(a) A board is established to be known as the Composite State Board of Medical Examiners. All members of the board shall be citizens of the United States and residents of this state. All appointments to the board shall be made by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.

(b) Twelve of the members shall be practicing physicians of integrity and ability and shall be duly licensed to practice in this state. Ten of the 12 physician members shall be graduates of reputable medical schools conferring the M.D. degree; the other two physician members shall be graduates of reputable osteopathic schools conferring the D.O. degree. All of the physician members shall have been engaged in the active practice of their profession within this state for a period of at least five years. Any vacancy occurring in a post held by a holder of the D.O. degree shall be filled by a D.O. from the state at large.

(c) The thirteenth member of the board shall be appointed from the state at large and shall have no connection whatsoever with the practice of medicine.

(d) The board shall perform such duties and possess and exercise such powers relative to the protection of the public health and the control of regulation of the practice of medicine and osteopathy as this chapter prescribes and confers upon it and shall have the power to carry out investigations, either through the executive director or independently; provided, however, that the member of the board who is not a practicing physician may vote only on matters relating to administration and policy which do not directly relate to practical and scientific examination of physicians in this state.

(e)(1) The board shall appoint a Physician's Assistants Advisory Committee composed of four physicians, at least two of whom shall be members of the board, and four licensed physician's assistants, who shall each serve for terms of office of two years and until their successors are appointed and qualified. The committee shall review matters to come before the board which relate to physician's assistants, including but not limited to applicants for physician's assistant licensure and relicensure and education requirements therefor, and proposed board regulations concerning physician's assistants. The committee shall periodically make recommendations to the board regarding matters reviewed. Each member of the advisory committee shall be entitled to the same expense allowances, mileage allowances, and reimbursement as members of the board as provided for in subsection (f) of Code Section 43-1-2.

(2) The committee shall appoint a physician's assistant in an advisory capacity to the board. The advisory person shall serve at the pleasure of the committee as an ex officio adviser to the board in all matters relating to physician's assistants and shall share in the privileges and benefits of the board without a vote.

(f) The board shall examine applicants to test their qualifications to practice medicine.

(g) When funds are specifically appropriated for such purpose, the board shall publish an informational booklet on breast cancer and the treatment of breast cancer. The booklet shall contain a summary of the latest information on breast cancer and, in brief form, shall discuss the generally accepted and widely prevailing medical and surgical treatments for breast cancer. The booklet shall include a valid assessment of the relative risks and benefits of the accepted and widely prevailing methods of treatment. A copy of the booklet shall be made available by the board to every appropriate physician in the state. A letter by the board shall accompany this booklet stating that the board urges the physician to distribute a copy of the booklet to each and every patient whose suspected disease, disease, or course of treatment is covered by the material in the booklet. Copies shall also be available to any person upon request at a fee prescribed by the executive director sufficient to cover the cost of printing and distribution. The booklet shall be updated and redistributed at such times as the board shall deem necessary.

(h) The board shall have the authority to contract with medical associations or other professionally qualified organizations to conduct impaired physicians programs.