Research Track
Instructor
Basic Requirements
This rank may be awarded to individuals who have met the minimal requirements for faculty membership. It is intended for individuals who are completing their training or acquiring essential experience while simultaneously serving a faculty role.
- Education: A doctoral degree (M.D., Ph.D. or other terminal professional degree) from an accredited institution of higher learning, and promise of a productive academic career.
- In Clinical Departments: Individuals who will provide clinical care to patients should have completed the residency training normally required for board certification in that specialty. Faculty members who will not provide clinical care should have a minimum of two years of postdoctoral training and/or experience.
- In Basic Science Departments: At least two years of postdoctoral training and/or experience.
Assistant Professor
Basic Requirements
The individual should have a doctoral degree (M.D., Ph.D., or other terminal professional degree) with a minimum of three years of postdoctoral experience plus some demonstrated evidence of scientific productivity in the form of published manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. If the individual will provide patient care she/he should be board certified, if it is possible to attain certification within his/her specialty without practice requirements. Should his/her specialty have practice requirements, board certification can be waived temporarily, but should be attained within two rounds of eligibility.
- Scholarship: The individual:
- Should have a demonstrated ability to conduct basic, applied, or clinical research. Evidence of this criterion will be derived from the applicant’s publication record and from solicited letters from mentors and colleagues. In evaluating an individuals scholarly attainments an emphasis will be placed on peer-reviewed, hypothesis-testing manuscripts of a basic or clinical nature.
- Should have demonstrated ability to prepare grant applications seeking research funding.
Associate Professor
Basic Requirements
The major criterion for appointment or promotion to the rank of Associate Professor is the demonstration of independence in the area of research. Promotion should be based on performance rather than time in previous rank. Usually, however, a time period of five years in rank as an Instructor or Assistant Professor is required to attain the necessary level of achievement (i.e., review for promotion will take place in the sixth year).
- Scholarship: The individual:
- Should have demonstrated evidence of being an independent investigator with a focused area of expertise. In the event that most of the individuals work is collaborative in nature, the individuals independent contributions should be documented.
- Should have a national reputation for research, attested by reference letters from outside the institution.
- Should have high quality research manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals. Judgement of the quality and importance of the published manuscripts will be based upon statements made by external referees. In evaluating an individual’s scholarly attainments an emphasis will be placed on peer-reviewed, hypothesis-testing manuscripts of a basic or clinical nature.
- Should be a Principal Investigator on a research grant, preferably with an external source of support (e.g., NIH, ACS, NSF).
- Should provide evidence of continuing research productivity.
Professor
Basic Requirements
Individuals advanced to the rank of Professor should be recognized nationally and internationally for achievements made in scholarly activities. Promotion to this rank should be based on continuing achievement, but five years in rank as Associate Professor is usually required to reach the necessary levels of excellence in teaching, research, and administration.
- Scholarship: The individual:
- Should be a leading research investigator in the field with a national or international reputation.
- Should have high quality research manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals. Judgement of the quality and importance of the published manuscripts will be based upon statements made by external referees. In evaluating an individual’s scholarly attainments an emphasis will be placed on peer-reviewed, hypothesis-testing manuscripts of a basic or clinical nature.
- Should provide evidence of continuing research productivity, independence and focus.
- Should demonstrate a continuing level of external support for research program preferably from external sources (e.g., NIH, NSF).
