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Promotion to Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School . Mary C. Walsh, PhD McLean Hospital November 4, 2009. Institution. Departmental Process. HMS Department Executive Committee. HMS. Submission to Faculty Affairs. Review by P&R Committee. University. Review by the Dean.
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Promotion to Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School Mary C. Walsh, PhD McLean Hospital November 4, 2009
Institution Departmental Process HMS Department Executive Committee HMS Submission to Faculty Affairs Review by P&R Committee University Review by the Dean Review by the Provost Governing Boards Assistant and Associate Professor Promotion Process
What arrives at the Medical School? • Letter from the Department Chair • Educational background and training • Contributions as a researcher, teacher, clinician, administrative leader • Approval of the Department Executive Committee • CV in the Harvard format • Letters of evaluation/support • Obtained by the Division Chief or Department Chair • For Assistant Professor – 2 Best scholarly contributions (e.g., papers)
Review in the Office for Faculty Affairs • HMS sends a letter to the faculty member • Promotion material has been received • Expected timeline for review • Review of the CV to be sure the format is correct and the essential information is present and clear • Department is contacted if changes needed • Search material present if needed • Confirm the number/ types of letters are appropriate • Each packet must have an impartial letter from someone who has not been the candidate’s mentor, close colleague (co-author) or supervisor (except for Longer Service)
P&R Process for Review of Candidates • Two reviewers from a different department and institution • Primary reviewer • Secondary reviewer • Comments by the Department Representative • Committee discussion and vote • All proceedings of the meeting are confidential
Promotion to Assistant Professor: Longer Service Criteria • Committee established in 1999 • Promotion for faculty who have been instructors for at least 10 years • Evidence of substantial contributions and growth as a Clinician-Teacher • Teaching • Clinical practice and care • Citizenship/Leadership • No requirement for written scholarship • No requirement for external letters of evaluation (need 3 internal or external)
Final Steps • Reviewed by the Dean • Sent to the Provost for review • Once approved by the Provost, the Department Head is notified • Department notifies the candidate
Why Seek Promotion? • Join the voting members of the faculty • Increase opportunities locally and outside Harvard • Obtain official recognition for accomplishment from the University • Serve as a role model for studentsand trainees • Increase job security, possibly compensation
Faculty Ranks at HMS • Instructor: “Promise” • Assistant Professor: “Demonstrated Promise” • Reputation may be “within the walls” of HMS and the local community only • Associate Professor: “Promise Realized” • Broader reputation outside the local area (usually national) • Significant accomplishments since promotion to assistant professor • Professor: “Extraordinary Accomplishment”
What is different about the new criteria? • Recognize the broad range of activities performed by our faculty, including those not previously rewarded with promotion • Allow consideration of the specific combination of activities and achievements of each faculty member • Allow the sum total of an individual’s achievements to contribute to his/her promotion • Recognize and reward participation in multidisciplinary, collaborative research • Increase the emphasis on teaching • Expand the definition of scholarship • Provide specific metrics to inform discussions of eligibility for promotion
Areas of Excellence Teaching and Educational Leadership • Assistant Professor • Evidence of a strong local reputation as an active and highly effective teacher; scholarship related to education and/or an area of expertise Examples of activities (many others are possible) include: • Didactic teaching of students, trainees and peers; Research training and mentorship; Clinical teaching and mentorship; Administrative teaching leadership role – (feedback from students/trainees/residents/fellows) • Participation in courses and lectures at Harvard and its affiliates, especially HMS/HSDM courses • Assistant course director or residency director • Development of teaching material that is adopted locally
Areas of Excellence Clinical Expertise and Innovation • Assistant Professor • Evidence of a strong local reputation as an expert in a clinical field with a key role in activities that influence practice; scholarship related to the area of clinical expertise; teaching in the clinical field Examples of activities (many others are possible) include: • May hold local clinical leadership roles • Assisting with the creation of a novel interdisciplinary clinical service • Key role in development and local implementation of practice guidelines for care or to prevent medical errors • Utilizing and disseminating the use of a new medical procedure
