Faculty Appointment and Promotion:
Myths vs. Facts
Fact: Academic and military ranks are separate because they require different roles, contributions, and accomplishments.
Fact: Academic rank at an accredited university that follows a rigorous review process (as we do at USU) is transferable across institutions. Compensation in the civilian world is markedly different depending on faculty rank.
Fact: Fellow status in a professional organization is a national or international award (depending on the organization) and contributes meaningfully to consideration for promotion.
Fact: Academic positions at USU are based on contributions to the USU mission, including education, scholarship, and leadership. USU also serves the MHS and the needs of the Armed Forces and Public Health Service. Many faculty members are NOT in the Bethesda, MD, area.
Fact: Contributions to the USU mission do not require being stationed at a site with a teaching program.
Fact: Education contributions include teaching medical students, residents, fellows, and other faculty members, as well as curriculum development and design.
Fact: Education contributions include curriculum development and design, assessment, training program administration, mentoring and advising faculty or learners, and training learners of all levels.
Fact: Research and scholarship include various activities, such as research, quality/performance improvement projects, case reports, review papers, invited talks, podcasts, conference attendance, and more. Grants and contracts are not required to conduct meaningful research or scholarship.
Fact: Faculty members have substantial responsibilities and require ongoing contributions. However, most contributions overlap with being an effective professional and lifelong learner.
What to include in a faculty promotion package
Follow the AAMC template but also include military rank, honors, and roles
Explain your scholarly work, including what topics/issues/problems you have studied and why; to what domains of scholarship do you contribute; how do you conduct your scholarship (e.g., methods, subjects, techniques, settings); what have you found; what is your current and near-term planned scholarship (limited to two single-spaced pages) Guidance for Writing a Scholarly Statement
Includes Teaching Philosophy Courses/sessions taught, Curriculum developed, Educational administration/leadership, Educational Assessment Approaches, Mentees; Appendices with teaching evaluations, and examples of educational materials developed and used (optional for Clinician Investigator and Researcher)
Provide four recent full-length, peer-reviewed papers to which you contributed, ideally as first or senior author (optional but recommended for Clinician Educator and Educator)