Great emphasis is placed on two manifestations of success:
- Professional competence and activity as demonstrated by continued clinical excellence and progressive leadership in the academic arena
- Teaching with involvement in direct clinical teaching as well as in didactic components of the curriculum and consistently favorable evaluations by students and teaching colleagues
Since salaried Clinical series faculty are required to devote a major part of their time to teaching and clinical service, they have less time for formal creative work than most scholars at the University. However, they are required to utilize their clinical experience as the basis for clinical research and/or other creative work. Please refer to the Clinical Policy Reference Sheet for examples of creative endeavors that count towards this requirement.
Faculty in this series should be actively and effectively involved in University and public service by participating in the administration, clinical and educational affairs of the department, school, hospital, profession and community.
***8 year rule does NOT apply to this series at UCSF ONLY***
Domains
Clinical Excellence & Innovation
- Establishment of Innovative Clinical Programs: Leadership in the role of design, funding, and implementation of major clinical programs is considered evidence of clinical innovation.
- Leadership in Clinical Programs: Primary administrative responsibility for a major clinical program whose excellence is attributed to the faculty member is valued in this series.
Teaching and Education
- Direct Clinical Teaching: Excellence in teaching is heavily weighted in this series, as are key teaching roles in a major course or core training program, record of outstanding evaluations, and contribution of innovative material to an educational program. Teaching awards at the departmental, school-wide, hospital-wide, campus-wide or national level are not required but are supportive evidence of excellence in direct teaching.
- Advising and Mentorship: Advising and mentorship are strong institutional and department values. Examples of accomplishment include a continuous record of advising and mentorship, leadership in formal mentoring programs for students, residents, fellows, or junior faculty with outstanding evaluations and/or appraisals for this work.
- Educational Administration and Leadership: Key roles in the administration of medical student, resident, fellow and other teaching programs with outstanding appraisals for the work are weighted favorably in this series, especially if there is national impact as evidenced by educational roles in courses, educational materials and national medical societies.
University and Public Service
University and public service are required: examples include medical school or campus committee memberships, board memberships of non-profit educational organizations, service through the Academy of Medical Educators, journal reviewer, etc.
Appointments
For appointment at the Clinical Instructor level, individuals must be board eligible; for nurse-midwives, current certification from the American Midwifery Certification Board, and an appropriate Master’s degree is required. An appointment as Clinical Instructor is to be viewed as an interim appointment during which time the appointee and the Chair of the Department will mutually evaluate their agreements and expectations. Anticipated time at the level of Clinical Instructor is 2 years.
An exception can be made to extend the Clinical Instructor appointment (i.e., permanent packet being assembled, need to retake boards, etc.). The extensions are approved by the Dean’s office on a case-by case basis.
Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor Appointment at or promotion to the Assistant Clinical Professor level should be reserved for individuals who have completed at least two years of clinical practice and teaching, with a demonstration of excellent skill in both areas.
Advancement/Promotion
***Please Note: regional/national/international recognition is no longer a requirement for this series. We will need to update our guidelines to match***
Advancement/Promotion Additional Considerations
Professor Promotion:
- Contribution to the Advancement of Science: Leadership position(s) in a focused area of clinical practice that addresses important questions in the investigator’s chosen field.
- Recognition by Peers: Invitations to write editorials or evidence-based reviews, service on public research review committees or committees that set clinical guidelines, speaking invitations/leadership roles at major conferences or academic venues; letters of support for promotion, etc., attesting to the investigator’s leadership role in the academic community. Chairing national and/or international meetings, workshop committees, training foreign research fellows, service on international committees, lectures and paper presentations at national and international meetings.
- Training & Mentoring: Leadership role in developing programming that supports new clinicians, as well as mentoring them in their careers.
For more detailed information, please read the guidelines, visit UCSF’s Academic Affairs website or contact our department’s Academic Affairs HR Manager.
