Achieving Academic
Success
Merits, Promotions and more
for HSCP Faculty
Thomas A. Balsbaugh, M.D.
Health Sciences Clinical Professor
Family and Community Medicine
Objectives
Learn the Essentials for Successful Advancement
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Understand the missions of the school
Understand your academic series:
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Know how merit and promotions works
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What are the criteria for advancement in your series?
How does it contribute to the school’s missions?
Are you in the right series?
 If not, talk to your Chair about this early
What it means
How you’ll be evaluated
Basic process
Know where to go for advice, help, training
Missions
Our Mission:
Improving lives and transforming health care.
Our Vision:
A healthier world through bold innovation.
The Missions of the
UCD School of Medicine
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Education
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Clinical Service
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Preventing & treating
disease
Service
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Training physicians to serve
the people of California
Contributing to department,
School, University,
profession and
community
Research
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New knowledge to
improve health
Issues for Schools of Medicine:
Different culture than their parent university
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Different definitions of
“faculty”
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Different focus
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Different teaching roles
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Different perspective on
scholarship
Importance of the Missions
Merit advancements and promotions are based on your
performance in each mission as required and expected for
your particular series.
Ensure your series expectations and requirements align
with your interests and career goals.
Research Focused
 Regular (ladder rank)
 In-Residence
 Adjunct
Clinically Focused
 Clinical X
 Health Sciences
Clinical Professor
Understanding the
Academic Series
What series are you in?
Health Sciences Clinical Professor
(HSCP) series.
Keys to Success in the HSCP Series:
 Excellence in Clinical Work
 Excellence in Teaching
 Excellence in Service
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University, Professional and Community
Service
What are the differences between the
5 academic series?
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Regular Series (FTE holders)
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In-Residence Series
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http://www.ucop.edu/acadpersonnel/apm/apm-280.pdf
Clinical X Series
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http://www.ucop.edu/acadpersonnel/apm/apm-270.pdf
Adjunct Series
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http://www.ucop.edu/acadpersonnel/apm/apm-220.pdf
http://www.ucop.edu/acadpersonnel/apm/apm-275.pdf
Health Sciences Clinical Professor Series
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http://www.ucop.edu/acadpersonnel/apm/apm-278.pdf
10 year trend of faculty in each series
What is a
Merit or
Promotion?
Essentially, it’s the process by which you climb the career
ladder to higher titles and salary increases. Each step is
associated with higher base for retirement.
Here at the University of California, we
evaluate each other more than any other
education system in the world
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Pros:
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Your strengths are
recognized and
rewarded more
frequently
You can self-assess
your progress towards
your various career
goals
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Cons:
 It takes time to
prepare
packets every
2-3 years
 You sometimes
have to hear
things you do
not want to
hear
Merits
Merit advancement includes an increase in
the base salary, and is associated with a
change in Step but not Rank.
(Increase in base is important for retirement purposes)
Includes a review of materials since your last successful
action only (regardless if it was merit or promotion)
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“Normal” Timeline for Merit reviews:
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Every 2 years for Asst and Assoc Professors
Every 3 years for Full Professors
Every 4 years for Full Professors, Step 9+
Barrier Steps
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Promotions and Merits to “Barrier” Steps, are more in
depth reviews.
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Must provide external reference letters, and covers larger
review period.
Barrier Step Actions:
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Promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor
Promotion from Associate to Full Professor
Merit Professor Step V to Step VI
Merit to Full Professor, Above Scale (essentially, Step 10)
Promotions
Promotion includes increase in base salary,
and is associated with a change in rank.
Includes a review of all materials since you:
• Received M.D. or Ph.D. for promo to Associate rank
• Became Associate for promo to Full rank
“Normal” timeline for Promotion Reviews
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Promo to Assoc Prof must occur within 8 yrs at Asst rank (per
policy), usually occurs after two years at Asst, Step IV
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Promo to Full Professor usually occurs after two years at Assoc
Prof, Step III
Accelerated or Decelerated
Advancement
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Accelerations or Deferrals (decelerations) are possible
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Accelerations extremely rare in HSCP
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Deferrals are allowed if you see your packet as not yet
strong enough
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Plan for progress should be done at this time, to ensure you will be
ready for review next year
Criteria for acceleration: double the expectations for
review cycle
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Usually must prove with quantity as well as with quality
Advancement Diagram
Professor
Above Scale Above
Scale
Steps
4 years
Full
(Professor)
Rank Step 6-8
3 years
Full
(Professor)
Rank
Associate
(Professor)
Rank Step 1
2 years
Step 2
Step 3
2 years
2 years
Assistant
(Professor)
Rank Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5 .
