Inventory of the Dept. of Consumer Affairs - Board of Medical Examiners Records

Processed by Archives Staff

California State Archives

1020 "O" Street

Sacramento, California 95814

Phone: (916) 653-2246

Fax: (916) 653-7363

Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov

URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/

Inventory of the Dept. of Consumer Affairs - Board of Medical Examiners Records

Collection number: R264, F3760, F3503, F3265, F1808

California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California

Processed by:: Archives Staff
Date Completed:: March 2000
Encoded by:: Jessica Knox

Descriptive Summary

Title: Dept. of Consumer Affairs - Board of Medical Examiners Records

Dates: 1876-1978

Collection number: R264, F3760, F3503, F3265, F1808

Creator: Dept. of Consumer Affairs - Board of Medical Quality Assurance, 1976-1978; Dept. of Consumer Affairs - Board of Medical Examiners, 1971-1976; Dept. of Professional and Vocational Standards - Board of Medical Examiners, 1929-1971; Board of Medical Examiners, 1876-1929

Collection Size: 1,678 files folders and 177 volumes

Repository: California State Archives

Sacramento, California

Abstract: The records of the California State Board of Medical Examiners consist of 1,678 files folders and 177 volumes of textual material that reveal the history, policies and functions of the Board from 1876-1978, as well as information about the medical professions and institutions that fell under its regulation.

Physical location: California State Archives

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Administrative Information

Access

While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.

Publication Rights

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Dept. of Consumer Affairs - Board of Medical Examiners Records, [ID Number]:[Series Number], [box and folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Acquisition and Custodial History

The California State Archives acquired the Dept. of Consumer Affairs - Board of Medical Examiners Records through a series of agency transfers according to state law.

Administrative History

The medical profession was the first in California to be regulated by law when a Board of Medical Examiners was established, effective April 3, 1876 ( Statutes 1875-1876, Ch. 518, p. 792). Originally, the Board of Medical Examiners (hereafter known as the Board) was an independent organization which functioned outside of the framework of state government. Its members were appointed by the medical profession until 1907 when the Board's representatives became subject to appointment by the governor ( Statutes 1907, Ch. 212, p. 252).

In 1929, the Board was placed under the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards ( Statutes 1929, Ch. 290). The Board was later moved to the Department of Consumer Affairs in 1971 ( Statutes 1971, Ch. 716). In 1976, a name change occurred in which the State Board of Medical Examiners became the State Board of Medical Quality Assurance ( Statutes 1976, Ch. 1185).

Throughout more than a century of existence, the Board's policies and functions are consistent in regard to all facets of medical qualifications and practice in California. Its major functions include licensing qualifications of physicians and surgeons, naturopaths, drugless practitioners; chiropodists, midwives, psychologists, physical therapists, and physicians assistants who have been regulated by the Board at various time periods. The Board's functions also include the accreditation of medical colleges, the devising of application standards and oral and written examination questions, and survey requirements for hospitals and clinical facilities and in maintaining reciprocity with out-of-state and foreign medical boards. Other important functions of the Board are to investigate complaints against physicians, medical colleges, hospitals, clinics, and other individuals or organizations regarding possible violations of the Board's rules and regulations of other state laws. It conducts hearings and issues citations relating to legal cases arising from its investigations. The Board's sole financial support has always been derived from application fees, fines, and annual or biennial taxes collected from its licenses and certified members.

Scope and Content

The records of the California State Board of Medical Examiners consist of 1,678 files folders and 177 volumes of textual material that reveal the history, policies and functions of the Board from 1876-1978, as well as information about the medical professions and institutions that fell under its regulation. The Board experienced a number of name and department changes throughout its existence, so many of the series may have several records creators. The researcher should also be aware that some series within this record group are restricted because they are investigatory in nature.

Accruals

Further accruals are expected.

Related Collections at the California State Archives

Governor's Papers, Secretary's Report of Applicants Examined, 1908 (GP4:68)

Governor's Papers, Annual Report of the State Board of Medical Examiners, 1934-1936 (GP5:128, GP5:235, GP6:2)

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

California. Board of Medical Examiners

Medical laws and legislation

Physicians - California

Medical education - California

F3760:1-60, 173-179

Series 1 Minutes 1906-1974

Physical Description: 60 volumes and 7 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year.

Scope and Content Note

Minutes of Board meetings reflecting such activities as the licensing process for physicians, complaints and accusations filed, suspension and revocation of licenses, establishment of licensing requirements for physicians, hospitals, and clinics, appointment of advisory and other committees, and other administrative operations of the Board.

F3760:180-181

Series 2 Miscellaneous Files 1947-1965

Physical Description: 2 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged functionally.

Scope and Content Note

Background reports and rough drafts on the history of the Board and its licensing procedures. Legislative newsletters concerning state and federal bills of interest regarding adoptions; abortions; public medical assistance programs; health insurance plans; establishment of medical colleges and special medical education studies; narcotics; malpractice; medical technicians and assistants; and other subjects of importance during the early-mid 1960's.

