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8.1. Appointment and Promotion to Associate Professor

Harvard Medical School

Section 8 Table of Contents

For promotion to Associate Professor, the candidate is expected to manifest:

  • Substantial academic accomplishments since the candidate’s appointment as Assistant Professor
  • Significant scholarship (including first and senior author) that has advanced the candidate’s field
  • Evidence of a strong regional, and most often national, reputation in the Area of Excellence
  • Meaningful contributions to teaching at Harvard and/or its affiliated institutions
  • A track record of successful mentorship of trainees
  • When applicable, evidence of accomplishments in Significant Supporting Activities
  • Service within the candidate’s department, affiliated institution, or the larger Harvard community
  • Adherence to HMS/HSDM policies supporting the highest level of integrity and professionalism

The following metrics for the rank of Associate Professor can be found on our Promotion Profile Library webpage:

  • Area of Excellence (AoE)
    • Associate Professor, Clinical Expertise and Innovation
    • Associate Professor, Investigation
    • Associate Professor, Teaching and Educational Leadership
  • Other Significant Supporting Activities (SSA) (optional)
    • Administration and Institutional Service
    • Clinical Expertise
    • Education of Patients and Service to the Community
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    • Investigation
    • Special Merit in Education
  • All candidates will be evaluated for teaching and educational contributions

Initiating the Appointment and Promotion Process

Institutional and departmental review processes incorporate an evaluation of the candidate’s CV and assessment as to whether the academic criteria for promotion appear to be met. For faculty in the clinical departments, there is no required time by which a promotion must be considered. For faculty in the Basic or Social Science departments, promotion is generally considered by the time of completion of the second term as Associate Professor (i.e., by the end of year 6 (six) of the individual’s appointment as a voting member of the faculty), although earlier or later consideration are options.

Faculty members are encouraged to discuss periodically their eligibility for promotion with appropriate department leaders such as mentors, Division Chiefs and/or Department Heads.

For candidates in clinical departments, when the Department Head has decided to propose a faculty member for promotion, the candidate’s dossier is assembled for review by the HMS/HSDM Department Executive Committee.

Process:

Step 1: Department Head assesses candidate’s qualifications for promotion
  • The process begins with a meeting of the Department Head (or designee such as a mentor or Division Chief) and the candidate, ideally as part of the annual career conference, to discuss the process and review the candidate’s Faculty of Medicine CV and other relevant materials in consideration of the academic criteria for promotion to Associate Professor
  • Academic Department Heads are the only individuals who can propose candidates for promotion
  • Department Head determines readiness for appointment at this rank and develops a rationale for advancement in the candidate’s Area of Excellence
  • Department Head prepares a letter of nomination recommending the candidate for promotion
  • The candidate may be asked to provide a list of potential letter writers to the Department Head
  • Department Head (not the candidate) solicits letters of evaluation (see step 3 below for dossier requirements)
Step 2: Department Head proposes candidate to Department Executive Committee
  • The Department Head reviews the candidate’s qualifications with members of the Departmental Executive Committee and, in the absence of an Executive Committee, senior faculty in the department, or both. The faculty provide feedback to the Department Head on the proposed candidate and Area of Excellence and may recommend that the promotion move forward, that the Department Head obtain additional information, or that the department delay consideration pending achievement of other academic accomplishments by the candidate
  • The Executive Committee makes a formal recommendation in writing to the Dean regarding the candidate’s promotion. If there is any dissent or abstention, the letter to the Dean includes the reasons for either dissents or abstentions. If there is unanimity, signature of the chair of the Executive Committee on the Assistant and Associate Term Appointment Promotion Cover Sheet will suffice
Step 3: Department prepares and submits dossier to the OFA

Authorized department administrators should submit the following materials electronically to the OFA via Dropbox, with a corresponding notification email (without attachments) sent to PnR@hms.harvard.edu:

  • Form for Assistant and Associate Term Appointment Promotion Cover Sheet signed by the Department Head and, if different, the Executive Committee Chair
  • Medical Area Reporting System (MARS) Job Summary, which should be consistent with information on the Faculty of Medicine CV
  • The Department Head’s nominating letter
  • Required search documentation unless already provided with a Member of the Faculty Appointment
  • Candidate’s CV in the Faculty of Medicine format
    • Five (5) significant scholarly works identified by circling the number next to the reference
  • Annotated summary of the candidate’s five (5) significant scholarly works is suggested but not required
  • In those cases where the candidate has selected a publication on which they are a middle author, the candidate must describe in writing the contribution to the manuscript. The candidate’s description should be uploaded to Dropbox as a separate document
  • Candidate’s five (5) self-selected significant scholarly works as PDFs
    • If significant scholarly works are not in electronic format, contact the OFA (at PnR@hms.harvard.edu) to arrange for alternative submission
  • All letters of evaluation are solicited by the Department Head. The minimum number of letters is six (6)
  • These letters must be from faculty at the rank of Associate Professor or above. Additional letters from individuals not of these ranks may be submitted if they provide a unique and valuable perspective
  • Letters may not be from members of the Search Committee for newly appointed candidates selected by a search
  • Candidates should not contact letter writers or potential letter writers directly; inquiries from the letter writers should be directed to the Department
Step 4: OFA initiates promotion process & provides candidate access to a website to track the major milestones; OFA conducts detailed review of dossier

Upon receipt of the candidate dossier, the staff of the OFA will:

  • Provide access to a confidential website for tracking the status of the promotion available only to candidates with Harvard University IDs, the Department Head and the department promotions administrators: (https://profpromotions.hms.harvard.edu/)
  • Send an email to the candidate to alert them that the dossier has been received, the HMS evaluation process has started, and the website is available
  • Request modifications or additions as needed from the department
  • Once the materials are complete, schedule the dossier for review by the Promotions, Reappointments and Appointments Committee (P&R)
Step 5: Promotions, Reappointments and Appointments Committee (P&R) reviews dossier and makes recommendation
  • At the meeting, two members of the P&R Committee, not based in the candidate’s department or institution summarize the candidate’s dossier and make a recommendation on the proposed promotion
  • A departmental representative is present to respond to any questions. If questions regarding the dossier are available in advance of the meeting, they are forwarded to the departmental representative
  • Members of the committee provide individual, confidential feedback and vote on the nomination
Step 6: Dean makes a recommendation to the University
  • The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine reviews all recommendations from the Promotions, Reappointments and Appointments Committee (P&R)
  • The OFA submits the Dean’s recommendation to the University
  • No decision is final until the University review is complete
Step 7: University renders a decision
  • The University reviews the proposed appointment
  • A final decision is communicated to the Dean’s office and the OFA
Step 8: Notification of approval
  • The OFA informs the Department Head of the outcome via email
  • Formal letter is sent from the University directly to candidate

Last updated June 2023