Areas of Excellence Investigation • Assistant Professor • strong local reputation for contributions to research with an identified focus or area of expertise; scholarship which may include first author on publications of original research and/or publications from collaborative research - made substantive intellectual contributions; may have funding to conduct research; evidence of teaching and supervision of trainees Examples of activities (many others are possible) include: • Basic research • Clinical research and/or laboratory or clinically based translational research which may include studies of disease mechanisms, diagnostic techniques and/or other investigations that may contribute to the prevention, diagnosis or management of disease; may have a defined role as a member of a multidisciplinary or other collaborative research team that conceptualizes novel investigative approaches • Social science research including epidemiology, outcomes and health services research, and biostatistics as well as research in social sciences, ethics, bioinformatics and health economics (among others); defined role and may contribute to protocol development, protocol implementation, conduct of studies, data collection and/or analysis of new or existing data
Evaluation for Teaching andEducation • All faculty are evaluated for contributions to teaching at Harvard and its affiliates • Specifically note teaching of Harvard medical, dental and graduate students • Degree of contribution considered • Educational activities are broadly defined • Expected that almost all faculty will contribute to teaching
Significant Supporting Activities • Explicitly recognize contributions outside the area of excellence • Quality of these contributions may be outstanding • Considered in determining the overall level of achievement • Do not diminish the requirement for outstanding academic achievement in the area of excellence • No requirement for supporting activities • Only areas of significant effort and contribution should be reported
Significant Supporting Activities • Clinical Expertise • Investigation • Education of Patients and Service to the Community • Education of the public about health-related issues/biomedical science • Improving the health of populations such as through improved delivery of care, a decrease in health disparities or disaster/crisis relief • Administration and Institutional Service • Administrative leadership positions such as director of a division, program or clinic in an affiliated institution • Service on committees at affiliated institutions or at HMS/HSDM • Administrative management of core laboratories or facilities • Leadership roles in the development of programs that advance diversity
Questions to Consider in Selecting an Area of Excellence • How do I spend my time currently? • What is the basis of my reputation? • What is the focus of my scholarship? • When I am invited to speak, what is the topic that I am asked to address? • How does Department leadership see my role? • How do I see my role? • What is the part of my work that makes me tick?
Resources • Website: www.hms.harvard.edu/fa/promotion.htm • Create “customized” criteria for their rank and activities • Dedicated e-mail and phone line for questions • E-mail: OFA_Promotions@hms.harvard.edu • Phone: 617-432-7112
One man’s story….. John Enders (1897-1985) • Joined the HMS faculty in 1930 as an instructor • In 1954, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for his discovery that polio virus could be grown in a variety of tissues, laying the groundwork for development of the polio vaccine • In 1956, he was promoted to Professor at Harvard Medical School
HMS promotions in 2008-9* • 44 Professors • 116 Associate Professors • 232 Assistant Professors * by effective date of appointment at HMS for the AY 7/1/08 through 6/30/09 Characteristics of HMS Faculty • 11,017 Faculty members • 8259 full time • 2758 part time
Promotion to Assistant Clinical Professor: Academic Part Time Criteria • Ongoing involvement in teaching, recognized by students and peers for excellence • High level of clinical competence • May have administrative role • May participate in regional or national professional associations • Publications in clinical field • Dissemination of clinical knowledge
Areas of Excellence Teaching and Educational Leadership • Appropriate area of excellence for those who spend a large proportion of their time on educational activities • Broadly defined to include: • Didactic teaching of students, trainees and peers • Research training and mentorship • Clinical teaching and mentorship • Administrative teaching leadership roles • Scholarship • Original publications, reviews, and chapters • Educational material (e.g., curricula, cases, syllabi) in print or other media • Educational methods, policy statements, assessment tools
Areas of Excellence Clinical Expertise and Innovation • Specific area of clinical expertise provides the unifying theme for the candidate’s academic contributions • Individual may be: • Recognized clinical expert • Leader in a clinical field with innovation in approaches to diagnosis or treatment, applications of technology to clinical care, and/or developing models of care delivery • Scholarship • Original research, chapters and reviews in area of clinical expertise • Guidelines/protocols for patient care • Publications evaluating the impact of a clinical innovation
Areas of Excellence Investigation • Basic, translational, and clinical research, including epidemiology, outcomes and health services research, and biostatistics as well as research in social sciences, ethics, bioinformatics and health economics, among others • Appropriate area of excellence for individuals who: • Conduct research individually or in small groups • Participate in large collaborative and multicenter research projects • Bring unique or critical expertise to the biomedical research team • Funding: Federal, investigator-initiated industry and/or foundation grants • Scholarship • First/senior author original publications • Publications with another authorship position from collaborative research to which the candidate made important intellectual contributions