Academic appointments and promotion policies at University medical centers in the United States have required the introduction of special “tracks” which allow for the granting of academic titles to individuals whose contributions are predominantly in the areas of clinical training and clinical service. To provide optimal training and patient care, University medical centers must by necessity retain large faculties with widely varied expertise not all of whom can possibly be academically productive in the areas of teaching and research, as classically defined for other faculties. Thus, “modified” academic titles (whereby academic rank is prefixed or suffixed by the word ”clinical”) have been developed to formalize academic appointments and define criteria for promotion.

Appointment and promotion criteria for individuals in the FOM at AUB whose titles are similar to those in other faculties of the university (i.e. “unmodified title”, or “University Track” appointees) are identical to those followed by other University faculties. This document defines the appointment and promotion policies for the academic tracks in the FOM at AUB.

I. Definition of Tracks

• University Track (“Unmodified Title” track, e.g., Associate Professor of Medicine).
  Indicates primary involvement in scholarly activities, principally teaching and research. Individuals may also participate in patient care. There should be evidence of outstanding scholarship in the appointee’s field of interest, supported by a bibliography showing significant original research publications in high quality journals. Excellence in teaching should be documented by written evaluations from peers, course directors, and students. All basic science faculty are appointed in this track.
  
  
• Suffixed Clinical Track (e.g., Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine)
  Indicates primary involvement in patient care, but requires excellence in the area of clinical teaching as well as clear evidence of scholarly productivity as demonstrated by original research, development of new clinical programs, or unique instructional activities. The latter should be documented by a bibliography showing significant original research and publications in high quality journals. Excellence in teaching should be documented by written evaluations from peers, course directors, and students. This appointment is given only to full time faculty members, whose clinical practice is based entirely at the AUBMC. Appointees in this track must contribute at least 15 hours of teaching or research per week at AUBMC.
  
  
• Prefixed Clinical Track (e.g., Clinical Professor of Medicine).
  Indicates primary involvement in clinical training and patient care, with less emphasis on research. Evidence of active involvement and competence in clinical training should be provided from Department Chairs, Division Heads, Program Directors, peers, house staff, and students. Appointees in this track are part-time members of the faculty and part of their clinical practice may be in facilities outside of AUBMC. They must, however, perform all surgeries and other medical procedures at AUBMC, as well as direct all diagnostic tests and procedures and all referrals to AUBMC facilities and staff. Appointees in this track must contribute at least 15 hours of teaching per week at AUBMC.

II.  Requirements for Appointment

• University Track
  
  A. Instructor
  Candidates with MD or MD/PhD. degrees:
  
  
  • Postdoctoral training in a recognized residency program, preferably with international certification.
  • The candidate must have a minimum of one publication in a refereed journal in which the candidate is a major contributor. The publication shall not emanate from the candidate’s thesis in the case of the MD/PhD applicant.
    
    
  Candidates with PhD. degree:
  
  
• Postdoctoral training for two years.
• The candidate must have a minimum of two publications in refereed journals in which the candidate should be a major contributor. The publications should not emanate from work of candidate’s thesis.

B. Assistant Professor

• The candidate must fulfill all the requirements as Instructor.
• The candidate should have demonstrated promising potentials in teaching, and research.
• The candidate must have a minimum of three publications in refereed journals. The candidate must be a major contributor in at least two of the publications. The publications should not emanate from the applicant’s thesis in the case of PhD candidates.

C. Associate Professor



• The candidate must have minimal requirement for appointment as Assistant Professor.
• Normally the candidate must have spent five years in the rank of Assistant Professor.
• The candidate must have a minimum of eight publications in refereed journals of international standing. The candidate must be a major contributor in all eight publications

D. Professor

• The candidate must have minimal requirement for appointment as Associate Professor.
• Normally the candidate must have spent five years in the rank of Associate Professor.
• The candidate must have a minimum of eighteen publications in refereed journals of international standing. The candidate must be a major contributor in all eighteen publications
• Subject to university regulation, the candidate will qualify for tenure if the candidate has at least 23 publications in refereed journals. The candidate should be a major contributor in all the 23 publications.
  
  
• Suffixed Clinical Track
  
  A. Instructor
  Appointments to this track are limited to candidates with MD degrees.
  
  
• Postdoctoral training in a recognized residency program, preferably with international certification.
• The candidate must have a minimum of one publication in a refereed journal in which the candidate is a major contributor.

B. Assistant Professor



• The candidate must fulfill all the requirements as Instructor.
• The candidate should have demonstrated promising potentials in teaching, and research.
• The candidate must have a minimum of three publications in refereed journals.The candidate must be a major contributor in at least two of the publications.

C. Associate Professor



• The candidate must have minimal requirement for appointment as Assistant Professor.
• Normally the candidate must have spent five years in the rank of Assistant Professor.
• The candidate must have a minimum of eight publications in refereed journals of international standing. The candidate must be a major contributor in all eight publications.

D. Professor



• The candidate must have minimal requirement for appointment as Associate Professor.
• Normally the candidate must have spent five years in the rank of Associate Professor.
• The candidate must have a minimum of eighteen publications in refereed journals of international standing. The candidate must be a major contributor in all eighteen publications
• Subject to university regulation, the candidate will qualify for tenure if the candidate has at least 23 publications in refereed journals. The candidate should be a major contributor in all the 23 publications.
  
  
• Prefixed Clinical Track
  
  A. Instructor
  Appointments to this track are limited to candidates with MD degrees.
  
  
• Postdoctoral training in a recognized residency program, preferably with international certification.
• The candidate must have a minimum of one publication in a refereed journal in which the candidate is a major contributor.

