qualifications.

A. There is created the “New Mexico medical board”, consisting of eleven members. The board shall be composed of two public members, one physician assistant and eight reputable physicians, at least two of whom shall be osteopathic physicians and at least two of whom shall be medical physicians. The osteopathic physicians and the medical physicians shall be of known ability, shall be graduates of medical colleges or schools in good standing and shall have been licensed physicians in and bona fide residents of New Mexico for a period of five years immediately preceding the date of their appointment. The physician assistant shall have been a licensed physician assistant and a resident of New Mexico for at least five years immediately preceding the date of appointment. Public members of the board shall be residents of New Mexico, shall not have been licensed by the board as a health care practitioner over which the board has licensure authority and shall have no significant financial interest, direct or indirect, in the occupation regulated.

B. The governor shall appoint the medical physician members from a list of names submitted to the governor by the New Mexico medical society or its authorized governing body or council. The list shall contain five names of qualified medical physicians for each medical physician member to be appointed. Medical physician member vacancies shall be filled in the same manner.

C. The governor shall appoint osteopathic physician members from a list of names submitted to the governor by the New Mexico osteopathic medical association or its authorized governing body or council. The list shall contain five names of qualified osteopathic physicians for each osteopathic physician member to be appointed. Osteopathic physician member vacancies shall be filled in the same manner.

D. The governor shall appoint the physician assistant member from a list of names submitted to the governor by the New Mexico academy of physician assistants or its authorized governing body or council. The list shall contain five names of qualified physician assistants.

E. Members shall be appointed to four-year terms, staggered so that not more than three terms expire in a year. All board members shall hold office until their successors are appointed.

F. A board member failing to attend three consecutive meetings, either regular or special, shall automatically be removed as a member of the board unless excused from attendance by the board for good cause shown.