Appointment in the Clinical X series can be at the Clinical Instructor, Assistant, Associate, or Professor level, if the domains described below are appropriate. As mentioned above, faculty in the Clinical series will be reviewed by the Department Committee on Appointments and Promotions every four years, to check and see if a lateral transfer is appropriate to the Clinical X series, based on the domains below. Excellent provision of clinical care, a high standard of professionalism, and excellent teaching are required for this promotion. Anticipated time at the level of Clinical Instructor is 2 years.
***8 year rule applies to this series***
Domains
Teaching
1. Direct Medical Teaching: Excellence in teaching is heavily weighted in this series, as are key teaching roles in a major course or core training program, record of outstanding evaluations, and contribution of innovative material to an educational program. The scholarship of synthesis is appropriately considered a form of teaching; thus faculty members who contribute to wider understanding of health and disease through publication of sections in major texts, important review articles, computer or Internet-based education programs, and the like, may demonstrate the creativity and scholarship expected in the Clinical X series. Teaching awards at the departmental, school-wide, hospital-wide, campus-wide or national level are not required but are supportive evidence of excellence indirect teaching.
2. Curriculum Development, Instructional Design, and Assessment of Learner Performance: The development of new programs or significant revision of existing programs with outstanding evaluations, leadership in program innovation, creation of enduring educational materials used at UCSF and elsewhere are considered favorable.
3. Advising and Mentorship: Advising and mentorship are strong institutional and Department values. Examples of accomplishment include a continuous record of advising and mentorship, leadership in formal mentoring programs for students, residents, fellows, or junior faculty with outstanding evaluations and/or appraisals for this work.
4. Educational Administration and Leadership: Key roles in the administration of medical student, resident, fellow and other teaching programs with outstanding appraisals for the work are weighted favorably in this series, especially if there is national impact as evidenced by educational roles in courses, educational materials, and national medical societies.
5. Educational Research: The generation of educational research to assess the effectiveness of educational approaches and other key areas are vital to the effective teaching of medical knowledge. Original publications, review articles, chapters and textbooks as well as presentations of peer-reviewed work regionally and nationally, or receipt of grants or contracts based on peer review of written proposals, are all considered evidence of accomplishment in this domain.
Clinical
1. Excellence and a high level of professionalism in the provision of clinical care.
2. Establishment of Innovative Clinical Programs: Leadership in the role of design, funding, and implementation of major clinical programs is considered evidence of clinical innovation.
3. Leadership in Clinical Programs: Primary administrative responsibility for a major clinical program whose excellence is attributed to the faculty member is valued in this series.
Research
Excellent research is distinguished by its originality, rigor, and impact. Indications of these characteristics include receipt of NIH awards, foundation funding, or intellectual leadership of industry-funded research. Clinician-researchers, if appointed in this series, shall demonstrate excellence in both their clinical and research work, and in teaching. The number of publications will be flexible, depending on the time allotment for the research in relationship to clinical and administrative responsibilities. Emphasis on outstanding investigator-initiated or collaborative research as evidenced by publication of research findings or scholarly articles in top-tier journals and successful competition for research funding that demonstrates investigator independence will be considered in the advancement for the clinician-researcher.
University and Public Service
University and public service are required: Examples include medical school or campus committee memberships, board memberships of non-profit educational organizations, service through the Academy of Medical Educators, journal reviewer, and leadership in university service. Engagement in community service is also valued. Professional and public service activities that promote diversity and equal opportunity are to be especially encouraged and given recognition for the appointment or promotion in the evaluation of the candidate’s qualifications for advancement and promotion.
Advancement/Promotion
Advancement/Promotion Additional Considerations
Assistant to Associate Professor:
- Contribution to the Advancement of Science: Evolving leadership in a focused area of clinical practice or education that addresses important questions in the investigator’s chosen field.
- Recognition by Peers: Invitations to write editorials or evidence-based reviews, service on public research review committees or committees that set clinical guidelines, speaking invitations at major conferences or academic venues; letters of support for promotion, etc., attesting to the investigator’s leadership role in the academic community.
