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What are State Medical Boards?
The primary responsibility and obligation of state medical boards is to protect consumers of healthcare through proper licensing and regulation of physicians and, in some jurisdictions, other healthcare professionals.
The practice of medicine is not an inherent right of an individual, but a privilege granted by the people of a state acting through their elected representatives. To protect the public from the unprofessional, improper and incompetent practice of medicine, it is necessary for the state to provide laws and regulations that outline the practice of medicine and the responsibility of the medical board to regulate that practice. This guidance is outlined in a state statute, usually called a medical practice act.
State medical board structure
Board membership is composed of volunteers who are charged with upholding the medical practice act in their jurisdictions.
The state medical boards are usually composed of physician and public members who are, in most instances, appointed by the governor. Some boards are independent in structure, exercising all licensing and disciplinary powers, while others are part of a larger umbrella agency, such as the Department of Health, exercising varied levels of responsibilities or functioning in an advisory capacity. Funding for medical board activities comes from licensing and registration fees.
Most boards employ an administrative staff, which includes an executive officer, attorneys and investigators, with some legal services provided by the state's office of the attorney general.
The primary responsibility and obligation of state medical boards is to protect consumers of health care through proper licensing and regulation of physicians and, in some jurisdictions, other health care professionals.