiologist, hearing clinician, hearing therapist, hearing specialist, audiometrist, vestibular specialist, or any similar title or description of service. See Indiana Code 25-35.6-1-2
  • audiology: means the application of nonmedical and nonsurgical principles, methods, and procedures of prevention, evaluation, habilitation, rehabilitation, instruction, and research of disorders of hearing, auditory function, and vestibular function. See Indiana Code 25-35.6-1-2
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: means any individual, organization, or corporate body, except that only an individual may be licensed under this article. See Indiana Code 25-35.6-1-2
  • speech-language pathologist: means an individual who practices speech-language pathology and who presents himself to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words speech pathologist, speech-language pathologist, speech therapist, speech-language specialist, teacher of communication disorders, speech correctionist, speech clinician, language pathologist, language therapist, logopedist, communicologist, voice therapist, voice pathologist, or any similar title or description of service. See Indiana Code 25-35.6-1-2
  • speech-language pathology: means the application of nonmedical and nonsurgical principles, methods, and procedures for the following:

    Indiana Code 25-35.6-1-2

  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the commonwealths, possessions, states in free association with the United States, and the territories. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
(2) Any hearing aid dealer from:

(A) engaging in the testing of hearing and other practices and procedures necessary for the business for which the dealer is registered in this state under IC 25-20-1; and

(B) using the title hearing aid specialist or any similar title or description of service.

(3) Any person licensed or registered in this state by any other law from engaging in the profession or occupation for which the person is licensed or registered.

(4) A person employed as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist by the government of the United States, if such person performs speech-language pathology or audiology services solely within the confines or under the jurisdiction of the governmental organization by which the person is employed. However, such person may, without obtaining a license under this article, consult with or disseminate the person’s research findings and other scientific information to speech-language pathologists and audiologists outside the jurisdiction of the organization by which the person is employed. Such person may also offer instruction and lectures to the public without being licensed under this article. Such person may additionally elect to be subject to this article.

(5) The activities and services of persons pursuing a course of study leading to a degree in speech-language pathology or audiology at a postsecondary educational institution, if:

(A) such activities and services constitute a part of a supervised course of study;

(B) such person is designated speech-language pathology or audiology intern, speech-language pathology or audiology trainee, or by other such titles clearly indicating the training status appropriate to the person’s level of training; and

(C) the person works only under the supervision of a speech-language pathologist or audiologist licensed under this article.

(6) The activities and services of persons fulfilling the clinical experience requirement of section 5(2)(B)(ii) or 6(3)(B) of this chapter, if such activities and services constitute a part of the experience required for that section’s fulfillment.

(7) The performance of pure tone air conduction testing by an industrial audiometric technician, as defined by federal law, who is working in an industrial hearing conservation program directed by a physician or an audiologist.

(8) The performance of speech-language pathology or audiology services in this state by any person not a resident of this state who is not licensed under this article, if such services are performed:

(A) under IC 25-35.6-5; or

(B) for no more than five (5) days in any calendar year and in cooperation with a speech-language pathologist or audiologist licensed under this article, and if such person meets the qualifications and requirements for application for licensure described in section 5(1) and 5(2) or 6(1) and 6(2) of this chapter.

However, a person not a resident of this state who is not licensed under this article or practicing under IC 25-35.6-5, but who is licensed under the law of another state which has established licensure requirements at least equivalent to those established by section 5 or 6 of this chapter or who is the holder of a certificate of clinical competence in speech-language pathology or audiology or its equivalent issued by a nationally recognized association for speech-language or hearing, may offer speech-language pathology or audiology services in this state for no more than one hundred eighty (180) days in any calendar year, if such services are performed in cooperation with a speech-language pathologist or audiologist licensed under this article.

Formerly: Acts 1973, P.L.262, SEC.1. As amended by P.L.250-1985, SEC.1; P.L.149-1987, SEC.106; P.L.212-2005, SEC.64; P.L.2-2007, SEC.348; P.L.216-2021, SEC.50; P.L.149-2022, SEC.15.