- Training & Mentoring: Excellence in teaching and participation in mentoring new clinicians and educators.
Associate to Professor:
- Contribution to the Advancement of Science: Assuming leadership responsibilities in a focused area of clinical practice or education that addresses important questions in the investigator’s chosen field.
- Recognition by Peers: Invitations to write editorials or evidence-based reviews, service on public research review committees or committees that set clinical guidelines, speaking invitations/leadership roles at major conferences or academic venues; letters of support for promotion, etc., attesting to the investigator’s leadership role in the academic community, chairing national/international meetings or workshop committees, training foreign research fellows, service on international committees, lectures and paper presentations at national and international meetings.
- Training & Mentoring: Assuming responsibility for teaching and mentoring, developing programs that support new clinicians and educators, and mentoring trainees
Professor Advancement:
- Contribution to the Advancement of Science: Leadership position(s) in a focused area of clinical practice or educational innovation that addresses important questions in the investigator’s chosen field.
- Recognition by peers: Invitations to write editorials or evidence-based reviews, service on public research review committees or committees that set clinical guidelines, speaking invitations/leadership roles at major national conferences or academic venues; letters of support for promotion, etc., attesting to the investigator’s leadership role in the academic community, chairing national/international meetings or workshop committees, training foreign research fellows, service on international committees, lectures and paper presentations at national and international meetings.
- Training & Mentoring: Assuming responsibility for teaching and mentoring, developing programs that support new clinicians and educators, mentoring trainees. The usual time at each Step at the Professor of Clinical level is 3 years. In order to advance from Step 5 to Step 6 at the Professor of Clinical level, continued leadership is needed in the department and/or hospital and/or university, excellent provision of clinical care, continued participation in the teaching of medical students/residents and/or fellows, a high level of professionalism, mentoring of junior faculty, and evidence of original or collaborative contributions are required.
For more detailed information, please read the guidelines, visit UCSF’s Academic Affairs website or contact our department’s Academic Affairs HR Manager.
For academic advancement, the department expects evidence that the research faculty member is continuously accelerating the rate of accomplishments in all of the domains relevant to each track. The Department places great emphasis on two manifestations of success in these series publication in first-tier, high impact journals. Publications should reflect the focused development of a faculty member's research career as well their role in the research conducted support from extramural grants and contracts at a level of > 50% of salary. Grant support from the NIH or similar federal agencies (CDC, DOD) is expected. Excellence in research, teaching and mentoring, professional activities (clinical activities, if appropriate), and University/public service: all of the criteria in the APM for these series must be met.
***8 year rule applies to this series***
For appointment, advancement, and promotion in the Adjunct series of C & T Researchers, the Department requires excellence in research and preferably more than one of the following categories:
1. Teaching and Mentoring
2. Professional Activities (clinical activities, if appropriate) and/or
3. University/Public Service
Advancement/Promotion
Advancement/Promotion Additional Considerations
Assistant Professor Advancement:
- Recognition by Peers/Public Service: Speaking invitations (or other roles) at major conferences or academic venues, regional or national committee assignments, service as an ad hoc reviewer for journals, national committees, NIH consensus conferences, participation on NIH review groups and letters of support attesting to the investigator's contributions are required.
- University Service: Should be minimal at this level.
Associate Professor to Professor:
- Contribution to the Advancement of Science: Leadership positions in a focused area of research that addresses important questions in the investigator's chosen field
- Recognition by Peers: Invitations to write editorials or evidence-based reviews, service on public research review committees or committees that set clinical guidelines, speaking invitations/leadership roles at major conferences or academic venues; letters of support for promotion, etc., attesting to the investigator's leadership role in the academic community. Chairing national and/or international meetings, workshop committees, training foreign research fellows, service on international committees, lectures and paper presentations at international meetings are highly valued. Participation and/or chair of NIH review committees are highly valued.
- Training & Mentoring: Success in developing young investigators and launching their careers as investigators. For research faculty in the In Residence & Ladder Rank series, integration into the department is also of primary importance, as shown by teaching and mentoring, collaboration and contribution to the vigor of the department.
