The Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine consists of ex officio members and ten members appointed by the Secretary.

The ex officio members are the Surgeons General of the Public Health Service, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Dean of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the Assistant Director for Biological, Behavioral, and Social Sciences of the National Science Foundation, the Director of the National Agricultural Library, and the Librarian of Congress (or their designees).

The appointed members shall be selected from among leaders in the various fields of the fundamental sciences, medicine, dentistry, public health, hospital administration, pharmacology, health communications technology, or scientific or medical library work, or in public affairs. At least six of the appointed members shall be selected from among leaders in the fields of medical, dental, or public health research or education.