Recruitment of Faculty Members with PhD Degrees in Clinical Departments

Policies and Procedures for Recruitment and Promotion of Faculty Members with PhD Degrees and Other Non-Clinical Research Faculty with MD Degrees in Clinical Departments

One of the most important tasks for the School of Medicine is the appointment and promotion of its faculty.  The ability to attract, develop and retain outstanding faculty is essential for maintaining our role as a leading medical school. 

Significant growth of research programs within clinical departments over recent years has been accompanied by a considerable increase in the number of faculty in these departments who hold the PhD degree or have medical degrees without any clinical responsibilities.  Such faculty members contribute to the mission of clinical departments through participation and leadership in programmatic research and through the teaching and training of graduate students and fellows.  Close interactions are highly desirable between these faculty members and those in basic science departments of the School of Medicine, as well as Centers, Institutes, and graduate programs associated with the School of Medicine and other units of the university. These interactions advance institutional interests by promoting collaborative efforts between faculty members belonging to the various units of the School of Medicine and the university at large.

For an appointment in the tenure-track in a clinical department, potential faculty holding a PhD degree should generally meet the same criteria as those of the basic science department of the School of Medicine. Such an appointment should be restricted to individuals who either have or are expected to develop independent research programs and participate in significant teaching and service activities. Similar criteria should also be used for the recruitment of faculty with medical degrees without any clinical responsibility. A professional role limited to participation in a research or service program is not justification for a tenure-track appointment.

During the recruitment process, the clinical department is encouraged to seek advice from appropriate basic science department(s) of the School of Medicine or other department(s) within the university, graduate program directors and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. Once a faculty member has been recruited, he/she should be strongly encouraged to become a member of one or more graduate programs in the School of Medicine, and if appropriate, seek graduate faculty status in the university. When appropriate, the faculty member should also be encouraged to seek a secondary appointment in the relevant basic science department, as well as appointments in various Institutes and Centers of the university. Such appointments are expected to significantly advance collaborations between faculty members with complementary research programs as well as promote the exchange of ideas, research materials, and methodologies.  The rank of the secondary appointment, if any, is generally the same as that of the primary appointment.

Promotion of a faculty member with a PhD degree or those with medical degrees without any clinical responsibilities in a tenure-track position in a clinical department who also hold a secondary appointment will require approval by the clinical department. In addition, documentation of support for such promotion from the appropriate basic science department of the School of Medicine or other department(s) within the university where they may hold a secondary appointment is encouraged.

Faculty members with a PhD degree or those with medical degrees without any clinical responsibilities recruited into a clinical department in the non-tenure stream, especially those with independent research programs, may seek secondary appointments in basic science departments of the School of Medicine or other department(s) within the university, Institutes, and Centers.

Such faculty members with substantial and independent research programs may also become a member of one or more graduate programs in the School of Medicine, and if appropriate, seek graduate faculty status in the university. The promotion of faculty members who hold a secondary appointment will require the approval of the clinical department. In addition, documentation of support for such promotion from the appropriate basic science department of the School of Medicine or other department(s) within the university where they may hold a secondary appointment is encouraged.

 


Approved by the Executive Committee, School of Medicine 3/10/2015.