Board approves three special faculty permits for academic hires at UC Davis and Loma Linda

The Medical Board approved three special faculty permit actions at the Aug. 19 meeting, allowing academic appointments that include clinical and leadership responsibilities in California:

1) Dr. Mohammad Pakran — Loma Linda University School of Medicine (Glaucoma) The committee recommended, and the board approved, a special faculty permit so Dr. Pakran can serve as a full-time faculty glaucoma surgeon at Loma Linda Eye Institute and provide tertiary referral services in the Inland Empire, with on-call coverage and teaching responsibilities.

2) Dr. Kanishka Thiran Jayasundara — UC Davis School of Medicine (Inherited retinal diseases) The committee recommended, and the board approved, a special faculty permit for Dr. Jayasundara, a tenured professor with NIH funding and an extensive publication record, to serve as chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science and director of the Ernest Shannon Eye Institute at UC Davis.

3) Dr. Hetas Kala Ozu — UC Davis (Division Chief, Neuroradiology) The committee recommended upgrading an existing special faculty permit holder to the role of division chief of neuroradiology; the board approved the appointment based on the candidate’s clinical and research credentials.

Why it matters: The appointments were justified by the institutions as necessary to expand tertiary clinical services, build referral lines, and strengthen academic research and training at each campus. The board’s special faculty permit process requires demonstration of distinguished academic and clinical credentials for out-of-state or internationally trained candidates to practice while holding full-time academic posts.

Procedural note: The board took a roll-call vote and approved all three committee recommendations.