(a) There is established an Advisory Committee on Surgical Assistants to consist of 5 members as follows:

(1) The Director of the Department of Health, or his or her designee;

(2) A surgeon licensed in the District with experience working with surgical assistants; and

(3) Three surgical assistants licensed in the District.

(b) Of the appointees to the Advisory Committee on Surgical Assistants other than the Director, 2 shall serve an initial term of 2 years and 2 shall serve an initial term of 3 years. Subsequent appointments shall be for terms of 3 years.

(c)(1) The Advisory Committee on Surgical Assistants shall develop and submit to the Board of Medicine guidelines for licensing and regulating surgical assistants in the District. The guidelines shall set forth the actions that surgical assistants may perform in collaboration with a licensed surgeon, who shall be responsible for the overall medical direction of the care and treatment of patients.

(2)(A) Guidelines approved by the Board of Medicine under § 3-1202.03 shall remain in effect until revised guidelines are submitted to and approved by the Board of Medicine.

(B) The Advisory Committee on Surgical Assistants shall submit revised guidelines to the Board of Medicine by June 22, 2015.

(3) The Advisory Committee on Surgical Assistants shall meet at least annually to review the guidelines and make necessary revisions for submission to the Board of Medicine.

(Oct. 3, 2001, D.C. Law 14-28, § 4947; as added May 2, 2015, D.C. Law 20-271, § 202(b), 62 DCR 1884.)

For temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 202(b) of the New Columbia Statehood Initiative, Omnibus Boards and Commissions, and Election Transition Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-481, Nov. 18, 2014, 61 DCR 12133, 20 STAT 4405).

For temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 202(b) of the New Columbia Statehood Initiative, Omnibus Boards and Commissions, and Election Transition Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-7, Feb. 26, 2015, 62 DCR 2646, 21 STAT 807).