(a)  The office shall be under the immediate supervision of a chief, who shall be known as the “chief medical examiner” and who shall be a physician licensed under the provisions of chapter 37 of Title 5, and a qualified pathologist certified by the American Board of Pathology and who has had forensic training or experience. He or she shall be appointed by the director of health as shall the deputy chief medical examiner with the advice of the medical examiner’s commission. The chief medical examiner shall be in the unclassified service and the deputy chief medical examiner shall be in the classified service.

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(b)  The chief medical examiner shall appoint, with the approval of the director of health, assistant medical examiners and shall hire other staff as necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

(c)  Persons employed full time at the time of enactment of this chapter within the division of medical examiners in the department of the attorney general shall be transferred to the office of state medical examiners with their former rights and privileges of employment. For members eligible to retire on or before June 30, 2012, such members shall be eligible for retirement benefits after the age of fifty (50) years and service of twenty (20) years, including service within the division of medical examiners. For members eligible to retire on or after July 1, 2012, such members shall be eligible for retirement benefits in accordance with chapters 8 through 10 of title 36.