Promotion to Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School Mary C. Walsh, PhD McLean Hospital November 4, 2009

Promotion to Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School

Mary C. Walsh, PhD

McLean Hospital

November 4, 2009

Assistant and Associate Professor Promotion Process

Departmental Process

HMS Department Executive Committee

Institution

HMS

Submission to Faculty Affairs

Review by P&R Committee

Review by the ProvostReview by the Dean

Governing Boards

University

McLean Hospital 11.04.09

Office for Faculty Affairs

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”



Creating a Promotion Profile



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



http://facultypromotions.hms.harvard.edu/







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?



http://facultypromotions.hms.harvard.edu/







Features of the CV Template











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: [email protected] 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



Characteristics of HMS Faculty

Rank of Full Time Faculty

Instructor 58%

Professor 9%

Associate Professor

12%

Assistant Professor

20%

11,017 Faculty members 8259 full time 2758 part time

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



Appointments at HMS

Appointment Title Length of Appointment

Recommended to the Dean by

Instructor One year Department Head

Assistant Professor Three-year term Promotions, Reappointments and

Appointments Committee (P&R)Associate Professor Five-year term

Professor PermanentSubcommittee of Professors (SOP)



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

Documents

Promotion to Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School Mary C. Walsh, PhD McLean Hospital November 4, 2009