The details below represent the various titles in the Faculty of Medicine and the basic criteria, process, and term for each rank.
Ladder faculty refer to individuals at the rank of Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor (including Professor of Clinical X). Ladder faculty are eligible to be considered for promotion along the academic ladder until attaining the rank of Professor.
Non-ladder faculty refer to Lecturers (including Senior Lecturers), Professors in Residence, and Professors of the Practice.
In this section:
Full-time, Ladder
Title: Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor (including Professor of Clinical X)
More About Full-time, ladder
Level of effort: ≥ 4 days per week at HMS/HSDM and/or primary affiliates (Full-time faculty may spend one of the four days working at an affiliate of an affiliate.”)
Academic Criteria: As per criteria in chapter 6, emphasis on scholarship, level of reputation, teaching, and service; only Longer Service criteria for Assistant Professor do not require written scholarship
Other Criteria: Doctorate; may not hold an executive position in a for-profit entity
Process: For Professor appointment, ad hoc review and SOP; for Assistant and Associate Professor appointments, P&R or Longer Service Committee; for Instructor appointments, review by Dean’s office
Term: Professor: indefinite; Professor of Clinical X: five years; Associate Professor: five years; Assistant Professor: three years; Instructor: one year
Search required? Yes, unless Professor of Clinical X
Part-time, Ladder
Title: Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, Part-time
More About Part-time, ladder
Level of effort: ≥ 1 day per week, but fewer than 4 days per week, at HMS/HSDM and/or primary affiliates
Academic Criteria: Same as for full-time ladder appointments
Other Criteria: Doctorate; may not hold an executive position in a for-profit entity Process: For Professor appointment, ad hoc review and SOP; for Assistant and Associate Professor appointments, P&R or Longer Service Committee; for Instructor appointments, review by Dean’s office
Term: Professor: five years; Associate Professor: five years; Assistant Professor: three years; Instructor: one year
Search required? No
Lecturer
Title: Lecturer or Lecturer, Part-time
More About Lecturer
Level of effort: May be from full-time to less than 1 day per week but at least 50 hours of teaching of Harvard learners per year
Academic Criteria: Teaching excellence; no requirement for written scholarship Other Criteria: Will be a part-time appointment unless commitment is > 4 days per week
Process: Dean’s office review; opportunity to advance to a three- year Lecturer appointment after three one-year terms and documentation of sustained, exceptional teaching contributions to Harvard
Term: One year unless appointed three-year Lecturer
Search required? No
Senior Lecturer
Title: Senior Lecturer or Senior Lecturer, Part- time
More About Senior Lecturer
Level of effort: May be from full-time to less than 1 day per week but at least 50 hours of teaching of Harvard learners per year
Academic Criteria: Academic contributions and reputation are consistent with the general criteria for a full Professor appointment and/or has previously held an unmodified title as Professor at an outside institution
Other Criteria: Rare appointment; will be a part-time appointment unless commitment is ≥ 4 days per week
Process: Dean’s office review; opportunity to advance to a three-year Senior Lecturer appointment after three one-year terms and documentation of sustained, exceptional teaching contributions to Harvard
Term: One year unless appointed three-year Senior Lecturer
Search required? No
Professor in Residence
Title: Professor in Residence
More About Professor in Residence
Level of effort: ≥ 4 days per week at HMS/HSDM or primary affiliate (Full-time faculty may spend one of the four days working at an “affiliate of an affiliate.”)
Title: Professor in Residence
Academic Criteria: Has previously held appointment as Professor at outside institution; national reputation
Other Criteria: Doctorate; rare appointment; short-term position must be authorized by Provost before individual can be nominated; limited to a five-year term with one option for renewal; no rank below Professor; external recruitment only
Process: Department requests short-term position of Dean; if position authorized by Dean and Provost, Dean’s office obtains letters of comparison for review by Senior Appointments Committee, CAD/PCC/SSC (as appropriate), and SOP
Term: Five years and option for one renewal of the five- year term (subject to review)
Search required? No
Professor of the Practice
Title: Professor of the Practice
More About Professor of the Practice
Level of effort: May be full-time (≥ 4 days per week) or part-time (≥ 1 day per week, but fewer than 4 days per week) at HMS/HSDM or primary affiliate. (Full-time faculty may spend one of the four days working at an “affiliate of an affiliate.”)
Academic Criteria: Established national reputation in a health-related field outside of academia, e.g., from government, industry, or the non-profit sector
Other Criteria: Doctorate (ordinarily); rare appointment; position must be authorized by Dean before individual can be nominated; five-year term appointment subject to renewal upon review; no rank below Professor; external recruitment only
Process: Department requests short-term position of Dean; if authorized, Dean’s office obtains letters of comparison for review by Senior Appointments Committee, CAD/PCC/SSC (as appropriate), and SOP
Term: Five years with option for unlimited renewal (subject to review)
Search required? No
Professor of Clinical X
Title: Professor of Clinical X (where “X” refers to the clinical department)
More About Professor of Clinical X
Level of effort: ≥ 4 days per week at HSDM or a primary affiliate of HMS (Full-time faculty may spend one of the four days working at an “affiliate of an affiliate”)
Academic Criteria: Impact and reputation for advancing the practice of medicine; demonstrated record of clinical expertise, clinical excellence, and teaching excellence
Other Criteria: Physician or physician equivalent; minimum of five (5) years as Associate Professor at HMS/HSDM; five-year term appointment subject to renewal upon review; no rank below Professor
Process: Dean’s office obtains letters of comparison for review by Senior Appointments Committee; department conducts 360 evaluation; reviewed by Professor of Clinical X Committee
Term: Five years and option for unlimited renewal (subject to review)
Search required? N/A (external candidates ineligible)
Professor Emeritus/ Emerita
Title: Professor, Professor of Clinical X, Professor in Residence, or Professor of the Practice Emeritus/Emerita
More About Professor Emeritus/ Emerita
Level of effort: Determined by Department Head
Academic Criteria: Full-time Professor, Professor of Clinical X, Professor in Residence, or Professor of the Practice
Other Criteria: Retiree, age 60+ or older with at least 5 years of continuous Harvard University service; faithful fulfillment of research, teaching, and service obligations
Process: Department requests position of Dean upon retirement of faculty member
Term: Indefinite
Search required? N/A
Corresponding Member of the Faculty
Title: Corresponding Member of the Faculty
More About Corresponding Member of the Faculty
Level of effort: Determined by Department Head
Academic Criteria: Ladder faculty member other than full-time Professor
Other Criteria: Retiring ladder faculty member other than full-time Professor, greater than age 60 with at least 10 years of active Harvard service and maintaining some limited role at Harvard
Process: Department requests position of Dean upon retirement of faculty member
Term: One year, renewable based on continued association with Harvard
Search required? No
Member of the Faculty
Title: Member of the Faculty
More About Member of the Faculty
Level of effort: Determined by Department Head
Academic Criteria: Holding appointment for new faculty while awaiting approval of intended title
Other Criteria: None
Process: Department requests position of Dean
Term: One year, renewable for one year
Search required? Yes
Last updated June 2023