P.R. Laws tit. 20, § 2853
The Board shall have the following powers and obligations:
(a) Authorize the practice of the profession of podiatric medicine according to the provisions of this chapter.
(b) To establish the necessary requirements and mechanisms for the recertification of professionals every three (3) years, based on continuing education and the standards established by the Professional Regulation and Evaluation Organization.
(c) Draft the continuing education plan for the profession of doctors of podiatry.
(d) Establish the necessary requirements and mechanisms for the registration every three (3) years of the regular and provisional licenses it grants. The name of the podiatric doctors to whom the license is issued, the date of issue, the number and term of effectiveness of the license, and a marginal notation of the licenses re-certified, suspended, revoked or cancelled, shall be consigned in said Register.
(e) To review the provisions of this chapter to be in harmony with the changes in legislation or in the practice of the profession and prepare and present to the Governor and to the Legislature, through the Secretary of Health, any legislation deemed necessary.
(f) To adopt the standards, rules and regulations needed for the compliance of this chapter, after their approval by the Secretary of Health, and file them in the Department of State according to the provisions of Act No. 112 of June 30, 1957.
(g) To hold public hearings on all regulations that are not bylaws.
(h) To establish a reciprocal consulting relationship with the Professional Regulation and Evaluation Organization.
(i) To establish reciprocal consulting and coordinating mechanisms with the Department of Health, for the purposes of adopting the agreements needed to carry out their respective duties.
(j) To adopt an official seal.
(k) To elect a chairman from its members at the first meeting, and whenever a vacancy occurs.
(l) To deny, suspend, cancel or revoke licenses.
(m) To hold administrative hearings; resolve controversies regarding issues under its jurisdiction; issue orders in harmony with its resolutions; issue summonses for the appearance of witnesses or interested parties; require presentation of books, documents or any other documentary evidence; take testimonies or oaths; receive the pertinent evidence submitted in any issue under its jurisdiction; take depositions; regulate hearings and carry out all necessary procedures in the hearing of quasi-judicial matters.
(n) To resolve complaints filed for violations to the provisions of this chapter or the regulations promulgated hereinunder.
(o) To require the Secretary of Justice to institute, in the name of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, such civil and criminal procedures needed to compel compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(p) To evaluate the applications for licenses or the recertification of the professional, based on continuing education.
(q) To prepare and administer revalidation examinations.
(r) Develop an information system that will allow the establishing of a statistical relationship between the results of the revalidation examination and the characteristics of the aspirants, such as age, sex, medical school, and academic index upon entering the school of podiatric medicine.
(s) To adopt bylaws for the proper operation of the [organization which] shall be submitted to the Secretary of Health for his approval.
(t) To present to the Governor of Puerto Rico, through the Secretary of Health, an annual report of its works, including the number of applications received, licenses issued, professionals recertified, and any other data deemed relevant, or which the Governor should request.
Provided, however, That the duties and obligations established in subsections (b)—(i) of this section shall be developed according to the provisions of §§ 3001 et seq. of Title 24.
All regulation, investigation and adjudication procedures that arise before the Board, as well as the judicial review of final decisions issued thereby shall be governed pursuant to what is established in §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3, known as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Uniform Administrative Procedures Act.
History —July 20, 1979, No. 170, p. 433, § 3; Dec. 20, 1991, No. 111, § 3; Apr. 11, 2000, No. 61, § 3.