Promotions on the Clinician
Educator Track
Larry L. Swift, Ph.D.
Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs
Department of Pathology, Microbiology
& Immunology
Topics





Academic Tracks
Clinician Educator Track
Procedures for Promotion
Criteria for Promotion
Q&A Discussion
Faculty Tracks at VU
 Basic Science Educator/Clinician Educator
 Basic Scientist Investigator/Physician Scientist
Investigator (tenure track)
 Clinical Practice
 Research
 Assistant/Associate
Clinician Educator Track
 Faculty whose teaching and professional service
contributions are essential to the academic mission of
the school
 Significant achievement in teaching and service form
major basis for promotion
 Promotion – exemplary accomplishments in one area,
competency in the other
 Academic contributions must be pursued in documented
scholarly manner
Overall Procedure
 Promotion is initiated within the department by
Chair
 Meet with Vice Chair to go over the procedures
 Dossier is reviewed by departmental A&P committee
 Forwarded to Dean’s office
 Reviewed by School of Medicine A&P committee
Overall Procedure
 Recommendation is forwarded by Dean to Executive
faculty
 Forwarded to Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
 Tenure appointments must be reviewed by
Promotion and Tenure Review Committee and
approved by Board of Trust
Supporting Documentation (1)




Chair’s letter
Standardized curriculum vitae
Documentation of teaching form
Critical references
 Up to 5 publications representing your most
significant work
 Form describing significance and your
contribution
Supporting Documentation (2)
 Letters of Evaluation
– Minimum of 6-8 letters from individuals who are not
mentors or close colleagues and who can assess
contributions from a national perspective
– Unspecified number of letters from previous trainees,
to document impact as an educator
– All letters received must be submitted
– If necessary Chair’s letter can be used to address any
issues raised
Departmental A&P Committee
 Consists of all tenured full-time faculty within the
department
 Agnes Fogo serves as chair
 Reviews all appointments, reappointments,
promotions and mentoring committee reports
 Serves in an advisory role to the Chair
School of Medicine A&P Committee




10 committee members (Professor) plus chair
Diverse disciplines
Both tenure and non-tenured faculty
Ex officio: John Penn, Ph.D., Associate Dean for
Faculty Affairs
 Meets bimonthly
Guidelines for Evaluation for
Promotion: Service (1)
 Role model of exemplary clinical care
– Letters from recognized leaders in the field
– Invited participation in clinical conferences,
rounds, or seminars outside the institution
– Case reports
– Evidence of influence on practice within the
institution and at regional and national levels
Guidelines for Evaluation for
Promotion: Service (2)
 Patient care characteristic of academic clinician
– Publications that review the clinical literature for
other clinicians
– Introduction of innovative approaches
– Participation in establishing standards of care
– Participation in clinical trials
– Achievements in quality improvement projects
Guidelines for Evaluation for
Promotion: Service (3)
 Development of new programs or significant
enhancement of existing programs
 Special contributions to the institution
– Important policy-making committees
– Extramural consultation and activities
– Service in community organizations related to
one’s academic activities
Guidelines for Evaluation for
Promotion: Teaching
 Demonstration of “high level of effectiveness”
- Direct teaching
- Curricular or Program Development
- Advising and Mentoring
- Educational Administration or Leadership
- Educational Research
Guidelines for Evaluation for
Promotion: Teaching
 Documentation of “high level of effectiveness”
•
•
•
•
Individual awards and honors
Evaluations, including specific comments
Achievements of those you have taught
Educational Innovations
- New and effective teaching methods or
methods of evaluation
• Publications related to teaching and learning
What Counts (CET)
 National (or regional) reputation as an expert
 Leadership in teaching: awards, creation of teaching
programs, course leadership
 Leadership in service:
 How have you made a difference?
 Evidence of scholarly activity (publications)
 Letters from faculty at peer institutions
What doesn’t count (CET)






“Routine” performance
Time in rank
Filling a slot on a clinical service schedule
Routine teaching activities
Internal talks at VUMC
Letters from former mentors and collaborators
have less weight than independent reviewers
?QUESTIONS?
For More Information
https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/faculty/
https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/faculty/basic-science-educatorclinician-educator-track