Step 6 .
2 years
2 years
2 years
2 years
Yr 1 Yr 2
Yr 1 Yr 2
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
3 years
3 years
3 years
3 years
3 years
Step 4 .
Step 5 .
Yr Yr
1& 2 3
Yr Yr
1& 2 3
Step 9
4 years
Step #
Legend:
Normal years at step
before next
advancement
Each level represents
Normal
crossing a “barrier”
Advancement
advancement
Other routes to
advancement
How will you be
evaluated?
Evaluation Criteria for all levels
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Teaching– Excellence expected
 Dedication, effectiveness, high evaluations, awards
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Clinical Service– Excellence expected
 Professional Competence: Licensure and Board Certification
 Recognition among peers, Leadership in discipline; Regional
recognition (National recognition for Professor, Steps 6+)
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University/Professional/Community Service
 Outcomes, Role, Influence, Visibility
 Should increase with time
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Research and Creative Work
 Support only is expected for HSCP (patient data collection, clinical
trials, etc)
 Your series should not discourage you from publishing (good way to
get national recognition)
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Case Reports; Presentation of research/studies to peers or the public
The following materials are reviewed
in MyInfoVault (MIV)
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Personal Candidate Statement (optional & strongly recommended)
Teaching Evaluations
Teaching Activity List (lectures, advising, log of hours, etc)
Service Activity List
Publication list with URLs if available
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Reprints go with printed packet if URLs not available (not expected for
HSCP)
Grant List (not expected for HSCP)
Department Letters with department vote.
 explains significance of materials above, plus info on clinical
service and productivity
Extramural Reference Letters (Appts, Promos, & Barrier Steps)
Should You Write Candidate
Statement?
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Writing the statement prompts self-reflection
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Keep it brief and concise
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May need to help reviewers understand how your efforts help
achieve missions and improve the school
Propose your plan for improvement if needed
Tells Chair about your work & goals
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Tell the back story, don’t just restate the MIV packet lists
Keep it positive
Provide context/fit into long term goals
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so you know where you excelled and where you need
improvement
Chairs do not know your work as well as you do!
It allows FPC to hear your voice- humanizes record
What is in the Department Letter?
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Reflects department view based on the vote outcome (not
Chair’s view)
 Chair can write separate letter, if s/he desires (almost
never done)
Evaluative, not just enumerative
Discusses and summarizes the impact of candidate’s
teaching, service, clinical acumen, and scholarly activities if
applicable. It also can explain any extenuating
circumstances
Candidate must review the letter!
What is the FPC?
Faculty Personnel Committee
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Membership changes slightly every year (staggered three
year terms for members)
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Charged with maintaining equity of expectations
across school
Makes recommendations to the Associate Dean
based solely on academic criteria and on the
materials presented
Pay Attention to Feedback from
FPC and Associate Dean
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Each merit action and promotion brings written
feedback (positive or negative)
Make sure you get a copy of these letters from your
Chair or the admin office in department
There is critical information for career guidance
The letters give useful guidance about what to do for
future actions
Processes for
Advancement Actions
Basic Steps
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You create a packet in MIV (with staff member’s
assistance) in your account
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https://Myinfovault.ucdavis.edu
Your department reviews the materials, then votes and
comments
Action is submitted for review process
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Initially reviewed for accuracy and errors by an Academic
Personnel Analyst
Reviewed by Faculty Personnel Committee (FPC)
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HSCP actions are only reviewed by FPC at SOM, they do not go
to CAP on campus
Reviewed by Associate Dean of Academic Personnel
Approved or Denied
More detailed Policy on Reviews
http://manuals.ucdavis.edu/apm/220afProc1.pdf
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Candidate is responsible for developing packet
Department chair
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Consults with candidate regarding preparation of
review file; if applicable, solicits letters of evaluation.
Provides copy of redacted extramural letters to
candidate and informs candidate that he/she has the
option to submit a rebuttal letter within 10 calendar
days from date of receiving copies of redacted
extramural letters.
Submits candidate's dossier to approved peer
group(s) for comment.
Makes dossier and peer-group comments available
to approved voting group who subsequently vote.
Prepares departmental evaluation/recommendation
letter; obtains review of letter by voting faculty;
provides candidate with copies of all nonconfidential documents.
Informs candidate of right to submit a rejoinder to
the departmental recommendation within 10
calendar days from date of receipt of department
letter.
Obtains Candidate's Disclosure Certificate from
candidate that verifies that he/she has reviewed the
file.
