There is a Physician Assistant Advisory Committee within the Board.
The Committee shall function as a subunit of the Board.
The Committee shall consist of seven members appointed by the Board.
Of the seven Committee members:
Three shall be licensed physicians;
Three shall be licensed physician assistants; and
One shall be a consumer.
Of the licensed physician members:
At least one shall specialize in general surgery or a surgical subspecialty; and
At least one shall specialize in internal medicine, family practice, or a similar primary care specialty.
The Board shall appoint the physician assistant members from a list of names submitted by:
The Maryland Academy of Physician Assistants; and
The State institutions of higher education with approved physician assistant programs.
Each member of the Committee licensed by the Board must be in good standing with the Board.
The consumer member:
Must be a member of the general public;
May not be or have ever been:
A physician assistant;
Any other health care professional; or
In training to be a physician assistant or other health professional; and
May not:
Participate or ever have participated in a commercial or professional field related to physician assistant practice;
Have a household member who participates in a commercial or professional field related to physician assistant practice;
Have had within 2 years before appointment a financial interest in a person regulated by the Board; or
Have had within 2 years before appointment a financial interest in the provision of goods or services to physician assistants or to the field of physician assistant practice.
Each member of the Committee must be a resident of the State.
Of the three physician members of the Committee, two shall be previously or currently serving as a patient care team physician under a collaboration agreement with a physician assistant.
Of the three physician assistant members of the Committee:
At least one must be currently practicing in a hospital; and
At least one must be currently practicing in a nonhospital setting.
The term of a member is 3 years.
The terms of members are staggered as required by regulation.
At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
A member may not serve more than two consecutive full terms.
From among its members, the Committee shall elect a chair every 2 years.
The chair, or the chair’s designee, shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Board as a representative of the Committee.
A quorum of the Committee consists of four members.
The Board shall adopt regulations governing:
The term of office for Committee members;
The procedure for filling vacancies on the Committee;
The removal of Committee members; and
The duties of each officer.
Funds for compensation, expenses, and staff for the Committee shall be allocated to the Board in the State budget.
In addition to the powers set forth elsewhere in this title, the Committee:
Shall:
Recommend to the Board:
Regulations for carrying out this title; and
Any statutory changes that affect the profession;
Recommend to the Board approval, modification, or disapproval of an application for licensure or the performance of advanced duties under a collaboration agreement;
Report to the Board any conduct of a physician or group of physicians who develops a collaboration agreement with a physician assistant or a physician assistant that may be cause for disciplinary action under this title or under § 14–404 of this article; and
Keep a record of its meetings; and
May:
Provide recommendations regarding the practice of physician assistants; and
Advise the Board on any other matters related to physician assistants.
The Board shall set reasonable fees for:
The issuance and renewal of licenses; and
The other services rendered by the Board in connection with physician assistants, including the cost of providing a rehabilitation program for physician assistants under § 14–401.1(g) of this article.
In addition to the fee set by the Board under this title for the renewal of a license, the Board shall assess a separate $15 fee for a renewal of the license.
The Board shall pay the fee collected under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph to the Physician Assistant Preceptorship Tax Credit Fund established under § 10–752 of the Tax – General Article.
Except as provided in subsection (a)(2)(ii) of this section, the Board shall pay all fees collected under this title to the Comptroller of the State.
In each fiscal year, if the Department does not implement a permanent funding structure under § 24–1702(b)(1) of the Health – General Article and the Governor does not include in the State budget at least $400,000 for the operation of the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians and Physician Assistants under Title 24, Subtitle 17 of the Health – General Article, as administered by the Department, the Comptroller shall distribute:
$400,000 of the fees received from the Board to the Department to be used to make grants under the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians and Physician Assistants under Title 24, Subtitle 17 of the Health – General Article to physicians and physician assistants engaged in primary care or to medical residents specializing in primary care who agree to practice for at least 2 years as primary care physicians in a geographic area of the State that has been designated by the Secretary as being medically underserved; and
The balance of the fees to the Board of Physicians Fund.
If the Governor includes in the State budget at least the amount specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection for the operation of the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians and Physician Assistants under Title 24, Subtitle 17 of the Health – General Article, as administered by the Department, the Comptroller shall distribute the fees to the Board of Physicians Fund.