The Escambia County Medical Examiner shall appoint one or more assistant county medical examiners to assist the investigation and certification of deaths from the list of qualified physicians provided by the Escambia County Medical Society. Each assistant county medical examiner shall also have approval of the senior medical examiner of Region IV and the Director of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and also shall be a contract employee of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.
Ala. Code § 45-27-60.02 (1975)