email article The agency that licenses 152,000 California physicians is facing a crisis of public confidence, with the voices of several lawmakers joining those of angry patients who say it shields bad doctors far too often. The long-simmering tension has increased to such an extent that all but a few of the Medical Board of California's 15 members -- including many of its physician members -- say most of the board's seats, now filled by doctors, should instead be filled by members of the public. If the board composition is changed to a public member majority, California will become the first such state medical board in the nation to do so, experts said.