Rank Descriptions

The Tenure Track includes three professorial ranks:  assistant professor, associate professor, and professor.  

Assistant Professor

This is the rank appropriate to a person who has demonstrated competence in teaching and scholarly activity, but has yet to achieve exceptional status as a teacher or regional/national recognition in their professional field. Persons who have begun to publish scholarly work and show evidence of trajectory of obtaining external research funding. May have had teaching responsibilities (e.g., seminars, bedside instruction, small group interactions, and/or didactic activities) before their initial faculty appointment, may begin their faculty careers at the rank of assistant professor. 

Appointments to assistant professor, a tenure-track position, require review by the Advisory Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure (ACAPT), and approval by the Medical School Executive Committee.  (A review of progress will be conducted by the Medical School upon completion of the third and sixth years in rank).

Associate Professor

Appointment to associate professor is given only to persons of well-established professional position and demonstrated scholarly ability that positively impacts their field. Those promoted or appointed to this rank must have achieved national recognition for scholarly accomplishment of significance as evidenced by: evaluations from independent national leaders in their field; national lectureships; memberships on editorial boards and peer review committees; significant involvement in peer organizations beyond membership, and scholarship. Scholarly independence or a strong collaborative contribution to a scientific team effort is typical for associate professors. Usually this is evidenced by peer-reviewed publications published over the previous five years.

For those with a predominate expectation of clinical or laboratory research, a sustained independent level of external research funding typically from federal sources is the norm.  An associate professor must have demonstrated a significant contribution to the educational missions of this school or another medical school. If it pertains to their professional field, high quality clinical care or clinical service is expected. Persons with clinical responsibilities are board certified before they become associate professors, recognizing that exceptions may be granted by the Medical School Executive Committee for some internationally-trained physicians who do not fulfill American Board requirements but bring critical expertise to the Medical School and for subspecialist that practice in fields where board certification is not typical. The associate professor signals the passage into medical academia’s senior rank. Unless otherwise specified, appointments and promotions to associate professor are with tenure, although persons may be appointed as associate professors without tenure.

Appointments and promotions to this rank require review by ACAPT; approval of the Medical School Executive Committee; endorsement by the Dean, the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the President; and approval by the Board of Regents.

Professor

Appointment to professor is given only to persons of nationally and internationally established professional reputation and demonstrated scholarly ability. This title is our highest academic rank. All of the expectations for the associate rank pertain in equivalent or greater measure for the professor. The difference between the ranks of professor and associate professor is primarily one of ongoing achievement, usually over a period of five-to-ten years; promotion to professor is not automatic after a certain time in rank as associate professor.

A person appointed to the rank of professor must have demonstrated continued scholarship, productive research, contributions to the teaching mission, organizational service, and clinical care when relevant to career. This ongoing achievement is roughly equivalent in quantity to the accomplishments that gained the previous promotional step. National and international impact must pertain to this person’s work. Continued and consistent publication that contributes significantly to an area of knowledge is essential.

It is expected that the case for promotion to the professorial rank may reference the work done to achieve the rank of associate professor, but will be based largely on new work accomplished since the last promotional review. For those predominantly involved in clinical, educational, or laboratory research, sustained independent level of external research funding typically from federal sources is the norm.  Unless otherwise specified, appointments and promotions to professor are with tenure. Persons may be appointed as professors without tenure.

Appointments and promotions to professor require review by ACAPT; approval of the Medical School Executive Committee; endorsement by the Dean, the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the President; and approval by the Board of Regents.