Many of the experts who complete these certificates are specialists in the same field of medicine as the doctor who is alleged to have committed malpractice. However, this is not necessarily a requirement.
Some of the qualifications for the medical expert who files the certificate include:
License to practice medicine in Maryland or comparable license to practice in another state
Clinical experience
Conducting a consultation relating to clinical practice
Teaching background in the same field as the defendant health care professional in the case, or in a related medical field or specialty – teaching must have occurred within the past five years of the date malpractice may have taken place
Board certification in a relevant area of medicine, with rare exceptions