Well here are some examples that should clear things up:
Assume you are state licensed (Pennsylvania, for examples) and board certified in EM for all examples.
Example #1: EMS is dispatched to your neighbors house. You walk over and find that the patient (your neighbor) is anaphylactic. You notify EMS personnel that you intend to administer epinephrine. The EMT tells you no, because he's a whacker and wants to do it himself. Guess what? The doctor is more than welcome to administer the epinephrine to the patient without the "consent" of an EMT. Why? Because the doctor is operating within his authority to practice emergency medicine within the state of Pennsylvania. Who is liable in this case? If the EMT actually physically tried to block you from doing your job, he's liable. Otherwise the doctor is liable (but I would laugh at a lawsuit for administering epi... have fun paying my legal fees
)
Example #2: You physically attempt to prevent the EMTs from doing their jobs. Who's liable? Obviously you are, but it doesn't matter that you're a physician. Anyone would be liable in this situation, including other EMTs.
As a board certified EM physician licensed in the state of Pennsylvania, I could practice emergency medicine wherever I want in Pennsylvania. EMTs can try to tell me otherwise, but grow up. That's not how the world works. There are some exceptions though:
- Can't practice in private domiciles without permission from the owner. Unless it's clearly life threatening. Neither can EMTs but when people call 911 it can be considered implied consent.
- Can't practice in hospitals where I don't have privileges.
^It should be noted that technically you can be sued for anything, but that doesn't mean that there will be a negative outcome for you. I could sue a physician I've never met if I wanted to, but that doesn't mean anything's going to happen other than my having to pay for his/her legal fees. It's actually pretty rare that a physician successfully gets sued. Especially in tort reform states.