Promotion to Professor 5 and 6:
- Recognition by peers: Invitations to write editorials or evidence-based reviews, service on public research review committees or committees that set clinical guidelines, speaking invitations/leadership roles at major conferences or academic venues; letters of support for promotion, etc., attesting to the investigator's leadership role in the academic community. Chairing national and international meetings, workshop committees, training foreign research fellows, service on international committees, lectures and paper presentations at international meetings, participation and/or chair of NIH review committees.
- Training & Mentoring: Leadership role in developing young investigators and launching their careers as investigators.
For more detailed information, please read the guidelines, visit UCSF’s Academic Affairs website or contact our department’s Academic Affairs HR Manager.
For appointment, advancement, and promotion in the Adjunct series of PhD and Physician Scientists, the Department requires excellence in research and preferably more than one of the following categories:
- Teaching and Mentoring
- Professional Activities (clinical activities, if appropriate) and/or
- University/Public Service
Exceptional achievements in one area may compensate for less activity in another area, i.e., a balance in all four categories is not required
***8 year rule applies to this series**
Advancement/Promotion
Advancement/Promotion Additional Considerations
Assistant Professor Advancement:
- Publications: Clear indication of their role in publication, and 20-30%should not include their lead mentor or supervisor at later steps.
- Recognition by peers: Speaking invitations (or other roles) at major conferences or academic venues, regional or national committee assignments, service as an ad hoc reviewer for journals, national committees, NIH consensus conferences, and on NIH review groups and letters of support attesting to the investigator’s contributions.
- Teaching and Mentoring of students and postdoctoral fellows.
Associate to Professor Promotion:
- Contribution to the Advancement of Science: Leadership positions in a focused area of research that addresses important questions in the investigator’s chosen field.
- Recognition by Peers: Invitations to write editorials or evidence-based reviews, service on public research review committees or committees that set clinical guidelines, speaking invitations/leadership roles at major conferences or academic venues; letters of support for promotion, etc., attesting to the investigator’s leadership role in the academic community. Chairing national and international meetings, workshop committees, training foreign research fellows, service on international committees, lectures and paper presentation sat international meetings, participation and/or chair of NIH review committees.
- Training & Mentoring: Success in developing young investigators and launching their careers as faculty members is required. Demonstrated ability in advising
Professor Advancement:
- Contribution to the Advancement of Science: Leadership positions in a focused area of research that addresses important questions in the investigator’s chosen field.
- Training & Mentoring: Demonstrated leadership role in developing young investigators and launching their careers as faculty is required. Mentoring of junior faculty and advising them on academic and career choices is recommended
- Teaching: A demonstrated track record of formal and informal teaching is an essential component of the evaluation of a step change.
- University Service: The candidate is expected to contribute to University life by actively participating in departmental and faculty committees, as well as governing bodies of the University.
Professor Promotion:
- Contribution to the Advancement of Science: Leadership position(s) in a focused area of research that addresses important questions in the investigator’s chosen field.
- Recognition by Peers: Invitations to write editorials or evidence-based reviews, service on public research review committees or committees that set research guidelines, speaking invitations/leadership roles at major conferences or academic venues; letters of support for promotion, etc., attesting to the investigator’s leadership role in the academic community. Chairing national and international meetings, workshop committees, training foreign research fellows, service on international committees, lectures and paper presentations at international meetings. Participation and/or chair of NIH review committees.
- Training & Mentoring: Demonstrated leadership role in developing young investigators and launching their careers as investigators is required
- Teaching: A demonstrated track record of formal and informal teaching is an important component of the evaluation of step change.
- University Service: The candidate is expected to contribute to the University life by actively participating in departmental and faculty committees, as well as governing bodies of the University.
For more detailed information, please read the guidelines, visit UCSF’s Academic Affairs website or contact our department’s Academic Affairs HR Manager.
