California Code, Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4305

(a) Subject to the rules and regulations established by the department, and under the supervision of the hospital director, the medical director of a state hospital shall be responsible for the planning, development, direction, management, supervision, and evaluation of medical care provided.

(b) A medical director of a state hospital shall be a physician who has passed, or shall pass, an examination for a license to practice medicine in California and shall be a qualified specialist in a branch of medicine that includes diseases affecting the brain and nervous system.  The medical director of a state hospital shall be well qualified by training or experience to have proven skills in mental hospital program administration.