B. Assistant Professor



• The candidate must fulfill all the requirements as Instructor.
• The candidate should have demonstrated promising potentials in teaching, and research.
• The candidate must have a minimum of one publication in refereed journals in which he is the major contribute.

C. Associate Professor



• The candidate must have minimal requirements for appointment as Assistant Professor.
• The candidate must have a minimum of three publications in refereed journals of international standing. The candidate must be a major contributor in all three publications.

D. Professor



• The candidate must have minimal requirements for appointment as Associate Professor.
• The candidate must have a minimum of five publications in refereed journals of international standing. The candidate must be a major contributor in all five publications.
   

• University Track
  Criteria for promotion within the University Track are in accord with the “Statement of Policy with Regard to Appointment and Tenure” (as amended and approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees on May 6, 1982 and by the Board of Trustees on June 15, 1990, June 21, 1996, June 19, 1998, November 20, 1998, March 19, 1999, November 19, 1999 and March 17, 2000).
  
  
• Suffixed Clinical Track
  
  A. Instructor to Assistant Professor
  Promotion to Assistant Clinical Professor must be achieved within three years from appointment to the rank of Instructor in Clinical Medicine. If, at the end of three years, criteria for promotion to Assistant Clinical Professor are not met candidates may be either:
  
  
  • terminated, or
  • appointed on yearly basis to the prefixed clinical track.
    
    
  Requirements for promotion:
  
  
  • Demonstration of excellence in teaching and research.
  • A minimum of two publications in major refereed journals since appointment to the rank of Instructor. The candidate should be a major contributor in both.
    
    
  B. Assistant Professor to Associate Professor
  Appointees to the rank of Assistant Clinical Professor will be notified by the end of the sixth year of the need for promotion to the rank of Associate Clinical Professor. Promotion must be achieved by the end of the seventh year. If promotion criteria to the rank of Associate Clinical Professor are not met by the end of the seventh year, candidates may be either:
  
  
  • terminated by the end of the eight year, or 
  • appointed on yearly basis to the prefixed clinical track.
    
    
Requirements for promotion:


• Demonstration of excellence in teaching and research.
• A minimum of five publications in major refereed journals, since appointment to the rank of Assistant Professor. The candidate should be a major contributor in all five.

C. Associate Professor to Professor
Appointees to the rank of Associate Clinical Professor will be notified by the end of the tenth year of the need for promotion to the rank of Professor of Clinical Medicine. Promotion must be achieved by the end of the eleventh year. If promotion criteria to the rank of Professor of Clinical Medicine are not met by the end of the eleventh year, candidates may be either:

• terminated by the end of the eleventh year, or
• appointed on yearly basis to the prefixed clinical track.

Requirements for promotion:

• Demonstration of excellence in teaching and research.
• A minimum of ten publications in major refereed journals, since appointment to the rank of Associate Professor. The candidate should be a major contributor in all ten.
  
  
• Prefixed Clinical Track

A. Instructor to Assistant Professor
Promotion to Clinical Assistant Professor must be achieved within three years from appointment to the rank of Clinical Instructor of Medicine. If, at the end of three years criteria for promotion to Clinical Assistant Professor are not met candidates may be either:

• terminated, or
• continued on yearly basis in the prefixed clinical track.

Requirements for promotion:

• Demonstration of excellence in teaching or service.
• A minimum of two publications in major refereed journals, since appointment to the rank of Instructor. The candidate should be a major contributor in both.

B. Assistant Professor to Associate Professor
Appointees to the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor will be notified by the end of the sixth year of the need for promotion to the rank of Clinical Associate Professor. Promotion must be achieved by the end of the seventh year. If promotion criteria to the rank of Clinical Associate Professor are not met by the end of the seventh year, candidates may be either:

• terminated by the end of the eight year, or
• continued on the yearly basis in the prefixed clinical track.

Requirements for promotion:

• Demonstration of excellence in teaching or service.
• A minimum of five publications in major refereed journals, since appointment to the rank of Assistant Professor. The candidate should be a major contributor in all five.

C. Associate Professor to Professor
Appointees to the rank of Clinical Associate Professor will be notified by the end of the tenth year of the need for promotion to the rank of Clinical Professor of Medicine. Promotion must be achieved by the end of the eleventh year. If promotion criteria to the rank of Clinical Professor of Medicine are not met by the end of the eleventh year, candidates may be either:

• terminated by the end of the eleventh year, or
• continued on the yearly basis in the prefixed clinical track.

Requirements for promotion:

• Demonstration of excellence in teaching or service.
• A minimum of ten publications in major refereed journals, since appointment to the rank of Associate Professor. The candidate should be a major contributor in all ten.

IV. Movement Among Tracks
Faculty members serving in one of the three academic tracks may request transfer to an equivalent or higher rank in any of the other tracks. Approval of such transfers shall follow the guidelines for academic appointments and promotions in those tracks as defined in this document.

V. Committee for Appointments and Promotions in the Faculty of Medicine
The Vice President for Medical Affairs and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine shall appoint a committee for consideration of all matters relating to appointments and promotions in the Faculty of Medicine. This committee will be charged with advising the Dean on matters of appointments and promotions, particularly in the Suffixed and Prefixed Clinical tracks. Appointments and promotions in the University Track will follow those defined by the “Statement of Policy with Regard to Appointment and Tenure” (as amended and approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees on May 6, 1982 and by the Board of Trustees on June 15, 1990, June 21, 1996, June 19, 1998, November 20, 1998, March 19, 1999, November 19, 1999 and March 17, 2000).