F3760:61-66, 182-212

Series 3 Advisory Committees 1954-1975

Physical Description: 10 volumes and 29 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by committee name and chronologically thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

Advisory committee minutes, agendas, correspondence, reports, training manuals, and other records reflecting committee operations and activities. The following committees are included within this series:

(F3760:182-196) Advisory Committee on Physicians' Assistant, 1971-1972

(F3760:197) Chiropody Examining Committee, 1958-1961

(F3760:198-202) District Review Committee, 1966-1974

(F3760:203) Hearing Aid Dispensers Examining Committee, 1971-1973

(F3760:205-206) Physical Therapy Examining Committee, 1954-1973

(F3760:66, 207) Podiatry Examining Committee, 1958-1973

(F3760:63-65, 208-211) Psychology Examining Committee, 1957-1974

(F3760:212) Recording Committee, 1974-1975

F3760:213-217

Series 4 Circular Letters 1947-1964

Physical Description: 5 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year.

Scope and Content Note

Circular letters relate to the administrative policies and procedures between the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards and the Board. Examples of topics contained are employee training programs, out-of-state travel expenses, the role of special investigators, etc.

F3760:170-172

Series 5 Annual Reports 1914-1934

Physical Description: 3 volumes

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year.

Scope and Content Note

The contents of the annual reports contain yearly statements of the board secretary, impacting state legislation, amendments to the Medical Practice Act, statistically listings of applications, examinations, certificates issued, yearly legal cases, and out-of-state and foreign reciprocity agreements.

Note

The physician directories of the Board contain excerpts of the annual reports for 1885-1967 (see series 13).

F3760:218-282

Series 6 Opinions of the Attorney General 1914-1975

Physical Description: 65 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by opinion title and chronologically thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

Formal opinions and correspondence relating to the legal, moral, and professional aspects of medical practice in California. Topics covered by formal opinions range over a wide variety of subjects including anesthesia, chiropractic physicians, corporate practice, dispensing opticians, foreign graduate licensing, legality of herbs and other non-medicinal substances, physical therapy, etc.

F3760:283-309

Series 7 Secretary's Files 1967-1971, 1973

Physical Description: 27 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date.

Scope and Content Note

This series contains correspondence, supplemental calendars and background information to the Board minutes. Subjects covered include complaints and litigation, foreign medical applicants, fee policies, licensing of medical facilities and personnel, Federal Licensure Examination (FLEX) requirements, and impact of state legislation.

F3760:310-356

Series 8 Department and Organization Files 1960-1968

Physical Description: 48 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged by department or organization and chronologically thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence with State government agencies, medical organizations, and advisory committees. Most of this series reflects coordination of the Board with the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards and includes policy and procedural matters. Correspondence with national and state medical organizations covers a wide variety of subjects relating to medical practices and procedures under review or study by the Board.

F3760:357-380

Series 9 Legislative Files 1960-1974

Physical Description: 24 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by legislative session, then numerically by bill number.

Scope and Content Note

Bill analyses, correspondence, position statements in support or opposition, and related records reflecting Board sponsorship or monitoring of proposed legislation. Subject matter varies from session to session and includes topics such as abortion, prescription drugs, mental illness, foreign medical graduates, and licensing provisions for various medical disciplines.

F3760:381-583

Series 10 Subject Files 1912-1965

Physical Description: 203 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence, memoranda, reports, studies, newspaper clippings and other records reflecting a cross-section of Board operations and activities. Much of the correspondence relates to physicians inquiries on out-of-state reciprocity. Other subject matter includes legality of certain medical techniques and new or innovative medical practices and specializations such as hydropsychotherapy; anesthesia; regulation and use of drugs and narcotics; foreign medical graduates; naturopathy; certification of hospitals for the treatment of narcotic users; internships; physical therapy, and; podiatry.

F3760:75-90, 168, 584-587

Series 11 Examination Questions 1906-1969

Physical Description: 16 volumes and 4 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically and by subject thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

Samples of essay-type questions as used in annual examinations of applicants. The average number of questions per examination is twelve with the general content focused on the areas of diagnosis, symptoms, causes, treatment, and general background knowledge. Specific subject areas appearing on examinations include: general medicine; physiology; homeopathic medicine surgery; pathology; eclectic medicine; bacteriology; anatomy; chemistry; obstetrics; toxicology; hygiene; gynecology; dermatology; chiropody; pharmacology and prescription writing; orthopedics; biochemistry; public health and preventive medicine; pediatrics, and; gross microscopic and surgical anatomy. This series also includes a volume dating from 1908 regarding an investigation into the Board's examination procedures.

F3760:67-74

Series 12 Physician License Applications 1906-1969

Physical Description: 7 volumes

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically and by application number thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

Applications for licensure. General information for 1906-1916 includes date of application, name and address of applicant, college attended and date of graduation, examination number and result (pass or fail), and remarks. The records for 1913 and after include only the number and name of applicant and a breakdown of exam scores. This series also includes a volume of osteopathic exam results from 1901-1907, as the Board of Medical Examiners administered exams in osteopathic medicine prior to the establishment of the Board of Osteopathic Examiners in 1922.

