(a) Scope of practice.--A prehospital EMS physician is a higher-level EMS provider than an advanced EMT. A prehospital EMS physician performs for an EMS agency basic and advanced EMS skills within the scope of practice of a physician under the act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112), known as the Medical Practice Act of 1985, or the act of October 5, 1978 (P.L.1109, No.261), known as the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act, as applicable, or a successor act, as follows:

(1) As a member of the crew of an ambulance.

(2) As a member of a QRS to stabilize and improve a patient's condition in an out-of-hospital emergency.

(3) As a first-aid or safety officer, or in a similar capacity, as prescribed by regulation of the department.

(4) In another capacity authorized by regulation of the department.

(b) Certification.--The department shall certify as a prehospital EMS physician a physician who has:

(1) Successfully completed one or more of the following:

(i) An emergency medicine residency program that is accredited by a residency program accrediting body recognized by the State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.

(ii) The first year of an emergency medicine residency program that satisfies the requirements of subparagraph (i) and has successfully completed programs approved by the department in advanced cardiac life support, advanced trauma life support and advanced pediatric life support.

(iii) An anesthesia, family practice, internal medicine or general surgery residency program that is accepted by either the State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine as providing the graduate medical training the board requires for issuance of a physician license without restriction and the successful completion of programs approved by the department in advanced cardiac life support, advanced trauma life support and advanced pediatric life support.

(2) A current certificate evidencing successful completion of a CPR course acceptable to the department.

(3) Passed an EMS skills practical examination approved by the department or served as a prehospital health professional physician prior to the effective date of this section.

(c) Biennial registration.--A prehospital EMS physician's certification is deemed registered when the certification is issued. The initial registration shall expire under section 8113(n) (relating to emergency medical services providers). Except for the initial registration period, a prehospital EMS physician shall register the prehospital EMS physician certification at two-year intervals by completing an application for biennial registration on a form or through an electronic process as prescribed by the department. The following shall apply:

(1) The department shall issue a biennial registration of a prehospital EMS physician certification to a prehospital EMS physician who meets all of the following:

(i) Has a current registration and applies for a new registration no later than 30 days before the current registration is to expire or within a lesser time period as the department may establish by regulation.

(ii) Has current registration of a physician license.

(iii) Successfully secures continuing education credits for prehospital EMS physician biennial registration as required by the department in continuing education programs approved by the department.

(2) A prehospital EMS physician whose registration of a prehospital EMS physician certification has expired shall qualify for a biennial registration of the certification as prescribed by regulation of the department.

(d) Transition for prehospital health professional physicians.--A physician who served as a prehospital health professional physician prior to the effective date of this section and who satisfies the certification requirements under subsection (b)(1) may serve as a prehospital EMS physician for 90 days after the effective date of this section without having secured a certification as a prehospital EMS physician.

Effective Date. Section 9(1) of Act 37 of 2009 provided that section 8120 shall take effect 180 days after the publication of the notice in section 7. The notice was published October 12, 2013, at 43 Pa.B. 6093.