Feinberg School of Medicine
Faculty Promotion and
Tenure Program
May 2014
FSM Faculty Career Tracks
Your career track determines the criteria by which
you are evaluated for reappointment and promotion.
 Investigator Track (tenure track; 2 pathways)
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Scientist
Physician-Scientist
 Clinician-Educator Track (non-tenure; choose 2 of 4 domains)
 Clinical Impact and Recognition
 Teaching and Education
 Original Research
 Health Services Management
 Research Track (non-tenure)
FSM Faculty Affairs Office: http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-staff/FAO/
Promotion Criteria: http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-staff/FAO/faculty/promo-tenure.html
FSM Faculty Ranks & Career Tracks
Regular Faculty Appointments
Investigator Track
Assistant
Professor
Associate
Professor
Professor
Clinician-Educator Track (full-time, part-time, or contributed services)
Assistant
Professor
Instructor
Associate
Professor
Professor
Faculty-Level Research Appointments
Research Track
Research
Assistant
Professor
Research
Associate
Professor
Research
Professor
Investigator Track Expectations
Scientist Pathway
 For scientists without clinical or service responsibilities
 Most effort directed towards original, independent research
 Teach graduate or medical students
Physician-Scientist Pathway
 Physicians or other healthcare professionals who devote the
majority of their effort to original, independent research
 Typically have limited clinical and/or service responsibilities
 Teach graduate or medical students, residents, and fellows
Clinician-Educator Track Expectations
MDs with significant clinical responsibilities
PhDs or other professional degrees with significant
clinical responsibilities (e.g., psychologists, physical
therapists, etc.)
PhDs who provide expertise important for the
education and research missions of the institution
but are unlikely to establish an independentlyfunded research program; likely to serve primarily
as a co-investigator on multiple grants (e.g.,
biostatisticians, bioinformaticists, etc.) and/or have
significant teaching responsibilities.
Career Track Procedural Issues
Switching Career Tracks
 Tenure-eligible Assistant Professors can switch
tracks, but this should be done no less than 3 years
prior to the end of their probationary period
Tenure Clock
 Probationary period for tenure on the Investigator
track is 9 years
Promotion & Tenure for Investigators
Associate Professor (pages 8-9, 11-13)
 Generally requires at least 6 years in the rank of Assistant
Professor
 Likelihood of continuing to perform high impact research
• Successful in obtaining external funding to support research
• Publish innovative, original research in peer-reviewed journals
(first or last author)
• Evidence of significant external recognition
 Evidence of excellence in research training and professional
education
 Continued participation in clinical programs of the medical
school (for those on physician scientist path)
 Service contributions to the school or University
Promotion & Tenure for Investigators
Professor (pages 8-9, 12-13)
 Generally at least 5 yrs in rank of associate professor with
record of outstanding performance
 Continue to maintain a high impact research program
• Continue to obtain external funding
• Continue to publish innovative, original research in peerreviewed journals (first or last author)
• Evidence of highest forms of external recognition
 Record of effective research training, mentoring and
professional education
 Continued participation in clinical programs of the Medical
School (for those on physician scientist path)
 Scholarly leadership in research and education
 Service contributions to the school or University
Promotion for Clinician-Educators
Associate Professor (pages 9-10, 13-16)
 Minimum of six years at the assistant professor level, except
in unusual circumstances
 Sustained pattern of excellence and impact in two
promotable categories that has resulted in significant
regional recognition of achievements
Professor (pages 10, 14-16)
 Minimum of five years at the associate professor level,
except in unusual circumstances
 Multiple contributions in two promotable areas with a
substantial impact in the field that have resulted in
national/international recognition of achievements
Achievement in Clinician-Educator Domain Areas
What is External Professional Recognition?
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Prizes and Awards
Elected to scientific or professional societies and organizations
Invited to serve as a visiting or endowed professor
Selected to plan or lead symposia, conferences, or
professional society programs or workshops
Appointed to scientific or medical peer-review bodies (e.g.,
study sections)
Appointed to scientific, medical or government advisory or
regulatory bodies
Appointed or elected to membership on governing councils or
as an officer of scientific, government or professional
organizations
Appointed to editorial boards or as editor
Invited to deliver talks at national meetings or other institutions
Promotion and Tenure Timeline
May 2014
Sept 2015
Candidate and department prepare dossier (May-Aug 2014)
Promotion dossier due to FSM Faculty Affairs Office (Sept-Oct 2014)
APT Committee and Deans review candidates (Oct 2014-April 2015)
Provost reviews candidates (May-June 2015), with final decision
communicated in early summer
Promotion / tenure decisions take effect September 1
Creating Your Promotion Dossier
 Years ahead
 Begin to identify referees
 Develop work products consistent with career track
expectations
 Ongoing
 Update CV and document accomplishments
 Develop portfolio
 Regularly update NU Faculty Profile
http://fsmweb.northwestern.edu/faculty/
 Months ahead
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Write personal statement
What’s New?
New and Updated Forms
 Documentation of Teaching (pages 29-30)
 Critical References (pages 31-32)
 Candidate Referee List (page 33)
Promotion Dossier Requirements
 The Documentation of Teaching and Critical References
forms are now required for promotion to Assistant Professor
 Candidate’s referee list must be rank ordered and indicate
the candidate’s relationship to each referee
Promotion & Tenure Process: Investigators
Promotion Process: Clinician-Educators
Promotion Process: Clinician-Educators
Promotion for Research Faculty
Research Associate Professor (pages 11, 16-17)
 Typically spend at least 5-6 yrs in rank of Research Assistant Professor
 Record of outstanding collaborative and/or independent scientific work
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Publish in peer-reviewed journals (some as first author)
Obtain external research funding as PI or co-I
Patents and licenses
Coherent body of research accomplishments
 External professional recognition
 Election to membership in scientific societies
 Awards, invited lectures, and participation in symposia at scientific meetings
 Leadership role in local or regional scientific meetings
 For research faculty engaged in research support (e.g., core directors),
the extent to which these activities contribute to research excellence
within the medical school shall be considered, especially the
establishment of new research support facilities of demonstrated
excellence
Promotion for Research Faculty
Research Professor (pages 11, 16-17)
 In rank as Associate Professor for at least 5 years
 Record of excellence in independent and original research
 Publish innovative, original research in peer-reviewed journals (some as first
or senior author) as
well as reviews and chapters
Generally have obtained external research funding as PI
Patents and licenses
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 External professional recognition
 Membership on editorial boards, study sections, and/or advisory groups
 Named lectureships, awards, or participation in (inter)national symposia, courses, etc.
 Leadership roles in regional or national professional scientific organizations
 Membership in prestigious societies, participation in major society committees and programs,
formal awards and major invited lectures
 For research faculty engaged in research support, the extent to which these
activities contribute to research excellence and the recognition the research
faculty member has attained at the regional, national, and international level shall
be considered. Contributions to excellence in research may be evidenced by:
 Establishing new research support activities that enhance the research capabilities of NU
 External letters or letters from NU investigators or administrative officials attesting to the
contributions to advance individual research programs or general research excellence at NU
Promotion Process: Research Faculty
Feinberg School of Medicine
Thank you!
William L. Lowe, Jr., MD
Vice Dean for Academic Affairs