If you are interested in an acceleration, please consult with your Division Chief to see if you would qualify for an acceleration based on the APM-defined criteria below or the Campus Policy document. If you are interested in requesting a review from OBCAP, please complete the Acceleration Request Form before March 15th of each year. For timing considerations, please see below.
The Merit/Promotion list is due to HR every March. REMINDER: We are always a year ahead when reviewing packets. Packets opened in July are for actions in the following year. (i.e. HR will open packets for merits/promotions effective July 1, 2020 on/before July 1, 2019 with the packet list confirmed March 2019). Please refer to the packet review timeline for details.
Generally, a change in series is considered at the time of promotion to Associate Professor, or at the point considered optimal given individual progress. Change in series requires fulfillment of the criteria for the new series and a national search.
Change in Series to Clinical X Series: Faculty in the Clinical series will be reviewed by the department Committee on Appointments and Promotions every four years, to determine whether change in series to the Clinical X series is appropriate, based on the domains listed in the Clinical X section.
Change in Series from Adjunct to Ladder/In-Series for Clinical Translational Research: A junior faculty member may request a change in series at any point. A change in series to In Residence or Ladder Rank requires above all excellence in research, as demonstrated by grant support, publications and impact on the investigator's field. For research faculty, integration into the department is also of primary importance, as shown by teaching and mentoring, collaboration and contribution to the vigor of the department. Generally, a change in series is considered at the time of promotion to Associate Professor, or at the point considered optimal given individual progress. Change in series requires fulfillment of the criteria for the new series and a national search.
Change in Series from Adjunct to Ladder/In-Series for PhD and Physician Scientists: A junior faculty member may request a change in series at any point. A change in series to In Residence or Ladder Rank requires above all excellence in research, as demonstrated by grant support, publications and impact on your field. For PhD and physician scientists, integration into the department activities is also of primary importance, as shown by teaching/mentoring, collaboration and contribution to the vigor of the department.
Clinical X Series: This is a more formal and extensive evaluation than required for step advancement, and requires the same elements as a full promotion package. It is meant to provide junior faculty with constructive advice and sufficient time to address any deficiencies for successful promotion to the rank of Associate Professor. The faculty member determines the exact timing of this appraisal with his/her advisors based on perceived accomplishments and need for guidance.
Clinical Translational Research Ladder/In-Residence/Adjunct Series: This is a more formal and extensive evaluation than required for step advancement, and requires the same elements as a full promotion package. It is meant to provide junior faculty with constructive advice and sufficient time to address any deficiencies for successful promotion to the rank of Associate Professor. The faculty member with their mentoring team determines the exact timing of this appraisal based on perceived accomplishments and need for feedback within the 3-6 years of appointment.
PhD and Physician Scientists Ladder/In-Residence/Adjunct Series: At approximately year 3-6 after appointment (most commonly year 4), an Appraisal of Achievement &Promise will occur for all junior faculty in these series. This is a more formal and extensive evaluation than required for step advancement, and requires the same elements as a full promotion package. It is meant to provide junior faculty with constructive advice and sufficient time to address any deficiencies for successful promotion to the rank of Associate Professor. The faculty member determines the exact timing of this appraisal and his/her advisors based on perceived accomplishments and the need for feedback within the 3-6 years of appointment.
Another option to consider would be the UCSF Career Review Process. This option does not allow for any appeals on the decision from the Career Review, it is not applied retroactively, and can only one Career Review may be conducted during your career at UCSF.
Departmental Publication Guidelines: The rate of publication should increase as the faculty member proceeds through the Assistant, Associate and Full Professor ranks. For on-time advancement, the Department expects mostly first, second, or senior authored (more senior-authored at later ranks) publications. Second authored and senior authored publications in which the faculty member has an especially significant role should be noted and described for all publications
First, second, or senior authored publications in first-tier journals that move the field forward will be weighted more heavily than multiple publications in lower impact journals.
Publications from primary data collection from the research faculty's research program will be weighted more heavily than publications from secondary data analysis.
