(a) The State Board of Medical Examiners may, at its discretion and subject to the rules and regulations promulgated by the board, issue a certificate of qualification in behalf of physicians meeting the requirements for participation in the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. The Retired Senior Volunteer Program is created for the purpose of permitting doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy who are fully retired from the active practice of medicine to obtain a limited license without cost which would permit the provision of outpatient health care services at established free clinics operated pursuant to the Volunteer Medical Professional Act, Section 6-5-660, et seq. Physicians having certificates issued under this section must perform no fewer than 100 hours of voluntary service annually and must limit their practice to the confines of an established free medical clinic, as that term is defined in Section 6-5-662, or such other nonprofit organizations or facilities located in Alabama which are approved by the board and which provide outpatient medical care to individuals unable to pay for it. Certificates issued under this section and licenses based thereon shall state on their faces that they are issued under the RSVP and are subject to restrictions. Any physician in whose behalf a certificate of qualification is issued under this section shall be subject to having his or her license suspended or revoked by the Medical Licensure Commission for the same causes or reasons and in the same manner as provided by law in the case of other physicians. Certificates of qualification issued under this section shall expire annually and physicians may apply to the board for renewal of their certificate, but the board shall have full discretion to accept or reject the application for renewal.

(b) A physician is eligible to receive a certificate of qualification issued under subsection (a) if he or she meets the following qualifications:

(1) The applicant currently has or has had a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the State of Alabama or in any other state of the United States or the District of Columbia, which license is or was at the time of expiration unrestricted and in good standing with no pending disciplinary actions or investigations at the time of expiration.

(2) The applicant certifies, on a form prescribed by the board, that he or she is fully retired from the active practice of medicine.

(3) The applicant is in good health and is not currently undergoing treatment for a physical or mental condition which would impair the individual's ability to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety to patients.

(4) The applicant certifies, on a form prescribed by the board, that he or she intends to limit his or her medical practice to the provision of outpatient services at an established free medical clinic as that term is defined in Section 6-5-662 or such other nonprofit organization or facility that has been approved by the board and that furnishes outpatient medical care to patients unable to pay for it.

(5) The applicant certifies, on a form prescribed by the board, that his or her license to practice medicine in any state or the District of Columbia has never been revoked, suspended, placed on probation, or otherwise subject to disciplinary action and that the applicant has not had his or her hospital medical staff privileges revoked, suspended, curtailed, limited, or surrendered while under investigation.

(6) The applicant acknowledges, on a form prescribed by the board, that he or she is subject to the continuing medical education requirements for physicians as specified in Chapter 14 of the rules and regulations of the State Board of Medical Examiners.

(7) The applicant furnishes a certification of the employment arrangements or agreement with the qualified clinic or nonprofit organization.

(c) A certificate of qualification issued under subsection (a) shall be issued at no cost to the applicant.

(d) The Medical Licensure Commission and the State Board of Medical Examiners are each authorized to promulgate reasonable rules and regulations necessary to implement the requirements of this section and subsection (b) of Section 34-24-333.