Forwards complete review file to dean.
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Dean's Office/Dean
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Dean
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Evaluates review file and makes recommendation to
dean.
Dean
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Submits the proposed action directly to appropriate
personnel committee.
Faculty Personnel committee
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Assures that review file is in compliance with
established policies and procedures and assembled
in established format for evaluation.
Makes final decision; at dates specified by the Vice
Provost, sends announcement to department chair,
with comments.
Department chair
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Transmits final decision and copy of reviewers'
comments. This should be done in writing to
document date of notification.
If the action is denied, has candidate sign
Candidate's Certification indicating he/she has
received reviewers' comments; sends form to dean.
http://academicpersonnel.ucdavis.edu/delegations.cfm
Helpful Tips
Keep track of your activities
on a monthly basis
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Clinical:
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Teaching:
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clinic teaching hours, didactic lectures, conferences, mentoring, etc.
Always keep a record of your evaluations; and request copies if they are not
automatically sent to you!
Service:
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Track your own clinical productivity outcomes through Departmental
reports (CQI, RVU, patient satisfaction, etc)
Committees, taskforces, society/org. work, editorial/reviewer duties,
volunteer work, etc.
Research and Creative Work:
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Any help you’ve provided to colleagues, clinical studies, abstracts,
presentations (to peers or public)?
When preparing for advancement
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Show evidence of having met the criteria for
advancement in each mission
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Quantity, quality, significance and impact.
Highlight accomplishments rather than promise.
Describe your leadership role if it is not obvious,
and address how it translates into supporting
missions
(example: leading curriculum development team;
primary trainer for new clinical procedure in clinic;
EMR expert)
Learn to Use MIV!
http://myinfovault.ucdavis.edu
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You each have an account in MyInfoVault
(Kerberos ID and passphrase)
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Faculty Personnel Committee and Associate Dean will use
your packet in MIV to evaluate your work
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You can learn to input all the data yourself, or at least to
manage aspects of the program (but always let your
assistant or the Acad. Personnel Coordinator know of any
changes you make besides just adding new information)
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Attend the Introduction to MIV workshop
MIV (continued)
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MyInfoVault is the ideal repository:
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All education and teaching efforts
 Be sure your staff is entering all evaluation scores
All clinical service commitments
All service activities
Any research- whether helping or more
Keeps a history of past actions
You can use to easily create CV or NIH Biosketch
Learn how to work with
those around you
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Administrative Staff
 You my have an assistant assigned to you or your division. Get to know
them and discuss the expectations you have, and what their understanding
of their job is.
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Clinical Staff
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Clinic Manager
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The future of healthcare depends on teamwork. Successful clinical faculty need to
demonstrate that they are both good team members and leaders. Your clinical
achievements and reputation increasingly rely on your teamwork skills.
Ask for your patient satisfaction scores, get feedback to ensure you are doing the
best job possible; get regular reports on your clinical productivity and quality
measures.
Colleagues
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Seek opportunities to collaborate with other faculty: CQI projects, new curriculum,
committee, multidisciplinary teams. It can create new opportunities, salary support,
and a network for your success.
Caution!
Don’t rely on a “special deal” with the
Dean or Chair to advance
Dean/Chair frequently has no knowledge of
such a deal
 Reviewers (FPC, Dean) do not recognize deals
that foster inequitable treatment of faculty
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Where to go for help
and information
HSCP Mentoring Needs
A Mentor is a key source of guidance for
junior faculty or new faculty
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What areas of your career would benefit from working with
a mentor?
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Learning how UCDHS works: different software programs,
knowing which offices handle what, finding resources, etc.
How many of you receive feedback on your teaching style
from your peers?
How many receive feedback on clinical or service delivery?
Expectations For Your Chair
To be proactive in career advancement of faculty
 On-going mentoring
 Annual career planning meeting
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Meet with candidate at merit/promo time
 Review criteria for advancement
 Discuss content of dossier and deadlines
 Request list of potential extramural references –
external references for promotion to Assoc and
barrier step merits
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Liaison between faculty & Administration/Dean
Faculty Development
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(916) 703-9230
Look for info on programs:
 http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/facultydev/
 Faculty Development Newsletter (quarterly)
 E- mail announcements
Examples:
 Teaching Scholars Program
 Mentoring Academy
 Leadership Workshops
Other Resources
FAQs, policies, resources:
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http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/academicpersonnel
http://academicpersonnel.ucdavis.edu
Or call:
 Office of Academic Personnel
 Associate Dean of Academic Personnel
 Main line: 916-734-4610