(1) All medical practice must be under the direct supervision of a Montana-licensed physician, who must be aware of the limitations on the medical student's scope of practice. Either the medical student's medical school or the supervising physician must carry malpractice insurance covering the medical student's practice during the training process.

(2) As used herein, "direct supervision" means that the supervising physician is physically present in the same building as the medical student, or is within 20 minutes of the physical presence of the patient being cared for by the medical student.

(3) The medical student may:

(a) assist the licensed physician in medical procedures (for example, suturing wounds) in an office or hospital;

(b) scrub and assist the licensed physician in surgery;

(c) participate in educational and patient conferences; and

(d) participate in medical research.

(4) The medical student may not practice independently; for example, among other things, the medical student may not:

(a) perform surgery;

(b) care for a patient in an emergency room without the physical presence of the supervising physician;

(c) prescribe medications without the co-signature of the medical student's supervising physician;

(d) write or issue orders without the co-signature of the medical student's supervising physician; or

(e) sign hospital records or patient charts without the co-signature of the medical student's supervising physician.