Instructor
The rank of Instructor is appropriate for qualified individuals who have limited experience in teaching, research, and/or clinical service. Assignment to one of the academic pathways is anticipated, but not made at the time of appointment as Instructor, allowing the individual time during this appointment to develop his/her interests and competence in order to succeed on the anticipated pathway that best suits his/her career goals, aligned with the needs of his/her Department.
A faculty member may advance from Instructor to Assistant Professor in any of the tenure-eligible or non-tenure-eligible pathways at the request of the individual’s Department Chair, with the approval of the Dean. While serving as an Instructor, a person is expected to demonstrate significant professional growth, as evidenced by active involvement as follows:
- Instructors who are scientists, both basic and clinical, are expected to enhance their research skills and to apply for research support within the period of appointment. The application can be for internal institutional research support and/or for external support from sources such as a federal agency or a private foundation. Instructors who anticipate progressing on either of the Clinical Scientist pathways, on the Basic Scientist-Tenure pathway and on the Basic Scientist-Non-Tenure pathway (if teaching is to be a significant aspect of their careers in the latter pathway) are also expected to acquire teaching experience during the period of appointment.
- Instructors who are clinicians are expected to enhance their clinical and teaching skills through active clinical practice, by contributing to teaching programs, by becoming involved in original research and enhancing their research skills, and/or by participating in ongoing institutional research consistent with the anticipated pathway.
Assistant Professor
An initial appointment of Assistant Professor may be offered to an individual who has the qualifications for that rank, with the approval of the Dean. While serving as an Assistant Professor, an individual is expected to demonstrate significant development and make substantial contributions to his or her area(s) of academic medicine. An individual’s probationary period (tenure clock) begins at the time of appointment or promotion to the rank of Assistant Professor on one of the three tenure-eligible pathways.
Associate Professor
An initial appointment of Associate Professor may be offered to an individual who has the qualifications for that rank, with the approval of the College’s Promotion and Tenure Committee and the Dean. A significant degree of maturity as a scientist, teacher, and/or clinician must be evident for such an initial appointment or for promotion to this rank. It is expected that a candidate for appointment or promotion to Associate Professor on the Basic Scientist, Clinical Scientist, or Clinical Educator pathway will have established a regional and/or national reputation based on substantial contributions to his/her field(s) of academic work. It is expected that a candidate for appointment or promotion to Associate Professor on the Clinical Attending Pathway will have established at least a regional reputation based on substantial contributions to clinical care and/or teaching.
Promotion to Associate Professor is considered to be a very important step for both the University and the faculty member. It would be unusual for a person to be promoted to Associate Professor before having completed five years of service at the rank of Assistant Professor. If an individual has served for several years at the rank of Assistant Professor at another institution before joining the College faculty, upon review of the individual’s academic contributions and with the approval of the Department Chair and the Dean, some or all of that time may be counted as years in service as Assistant Professor prior to requesting promotion to Associate Professor within the College.
Professor
An initial appointment of Professor may be offered to an individual who has the qualifications for that rank and with the approval of the College Promotion and Tenure Committee and the Dean. Achieving the rank of Professor is a high University honor reserved for faculty members who have demonstrated outstanding ability and who have made outstanding contributions to their area(s) of expertise within academic medicine. It is expected that a candidate for appointment or promotion to Professor on any of the seven compensated academic pathways will have established a national and typically an international reputation based on substantial contributions to his/her field(s) of academic work. Promotion to the rank of Professor is not based on length of time in service as Associate Professor alone. It is expected that such an individual will have spent considerable time, typically five to ten years, in service at the rank of Associate Professor and within that appointment will have made additional outstanding contributions to the mission of the College.