(9) “Physician” means a person who possesses a current, unrestricted license to practice medicine in the State of Georgia pursuant to Article 2 of this chapter; who, during the course of his or her practice, has not been denied the privilege of prescribing, dispensing, administering, supplying, or selling any controlled substance; and who has not, during the course of his or her practice, had board action taken against his or her medical license as a result of dependency on drugs or alcohol. see full law

(2) All physicians owning and/or practicing in a pain management clinic must biennially document competence to the Board for purposes of renewal by providing one of the following:(a) evidence of having obtained during the preceding two (2) years, twenty (20) hours of continuing medical education (“CME”) pertaining to pain management or palliative medicine except as provided below. Such CME must be an AMA/AOA PRA Category I CME, a board approved CME program, or any federally approved CME. The CME obtained pursuant to this rule may count towards the CME required for individual physician license renewal; or(i) All physicians owning and/or practicing in a pain management clinic that has a pain clinic license that has been active less than two years, must provide evidence of having obtained during that time, at least ten (10) hours of CME pertaining to pain management or palliative medicine. Such CME must be an AMA/AOA PRA Category I CME, a board approved CME program, or any federally approved CME. The CME obtained pursuant to this rule may count towards the CME required for individual physician license renewal;(b) evidence of current certification or eligibility for certification in pain management or palliative medicine as approved by the Board. The Board recognizes certifications in pain medicine or palliative medicine by the American Board of Medical Specialties or the American Osteopathic Association, the American Board of Pain Medicine and the American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians. see full law

The Board will deny a pain clinic license application if a physician practicing at the clinic has been convicted of a felony unless the Board finds through evidence satisfactory to the Board that the felony is no longer relevant to the physician's ability to safely practice in a pain management clinic. see full law

(g)    A copy of the current Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) card for all owners and all health care providers practicing in the pain management clinic that holds such license. see full law