Faculty Development and

the

Promotion Process

Sharon W. Weiss, M.D.

Associate Dean

Faculty Development

It is in everyone’s interest that you succeed

Faculty Replacement Cost

Hiring costs 31,000

Training 1,000

Lost productivity 23,600

Total 55,600

The key to faculty success is understanding

expectations

And knowing where to go for help

Tracks

• Tenure

• Clinical (CT)

• Research (RT)

Clinical Track (60%)

• Majority in clinical departments

• Skilled physician and teacher

• Professional service and teaching

• Unlimited period for promotion

Tenure Track (30%)

• Most in preclinical departments with minority in clinical departments

• Heavy emphasis on scholarship

• Participation in all 3 missions

• Time-limited period for promotion (9 yrs)

Research Tract (10%)

• Majority in preclinical departments

• Scientific investigator

• Emphasis on scholarship with less

emphasis on service teaching

• Unlimited period for promotion

Scholarship

• New information• Peer reviewed publications • Sustained extramural funding • Presentations at prestigious national

meetings• Significant review articles, chapter, books

Teaching

• Preparation of course materials

• Design of courses, rotations

• Positive evaluations

• Mentoring

• Workshops, lectures, CME courses

• Leadership role in educational programs (e.g. director of residency, MS course)

Professional Service

• Patient care

• Administrative responsibilities

• Membership regional-national societies

• National-international leadership positions

• Institutional committees

• Community service

Scholarship

Teaching

Service

Outstanding

Excellent

Good

Tenure Clinical

Promotion Packet

• Chair’s letter• Personal statement• Teaching portfolio• Internal Letters• External letters • Curriculum vitae• Papers (5)

Teaching Portfolio

• Overview of responsibilities• Assessment / methods used• Education in professional organizations

and public service• Teaching materials• Awards• Trainees• Self instructional teaching courses

Letters of Recommendation

• 4-6 external letters

• Internal letters

• Educational co-ordinator• Division director• Colleagues• Students, residents, advisees• Patients (limit)

External Reviewers

• Nationally prominent

• Professional knowledge of candidate

• Personal acquaintance not necessary

• Objective (no mentors, collaborators)

Recommendation Letters What Do We Look for?

• A general assessment

• Impact of work

• Comparison to others in the field

• Promotion potential at author’s institution

• Collegiality, teaching skills

External Reviewers

• Think in advance whom you will ask

• Ask informally

• Do not write to the person directly

Division Director/Chair

Departmental Promotion Committee

Chair

SOM Promotion Committee (>90% success)

Council of Chairs

Dean

Presidential Advisory Committee

Provost

CT and RTT T

Board of Trustees

Why Promotions FailTenure Track-Research Track

• Failure to establish a national reputation in area of scholarship

• Few or low impact publications• No evidence of sustainable extramural funding• Weak letters of endorsement• Contribution to publications unclear• Lack of independence• Lack of focus or theme

Why Promotions FailClinical Track

• Failure to establish national reputation as a practitioner and teacher

• Reputation as a clinician or teacher known only institutionally

• Insufficient scholarship

• Weak external letters

Things to Remember

• Some scholarship is required for all promotions

• Peer-reviewed publications outweigh book chapters, case reports

• National reputation as a “teacher” is difficult to establish

Where Do I Start as a Faculty Member?

• Assume ownership of your career

• Ask for what you need to succeed• Space, time, development package

• Understand your responsibilities• Relative time for research, teaching, clinical service• Salary recovery (how much of my salary must I cover

with clinical service, grants etc– what will department cover?

Integrate Yourself into the Department

• Know faculty at all levels and across divisions

• Establish a working relationship with division director

• Familiarize yourself with the administration of the department

Integrate Yourself into your Discipline

• Attend national meetings

• Identify colleagues with common interests

• Learn who the leaders are in your area

• Network on a regional and national level

Define Your Goals

• Understand the promotion criteria and whether your goals interests align with them

• Think about immediate goals (1 yr) and long term goals (3-5 yrs). Write them down

Define Your Scholarship

• Develop an independent area of scholarship

• Scholarship should play to your strengths and those of the department and institution

Identify a Mentor

• A mentor should be a senior faculty member who:

• Has a common interest/expertise• Is in a position to advance your career• Socialization-introduction to discipline• Has time and willingness to meet with you• Is a “good fit” for you

• You may need more than 1 mentor

Development CoursesInternal

• Becoming Better Teacher’s (Branch)

• Faculty Development Lecture Series

• Junior Faculty Development Course

• Woodruff Leadership Academy (WLA)

Development CoursesExternal

• Early and mid Career Course for Women (AAMC)

• Minority Faculty Course (AAMC)

• ELAM (Women Associate Professors and above)

• Harvard course for Physician Leaders

Bewarethe

Deadly Traps of Academia

• It is better to wait for the “home run” paper than to publish less important papers

• Overpreparation can be a “killer”

• I must help and collaborate with all who approach me

Bewarethe

Deadly Traps of Academia

• All behavior of successful senior faculty should be emulated

• If I work all the time, I will succeed• Learn to recognize your limits• Recognize stress and depression• Use your support system

Final Thoughts

• All full professors began as assistant professors

• You have a right to succeed!

Office of Faculty Development

Website: www.med.emory.edu

Sharon Weiss, M.D. sharon.weiss@emoryhealthcare.org

Grady 212WHSCAB 116

Susan Raven susan.raven@emoryhealthcare.org