The department also recognizes the value of other funding sources such as major foundations, cooperative agreements and contracts, professional societies and pharmaceutical or biotech companies as long as research is investigator initiated (IIR) that contributes to the improvement of health or alleviation of disease.
For research faculty with clinical responsibilities and/or clinical, teaching and/or administrative leadership that are critical to the mission of the department, the expectation for publications is slightly lower and will depend on the level and demands of these other duties.
Departmental Grant Support Guidelines: The primary compensation source is extramural. Virtually all junior clinical and translational research faculty in these series will obtain a career development award or equivalent to attain grant support of > 50% within the first few years on the faculty. Other sources of support that maintain > 50% funding are also acceptable and encouraged as noted above.
As researchers are promoted, the department places special emphasis on the continued likelihood of long-term extramural support beyond a career award.
reflect goal of using limited resources to support individuals who will build and expand programs, mentor trainees, and generate the maximum impact from the investments and commitments associated with promotion.
NIH awards will be weighted more heavily in the consideration for promotion than other types of support with the understanding that some research does not lend itself to NIH funding.
Documentation of effort: The Department recognizes that high quality clinical and translational research often requires multidisciplinary teamwork, a prolonged time frame for clinically meaningful results, and substantial funding. Therefore, it is especially important for researchers to document:
- Contributions to the Advancement of Health Care: Meaningful participation in high-quality multidisciplinary research that addresses important questions in the investigator's chosen field(s).
- Publications: Clear indication of role in publication, especially for secondand senior authored manuscripts.
- Recognition by Peers/ Public Service: Speaking invitations (or other roles) at major conferences or academic venues, regional or national committee assignments, service as an ad hoc reviewer for journals, national committees, NIH consensus conferences, participation on NIH review groups and letters of support attesting to the investigator's contributions. It is expected there will be a progression to leadership roles (i.e., chair of conferences, committees, societies, or NIH review groups) as researchers progress through the ranks of Assistant, Associate and Professor.
- University Service: Includes department, school, campus, & hospital service and should be minimal at the Assistant level with progression of responsibilities as researchers progress through the ranks of Associate and Professor.
- Teaching & Mentoring: Includes mentoring junior faculty, fellows, residents & students in research projects and careers, participation in research fellowship training, classroom lectures (focus on research methods), and continuing medical education. At the Associate and Professor levels, responsibility should progress to leadership roles, i.e. lead mentorship, director of research training programs, and/or director of mentoring programs.
Salary Support: All faculty are expected to fully support their salary. Beyond grant support, clinician researchers may use clinical income, teaching and/or administration funding sources. Non-clinician researchers are encouraged to develop sources of funding from teaching or administration to fully support their salary beyond extramural funding. The "correct" or "best" series usually is the one that most closely aligns with the faculty member's career goals and academic background.
8 Year Rule
Many Assistant Professors who intend eventually to succeed in the In-Residence series are initially appointed in the Adjunct series to allow for the possibility of more than 8 years at the assistant level prior to evaluation for promotion to Associate and a possible change in series. However, please note that UCSF is the only campus that does not apply the 8-year rule to the Adjunct or HS Clinical series. BUT, if a faculty member transfers to another UC, their time in that series at UCSF will count for purposes of the 8-year rule. Further, if they transfer to UCSF from another UC, their time as an Assistant Adjunct or Assistant HS Clinical on that campus will count toward the 8-year rule here.
Many Assistant Professors who intend eventually to succeed in the In-Residence series are initially appointed in the Adjunct series to allow for the possibility of more than 8 years at the assistant level prior to evaluation for promotion to Associate and a possible change in series. However, please note that UCSF is the only campus that does not apply the 8-year rule to the Adjunct or HS Clinical series. BUT, if a faculty member transfers to another UC, their time in that series at UCSF will count for purposes of the 8-year rule. Further, if they transfer to UCSF from another UC, their time as an Assistant Adjunct or Assistant HS Clinical on that campus will count toward the 8-year rule here.
