The annual faculty review process has begun, with an invitation for surgical faculty to reflect on their own successes, challenges, and aspirations; and how leadership can best (or better) support them.
"This isn't a 'performance' quantification exercise, as much as it is a personal pulse check," said Department of Surgery Chair, Dr. Nita Ahuja, who introduced the new process in 2019.
The review, which consists of an online self-evaluation, a 1:1 meeting with faculty and Division Chiefs, and a 1:1 meeting with the Chair, has iterated over the years to capture circumstantial data (the impact of COVID, for example); and includes some recurring questions about work-life balance, which allow for critical, longitudinal analysis (e.g. How would your Chief know if you were at risk for burning out? What motivates you?).
"It's the face-time that is most important," said Dr. Ahuja, who meets with every one of the Department faculty who are invited to self-schedule to her calendar.
This isn't a 'performance' quantification exercise, as much as it is a personal pulse check.
Chair, Dr. Nita Ahuja
"I think that there's an old-school culture in academia that makes 'review' a derogatory term. Quite the opposite. We're all mutually invested in making the Department as great as we can, and that requires honest dialogue about our strengths, how we can help each other, and a relationship. That's what this process is about: empowering our people to speak up about what's important to them. That's important to me too."