El Cajon

San Diego County Superior Court Judge Mack Lovett on Wednesday ordered a June 4 hearing to decide whether to permit an El Cajon doctor to resume his medical practice, with restrictions, although he has been accused of wrongfully prescribing Quaaludes and other drugs. This week a state administrative law judge recommended that Dr. John Welch, 54, be allowed to retain his medical license on five years’ probation despite her conclusion that he repeatedly sold controlled medications to patients and undercover drug agents. But officials of the state Board of Medical Quality Assurance have called the recommendation too lenient. On March 8, Lovett ordered a temporary suspension of Welch’s practice pending the administrative hearing.