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INFORMATION FOR

Academic Clinician Track

The Academic Clinician track emphasizes excellence in patient care, education as trainees are available, and research as a possibility.
Credit: Robert A. Lisak

As described in the Yale Faculty Handbook:

The Academic Clinician Track is designed to assist in advancing the School’s clinical and educational missions and to enhance the capabilities of the School and its affiliated healthcare systems. Appointments may be considered for individuals who hold an MD, PhD, or equivalent terminal clinical degree. Faculty in this track provide the highest quality of patient care or healthcare practice consistent with the policies, standards, and guidelines of the School and its affiliated healthcare systems.

Individuals who demonstrate excellence as practitioners in their field are eligible for appointment in the Academic Clinician Track. Faculty in this track must play an integral role in the department’s clinical programs either directly or through their administrative activities. They are expected to participate in teaching and to facilitate research/scholarship when those activities exist at their practice site(s). Faculty on this track with significant administrative roles—such as those serving as program directors, course directors, thread leaders, or in other high-intensity teaching roles in the medical student, residency and fellowship, physician associate, and physician assistant programs—but for whom original scholarship is not a focus, are eligible for this track. Appointments can be on a full- or part-time basis.

Faculty appointed to this track are expected to maintain required clinical practice credentials. Appointments terminate upon a final determination of revocation or denial of clinical practice privileges or by removal of clinical duties upon notice by the School with an opportunity for the faculty member to respond. There is no entitlement to reappointment. Appointments are contingent upon the financial support for the position, which is reviewed annually by the department. Reappointments are based upon clinical and/or educational excellence and productivity, financial support of the position, sustained professionalism, and the programmatic needs of the department and School, defined prospectively based on the faculty role. If a faculty member is not meeting expectations, including those pertaining to professionalism, as determined by the department and the Office of the Dean, then non-reappointment may result.

In the Academic Clinician Track, appointments and compensation for faculty are conditioned upon the availability of salary support from specified sources. Reductions in salary support may result in commensurate reductions in compensation or, in the case of the absence of salary support, in termination of the appointment and compensation. In any case, termination prior to the end of an appointment for lack of salary support requires 90 days’ written notice.

Supplemental information can be found in the YSM Ladder Faculty Track Metrics document.

Appointments in this track can be on a full- or part-time basis, and there is the expectation of maintaining clinical practice credentials. Appointments may be renewed based on a number of factors, including the continued need for the position, the availability of resources for the position, and the clinical excellence and productivity of the individual.

Assistant Professor

Description:

As described in the Yale Faculty Handbook:

Appointments to the rank may be considered for individuals who have a demonstrated level of clinical skill and excellence commensurate with the requirements of their clinical specialty for which they are being appointed. They must also satisfy other clinical practice requirements of the department and of the School of Medicine and its affiliated healthcare system(s) as set forth in the official offer letter. Faculty at this rank may also participate in teaching and research/scholarship when those activities occur at their practice site(s), usually in the context of clinical care delivery. They also may be engaged in educational administration and leadership.

Appointments are made for terms of up to three years. There is no limit to the number of years a faculty member may serve at this rank, but there is no entitlement to reappointment. Faculty on this track are encouraged to establish an area of concentration within their specialty or area of leadership that facilitates greater recognition within and beyond Yale and that may be helpful for a subsequent academic promotion review. Non-reappointment requires six months’ written notice for terms of appointment greater than one year. One-year appointments require 60 days’ written notice.

Process:

Terms for this track/rank are for up to three years and renewable without limit.

Appointment to assistant professor in this track does NOT require presentation to a YSM A&P Committee or the BPO.

Appointment to this rank requires:

  • Completion of the RFP, Interfolio, and FSRP processes and a signed offer letter
  • Yale CV1
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Review/approval:
  • Workday entry

Reappointment processes, including review requirements, are determined by departments. Once completed, departmental faculty affairs staff should enter reappointments into Workday, preferably by June 1 for new terms beginning July 1.

Associate Professor

Description:

As described in the Yale Faculty Handbook:

Candidates for appointment or promotion to the rank of associate professor in the Academic Clinician Track must have an outstanding record of patient care or contributions to the clinical mission. They typically play a leadership role in clinical and/or educational program development or clinical service development that is recognized by others within and beyond Yale and its affiliated healthcare systems. Faculty appointed or promoted to this rank typically have demonstrated excellence in teaching or in mentoring of Yale trainees or in the dissemination of knowledge to practitioners within or beyond their institution. In addition, they are expected to have made identifiable contributions to their field, for example, through participation in professional organizations, scholarly activities, or contributing to clinical trials or through other professional activities or collaborations.

Appointments are made for terms of up to five years. There is no limit to the number of terms a faculty member may serve at this rank, but there is no entitlement to reappointment. Non- reappointment requires one year’s written notice for multi-year appointments. One-year appointments require 60 days’ written notice.

Process:

Terms for this rank are for up to five years and renewable without limit.

Appointment to this rank requires:

Promotion to this rank requires:

Reappointment processes, including review requirements, are determined by departments. Once completed, departmental faculty affairs staff should upload the CV of the faculty members who are being reappointed to Interfolio. After approval by the BPO, the reappointments should be entered into Workday, preferably no later than June 1 for new terms beginning July 1.

Professor

Description:

As described in the Yale Faculty Handbook:

Candidates for appointment or promotion to the rank of professor in the Academic Clinician Track should be distinguished practitioners who demonstrate eminence in the field and sustained excellence in their area of practice. They will be expected to be recognized as master clinicians and/or educators who are recognized by peers at and beyond Yale for their abilities and contributions to their discipline and clinical and/or educational program, as for example through professional leadership. In addition to clinical excellence, faculty appointed or promoted to this rank typically have demonstrated exemplary contributions to their field. Typically, they have served in expert or leadership roles within a professional organization committee, clinical trials, or other recognized professional activities or collaborations.

Faculty appointed or promoted to this rank are expected to sustain their exemplary contributions to the institution and their field and to exemplify leadership in either education or clinical operations. Terms may be up to five years, with the possibility of reappointment in accordance with applicable policies and procedures. Non-reappointment requires one year’s written notice. One-year appointments require 60 days’ written notice.

Process:

Terms for this rank are for up to five years and renewable without limit.

Appointment to this rank requires:

Promotion to this rank requires:

Reappointment processes, including review requirements, are determined by departments. Once completed, departmental faculty affairs staff should upload the CV of the faculty members being reappointed to Interfolio. After approval by the BPO, the reappointments should be entered into Workday, preferably no later than June 1 for new terms beginning July 1.