2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY - Examining Boards and Professional Colleges (§§ 1 — 6033) › Chapter 4 - College of Physicians and Surgeons (§§ 72-72j — 73o) › § 73c - Powers

The Association shall have the power to:
(a) Exist and operate under that name.
(b) Sue and be sued as a juridical person.
(c) Own and use an official seal which it may alter at will as provided in its bylaws.
(d) Acquire rights and goods, chattels or real properties by gift, bequest, assessments among its own members, purchase or other legal means; own, mortgage, lease and dispose of them in any legal manner and pursuant to its bylaws.
(e) Borrow money, and vouch for and secure the payment thereof.
(f) Adopt its bylaws and amend them in the manner and according to the requirements provided therein, always ensuring the individual rights of its associates.
(g) Propose to the Medical Board of Examiners the amendments to the Code of Professional Ethics it deems necessary to promote the best health and welfare of the people and the excellence of associates in the practice of medicine, as well as amendments to the procedures to receive, conduct preliminary investigations and refer to the Board of Examiners the complaints filed regarding the practice and professional conduct of associates so that the Board may impose the applicable sanctions, if appropriate. Any proposal to amend, conduct an integrated review or repeal the Code of Professional Ethics and institute a new one shall be presented to the Board of Examiners, which shall pass judgment over each proposal in order to approve, reject, modify or consider it, pursuant to its judgment. The Board of Examiners may, however, approve, revise or amend the Code of Professional Ethics independently from any proposal or lack thereof made to that effect by the Association.
(h) Protect its members, promote their professional development and provide for the creation of insurance systems, special funds and other voluntary protection.
(i) Institute community service programs.
(j) Finance studies and scientific research which will contribute to the advance of medicine and public health.
(k) In order to create and put into effect community service programs, the Association is hereby authorized to create the Puerto Rico Surgeons Association Foundation, which shall function as a nonprofit corporation. However, if the associates convened in a general assembly agree to it, the Foundation can engage in making investments to meet the purposes of the Association. The Foundation shall provide community service, educational, sports, artistic and/or cultural programs or any other programs of social or professional interest, among others. The Association, with the prior authorization of the associates convened in a general assembly, may transfer to the Foundation, through purchase or [free] title, any of its chattels or real properties determined by the Association to be necessary and/or convenient for the Foundation to fully meet the purposes and objectives of its creation.
(l) Offer continuing medical education courses and training to the associates of the different branches of the medical profession through the Continuing Medical Education Institute of the Puerto Rico Surgeons’ Association, pursuant to the needs of the interested parties and in accordance with the requirements established by the Board of Medical Examiners.
(m) Establish a relationship or affiliation with similar associations or colleges in the United States of America or other countries, pursuant to the applicable rules of courtesy and reciprocity.
(n) Exercise the incidental powers that are be necessary or convenient for its creation and function which are not in conflict with this chapter.
History —Aug. 13, 1994, No. 77, § 4; Nov. 4, 1997, No. 129, § 3; July 13, 2001, No. 56, § 2.