Ranks

Appointments to this rank are conferred without a track designation, except for appointments as assistant professor in the Clinician-Educator Track. Appointment as assistant professor may be considered for individuals who have achieved an M.D., Ph.D. or equivalent degree and who have completed appropriate postdoctoral training. Qualifications for initial appointment include promise as a teacher and scholar. Published papers of high quality are desirable.

Individuals who will contribute to graduate education and who hold a primary appointment in a basic science department are automatically appointed to the Graduate School. Those who will contribute to graduate education and hold a primary or secondary appointment in a bridge department are eligible for appointment to the Graduate School, as are those with a secondary appointment in a basic science department.

The initial appointment is usually for, but cannot exceed, three years. Reappointments may bring a faculty member's total years in rank as an Assistant Professor to no more than six years. Reappointment requires evidence of success as a teacher and scholar.

Any further appointment or promotion requires assignment to a faculty track. In order to be appointed to the Traditional Track, Investigator Track, or Clinician-Scholar Track, the candidate must achieve promotion to the rank of associate professor. In the Clinician-Educator Track the candidate may either continue as assistant professor or be promoted to associate professor.

Research appointments are available to persons holding the Ph.D. or M.D. degree or having equivalent training. There are three categories of research ranks: associate research scientist, research scientist, and senior research scientist. Fringe benefits may vary according to the source of salary. Many research faculty are employees of the University, and if employed at least half-time receive fringe benefits and are eligible for membership in the Yale University Retirement Annuity Plan.

Teaching is not required of any research appointee. Persons who are asked to undertake teaching should also be given a teaching appointment as a lecturer. In such circumstances an appropriate portion of the salary may be paid from a teaching budget; however, for research appointees who are already employed full-time, the total compensation cannot be increased by payment for teaching.

Research faculty have access to the same procedures as do the teaching faculty for reviewing decisions not to reappoint or promote, unless the decision is related to the termination of funding or non-renewal of a grant.

Research appointees who are paid from grants should be informed by the principal investigator of any change in the status of the grant as soon as possible after the information becomes available.

Voluntary faculty are typically clinicians or others who are employed outside of the School but make significant contributions to department programs at the medical center or at affiliated institutions. Each department has established guidelines for the nature of required participation, such as the relative importance of teaching students, supervising residents, engaging in scholarly activity, participating in department administration, and other activities.

Voluntary faculty typically do not receive compensation or benefits from the School.

With the approval of the chair, voluntary clinical faculty may become principal investigators of grants. Voluntary faculty are expected to be board eligible, licensed, or certified in their specialties.

This faculty employment category is designed to assist in advancing the School's clinical mission and enhance capabilities of the Yale Medical Group. Appointments are given for up to one year, on a full- or part-time basis. An approved Request for Faculty Position and an approved offer letter are required.

Clinicians are eligible for benefits (See Faculty Handbook, Section VIII, D).

Clinicians may coterminously hold appointments as Voluntary Faculty, subject to the provisions of the University, School and departmental policies and guidelines for those ranks.

These ranks are intended for the appointment of persons whose interests, as well as the interests of the University, are served by their continuing in a professional capacity outside the University while teaching less than full time. Adjunct faculty members do not serve as the principal advisers of dissertations or vote on faculty appointments. With the approval of the chair and the Dean or the Dean's designate, they may become principal investigators of grants.

Appointments are made for terms of up to three years at the rank of assistant professor and five years at the rank of associate professor or professor.

This rank is available for individuals who have recently completed professional training and who wish to embark on a full-time academic career. It has a one-year term, renewable for a maximum of three years.

This rank is also available for trainees in clinical fellowship programs who are qualified by prior training to provide independent clinical services and serve as teachers in fields of medicine. For such individuals the term of appointment is one year but it may be renewed for the length of the fellowship.