F3760:91-167

Series 13 Annual Physician Directories 1876-1967

Physical Description: 77 volumes

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically, then alphabetically by county and name of individual thereunder.

Alternative Form of Materials Available

Some records in this series have been microfilmed, as indicated by the MF before the identification number. Researchers must use microfilm when available.

Scope and Content Note

Annual listings of licensed physicians including their medical practice category: chiropodist, eclectic physician, homeopathic, midwife, osteopath, etc. Psychologists are included in the directories after 1957.

Also included in this series is a Daybook ( MF F3760:91) listing physicians, homeopathic physicians, and eclectic physicians who received certificates from 1876-1939. The Daybook is arranged alphabetically by surname and contains name, place of origin, date of certificate issued, medical college and graduation date. Researchers are required to access this volume on microfilm (MF 2:2(3-4)).

See series description for ID numbers.

Series 14 Deceased Physicians Files (Physician's Biographies) 1902-1977

Physical Description: 160 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of physician.

Scope and Content Note

The general content of the files include photographs of deceased physician; copies of college diplomas; Board application forms and certificates; occasional college course and grade transcripts; former patient letters-of-complaints to the Board; the Board's replies; and Board correspondence, where appropriate relating to foreign physician requirements and backgrounds. Also, miscellaneous newspaper clippings are found throughout the files.

The contents of the following groups of files overlap chronologically, but each contains different information.

(F3503:1-815) 1902-1968

(F3760:588-637) 1907-1977

(F1808:1-108) 1906-1950

(F3265:1-46) 1950-1957

F3760:638-653

Series 15 Physicians Assistant Program 1971-1972

Physical Description: 2 volumes and 14 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged by subject and chronologically thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence between the Physicians Assistant Committee, the Board, medical colleges, health planning organizations, and other agencies relating to the establishment and development of a physicians assistant program and the defined relationship between a physician assistant and a regular physician.

F3760:654-760

Series 16 Medical Colleges and Schools Files 1906-1968

Physical Description: 107 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of college or school, then chronologically thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

The files in this series contain college catalogs, articles of incorporation, and correspondence between the Board and various California medical colleges and schools, such as the Berkeley Chiropractic College, Bush Institute of Electrotherapy, and the Occult Science of Christ Church.

Basic subjects throughout the files are Board accreditation requirements of California medical colleges and schools and requirements of their graduates for Board licensure; the coordination of Board examination questions and dates with various college curricula and graduation schedules; periodical Board check-up inspections of college faculty, administrative personnel, and classroom and laboratory equipment; and Board requirements concerning the type of nomenclature appearing on college and school medical diplomas.

F3760:761-816

Series 17 California Hospitals Survey Files 1965

Physical Description: 56 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by hospital name.

Scope and Content Note

In 1965, a comprehensive Board survey of such California hospitals as Alta Bates Hospital, Barton Memorial Hospital, and Campbell Community Hospital occurred. The Board's objective was to find out if the hospitals were meeting the appropriate sections of the Business and Professions Code with particular regard to license renewal qualifications.

These files contain the individual hospital responses to Board questionnaires sent to them on the above subject. Such responses fall into the following categories: type of current general and/or specialized license; names and number of active staff; type of governing body (such as a Board of Directors); kinds of organizational subcommittees; hospital policies regarding patient medical records; and hospital drug prescriptions policies. Also contained in the files are copies of hospital by-laws and State department of Public Health policy statements on hospitals.

F3760:169

Series 18 Revocation of Certificates 1906-1940

Physical Description: 1 volume

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year.

Scope and Content Note

Record book of Board actions on complaints filed against licensed physicians. Entries provide information on the nature of and date complaint filed, verdict or dismissal, occasional summaries of Board hearings and defendant responses, date of certificate restoration, and deceased entry.

F3760:817-826

Series 19 Abortion Investigative Files 1925-1969

Physical Description: 10 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged by case name.

Access Information

Records in this series that are less than 75 years old are RESTRICTED under the Public Records Act (PRA) as investigative records per Government Code sections 7923.600-7923.625 (formerly section 6254(f).

Scope and Content Note

Samples of Board abortion investigative files. Files include correspondence with state and local law enforcement agencies, biographical profiles of suspected abortionists, police arrest reports, Board special agent investigative reports, interviews with patient-victims and other records concerned with suspect individual abortionists or abortion syndicates.

F3760:827-885

Series 20 Physician and Clinic Investigative Files 1908, 1921-1964

Physical Description: 27 volumes and 29 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged by category of infraction and chronologically thereunder.

Access Information

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of board investigations of physicians and medical facilities suspected to be in violation of state law and/or Board policies. The files included correspondence with and investigative reports of various law enforcement and other agencies. Investigations cover such violations as unprofessional medical conduct, false billings, illegal prescriptions, "diploma mills" and unsanitary hospital conditions. Some investigations led to formal hearings of which the 27 volumes of hearing transcripts are representative examples.