VIII. Procedures for Term Appointments (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Lecturer [3-Years])
E. Procedures for Promotion to Assistant Professor by Clinician Teacher (Longer Service) Criteria
The Conference of Department Heads, at their meeting of February 11, 1999, approved the appointment of a new Promotions Committee at Harvard Medical School, and recommended that it be constituted as the Clinician Teacher (Longer Service) Subcommittee of the current Promotions, Reappointments and Appointments Committee. This new committee, to be chaired by Dr. Frederick Lovejoy, will meet on a monthly basis. It will consider the promotion of full time and part time Instructors with a doctoral degree, who have been in rank for ten years or more, and who have given meritorious service through teaching and clinical care to Harvard Medical School and its affiliated institutions.
Appointment Titles
Appointments of Instructor, full time, will be to Assistant Professor, full time; appointments of Clinical Instructor, part time, will be to Assistant Clinical Professor, part time.
Procedures for Promotion
1. Candidate must complete her/his curriculum vitae and bibliography using the format described in section XV. Care should be taken to report in detail teaching and clinical contributions; refer to section XV, part II, of the Purple Book for assistance. Because of the dispersion of faculty among multiple sites, and the possibility the Department Heads are not aware of all teaching or clinical contributions, the C.V. becomes the tool that allows faculty members to report in detail their own contributions. Bibliography should be attached if one exists.
2. Department Head prepares a letter of recommendation that includes the following items:
a. Description of the position that the individual occupies, and its relationship to the rest of the department. This description should allow subsequent readers of the recommendation to understand the major role and responsibilities of the candidate, especially in teaching, clinical care and leadership in the department or division.
b. Description of the candidate's experience and accomplishments in the following areas (as appropriate):
Teaching. Include a detailed account of specific teaching responsibilities (e.g., for medical students, graduate students, residents, clinical fellows, and postdoctoral fellows, or in continuing medical education). Any teaching evaluations that are available should be summarized and commented on. The length of time over which a candidate has been teaching and the changes effected by the candidate over that time might also be discussed. Efforts to improve her/his teaching skills and any leadership role in teaching programs should be reported.
Clinical Activities. Comment on the candidate's clinical skills and responsibilities in the department. Cite any evidence for recognition of clinical excellence inside and outside the Boston medical community, e.g., invitations to participate in clinical activities at other medical schools and health care institutions, membership in professional organizations emphasizing excellence in clinical specialties.
Research Activities. Not required, but if there is any involvement in research projects, for example in clinical trials or in education, such activities should be described.
Community Service and Administration. Indicate any role in health care system, medical school programs and committees, and departmental committees. Does the candidate participate in any state or national organizations, professional societies, study sections, or policy making/advisory group?
3. Letter from the executive committee of the department should be prepared if there are any dissents or abstentions. This letter includes the reasons for either dissents or abstentions. If there are none, signature of the chairperson or secretary of the executive committee on the Form for Initiation of First Term Appointments and Promotions will be sufficient.
4. Letters of evaluation are requested by the department head, not by the candidate. (Click HERE for sample letter.)
The department head should comment in her/his letter on any significant issues raised in the letters of evaluation. Up to three letters should be requested from clinical, teaching or administrative colleagues who are most familiar with the candidate's contributions, inside or outside the department.
5. Letter from the department head, addressed to the Dean, and accompanying documentation should be sent to: Office for Faculty Services, Gordon Hall, Room 010, Harvard Medical School.
6. Documents are checked in the Dean's Office and distributed to members of the Clinician Teacher (Longer Service) Subcommittee. At this committee meeting, one member of the Committee reviews the documentation, and a department representative is present to respond. The committee deliberates and renders a recommendation to the Dean.
7. Dean makes a final recommendation and transmits it to the President and Provost of Harvard University.
8. The President and Provost on behalf of the Governing Boards of Harvard University consider the recommendation and give it final approval.
Procedures for Reappointment
Reappointments will follow the procedure outlined above.
Promotion to Associate Professor can occur if the candidate meets the already established criteria for Associate Professor by Investigator, Clinician Teacher, or Academic Part Time faculty. Promotion to Associate Professor or Associate Clinical Professor cannot occur by longer service criteria.
Criteria and Examples
Click HERE for criteria and examples for Promotion to Assistant Professor by Clinician Teacher (Longer Service) Criteria.
If you have any questions about this process please call Dr. Mary Clark, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at 617-432-1106.