A visiting appointment is provided for individuals who are visiting the University as teachers and/or investigators for variable periods.
Eligibility
Faculty offered a visiting appointment must hold a title at another accredited academic or educational institution or a scientific appointment in industry. Visiting appointments are limited to a maximum of two consecutive years within a six-year period and may be renewed only six years after the end date of the last visiting appointment. For example, if a faculty member visits for one (1) month in one (1) year and six (6) months in the next year, the next time a visiting appointment would be available would be six (6) years after the end of the second appointment.
Criteria for appointment
A visiting title is appropriate for individuals from other academic institutions or industry coming to HMS or HSDM for one week or more as an invited Professor or intermittently throughout an academic year, and who are:
- From other institutions and on sabbatical or a leave of absence from their home institution for up to 24 months or
- Involved in on-site research collaboration while the individual is working at HMS, HSDM, or one of the affiliated institutions
Rank of Appointment
The rank of a Visiting Faculty member should be identical to that at the visitor’s home university and may be Visiting Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, Visiting Assistant Professor, Visiting Instructor or, if academic rank titles are not in use at the home institution, Visiting Lecturer. For scientists from non-university scientific institutions without academic titles, an appointment as Visiting Scientist may be appropriate.
Term
Visiting Faculty members are typically appointed for 12 months or less. In some instances, visiting appointments may be extended for another 12-month period with approval from the Office for Faculty Affairs (OFA).
Appointment after Completion of Term
Visiting Faculty who continue to contribute to the teaching mission of HMS/HSDM for at least 50 hours per year following their maximum two-year visiting term may be considered for a Lecturer, Part-time appointment.
Note: A Visiting Faculty member cannot become a term or permanent faculty member unless they are found to be the leading candidate in a full and open search.
Visiting Faculty at Affiliate Hospitals
For visiting faculty based at affiliates, a concomitant hospital appointment is required. Additionally, the academic department assumes responsibility for all licensing and credentialing for those individuals who will be involved in clinical care during the period of the visiting appointment.
Last updated June 2023