170 LAWS GOVERNING MARINE INSPECTION 



SUBCHAPTER 6E.— STAFF OFFICERS 



Registration of pursers and surgeons; creation of staff depart- 

 ments on vessels; medical division; purser's division 



46 U.S.C. 242 



There shall be registered staff officers in the United States mer- 

 chant marine in the following grades: (1) Chief purser, (2) purser, 

 (3) senior assistant purser, (4) junior assistant purser, (5) surgeon, 

 and (6) professional nurse. The Commandant of the Coast Guard 

 (in sections 242-248 of this title called the Commandant) shall reg- 

 ister, and issue certificates of registry to, qualified individuals applying 

 for registry in such grades, as hereinafter provided, and every such 

 individual when so registered and serving in the staff department on 

 a vessel of the United States shall rank as a staff officer on such vessel. 

 Officers registered under the provisions of sections 242-248 of this 

 title and pursers' clerks and such persons as may be assigned to the 

 senior registered surgeon shall constitute a separate and independent 

 department on vessels of the United States to be known as the staff 

 department. Such staff department shall be composed of a medical 

 division and a pursers division. The medical division shall be under 

 the charge of the senior registered surgeon on such vessel, who shall 

 be responsible solely to the master. The purser's division shall be 

 under the charge of the senior registered purser on such vessel, who 

 shall be responsible solely to the master. On oceangoing vessels 

 licensed to carry more than one hundred passengers, such officer in 

 charge of the purser's division of the staff department shall be a 

 registered chief purser; and whenever more than three persons are 

 employed in the purser's division of the staff department of such 

 vessels, there shall be a minimum of one registered senior assistant 

 purser and one registered junior assistant purser in such purser's 

 division of that staff department. No person shall be eligible for 

 registry as a staff officer under the provisions of sections 242-248 of 

 this title who is not a citizen of the United States. 



Registration of pursers and surgeons; creation of staff depart- 

 ments on vessels; medical division; purser's division; qualifi- 

 cations 



46 U.S.C. 243 



No applicant for registry under the provisions of sections 242-248 

 of this title shall be required to take an examination to qualify 

 therefor, but the Commandant shall require satisfactory proof of 

 good character, citizenship, and such minimum periods of service as 

 he shall deem necessary to establish the requisite knowledge, skill. 

 and experience to qualify applicants for tlie respective stations. Ap- 

 plicants for registry as surgeon or professional nurse shall be required 

 to possess a valid license as physician and surgeon or registered nurse 

 issued under the authority of a State or Territory of the United 

 States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia. 



