California Code
ARTICLE 8.5 - Special Permits
Section 2168.

2168. (a) (1) A special faculty permit authorizes the holder to practice medicine only within the medical school itself, any affiliated institution of the medical school, or an academic medical center and any affiliated institution in which the permitholder is providing instruction as part of the medical school’s or academic medical center’s educational program and for which the medical school or academic medical center has assumed direct responsibility. The holder of a special faculty permit shall not engage in the practice of medicine except as provided above.

(2) For the purposes of this section, the term “academic medical center” is defined as meeting all of the following requirements:

(A) A facility licensed by the State of California.

(B) The facility conducts both internal and external peer review of the faculty for the purpose of conferral of academic appointments on an ongoing basis.

(C) The facility conducts clinical and basic research for the purpose of advancing patient care.

(D) The facility trains a minimum of 250 resident physicians in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited residencies on an annual basis commencing each January 1.

(E) The facility has more than 100 research students or postdoctoral researchers annually.

(F) The facility has foreign medical graduates in research.

(G) The facility offers clinical observer experiences.

(H) The facility is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

(b) Time spent in a faculty position under a special faculty permit shall not be counted toward the postgraduate training required for licensure and shall not qualify the holder of the permit for waiver of any written examination required for licensure.

(c) The medical school or academic medical center shall not appoint the holder of a special faculty permit to a position as a division chief or head of a department without express written authorization from the board.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 329, Sec. 1. (AB 2178) Effective January 1, 2023.)