Promotion & Tenure for the College of Medicine

The College of Medicine’s mission is to educate medical, graduate and physician assistant students, postdoctoral scholars and residents to develop research programs for the advancement of medical and scientific knowledge, and to provide a range of fully integrated patient care. In the discussion of promotion and tenure, it is important to identify these missions and to distinguish the differing roles which faculty members are required to fulfill.

To be considered for tenure and/or promotion, a faculty member of the College of Medicine should have demonstrated accomplishments in:

1. the scholarship of teaching and learning;
2. the scholarship of research and creative accomplishments;
3. service, and the scholarship of service to the University, society, and the profession; and
4. patient care, and the scholarship of patient care, when applicable.

The essential element in these accomplishments must be scholarship, which is defined as the thoughtful discovery, transmission, and application of knowledge¹. The College of Medicine encourages and supports collaborative and interdisciplinary research, consistent with the University Strategic Plan². Therefore, collaborative research performed by faculty members while serving a critical role in team research will be valued in a manner similar to comparable accomplishments in independent research. The proportion of accomplishments in each of the four missions, and the emphasis in their evaluation for any individual faculty member, should be in accordance with the agreed upon allocation of effort.

While faculty members are expected to perform well in all categories, clearly demonstrated professional excellence and/or sustained contribution in at least two areas must be achieved. Primary emphasis and assessment will be placed on contributions to the scholarship of teaching, research, and/or patient care, as outlined in the Departmental and College criteria for Promotion and Tenure.

The tenure line will be available to both basic science and clinical faculty.

Criteria for Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure

1. Assistant Professor: A new faculty member will be placed on the tenure line by agreement between the individual, the departmental chair, and the Dean. Appointment to this rank will be based on the following criteria:
   • Completion of doctoral and postdoctoral training.
   • Satisfactory recommendations from individuals who know the candidate’s work. At least one letter must come from a senior mentor at the previous place of training or employment, whether that employment was as a resident or postdoctoral trainee.
   • For all clinicians, appointment as an Assistant Professor requires meeting American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or equivalent requirements to enter the process for the appropriate specialty board certification or the equivalent.
   • The faculty member must have demonstrated the potential to teach medical students, physician assistant students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, or residents and the willingness to participate in service capacities in the University.
2. Associate Professor: Appointment or promotion to this rank will be based on the following criteria:
   • Demonstration of the ability to teach medical students, physician assistant students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, or residents, as well as participation in the administrative duties and the intellectual life of the University.
   • Performance of scholarly activity and the dissemination of the results of that activity.
   • Establishing mastery and independence in their field as demonstrated by acknowledgement of their work by their peers. For the clinician this shall also include appropriate ABMS or equivalent board certification.
   • Establishing a regional reputation in their discipline as manifested by membership in regional and national professional specialty societies, and presentation at local, regional and national meetings. This reputation should also be reflected in letters of evaluation from internal and external evaluators.
3. Professor: Such appointment or promotion will be based on the following criteria:
   • Demonstration of excellence and creativity in the teaching of medical students, physician assistant students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, or residents.
   • Showing evidence of recognized leadership in their discipline and evidence of continuing productivity manifest by additional dissemination of scholarly activity.
   • Showing evidence of a national reputation as demonstrated by membership in study sections, advisory groups, prestigious professional societies, as well as the receipt of awards, prizes, and other notable scholarly achievements including national recognition for leadership in the College of Medicine or the hospital. A clinician can also be recognized for superior scholarly accomplishments in their clinical specialty.
4. Tenure: Tenure requires evidence of sustained and ongoing scholarship sufficient to predict that productivity will continue during the remainder of the individual’s career. In addition to the record of scholarship, this typically requires written evaluations by both internal and external senior scholars in the candidate’s field.

The College of Medicine is committed to fostering the timely advancement of its associate professors to the rank of professor. For tenured faculty members at the rank of associate professor, documentation of a discussion of their progress towards promotion must be included in their 5-year post-tenure reviews and is encouraged to be included in annual reviews. The discussion should include an assessment of the faculty member’s progress towards promotion and identify aspects of the faculty member’s record that may need improvement. The promotion process for tenure-line faculty members is initiated by the Department Chair. A faculty member may request that the chair confer with their departmental P&T committee or a subcommittee of their departmental P&T committee to evaluate the faculty member’s candidacy for promotion. The contents of the supporting material will be at the discretion of the department and communicated to the candidate. Examples of such supporting materials may include a CV, a current draft of a dossier or a narrative statement. If the committee reaches consensus, the committee will provide a recommendation to the chair regarding nomination for promotion in the coming academic year which will be followed. If consensus is not reached, the committee will provide a list of strengths or weaknesses to the chair for consideration, at which point the chair will decide whether to nominate the faculty member for promotion. Regardless of the recommendation of the advisory review, department chairs will provide the candidate with the results of advisory review including the strengths as well as areas that may require further attention prior to a formal review for advancement to full professor. This process is intended to be developmental and helpful, and no record of this will be placed in the candidate’s dossier.

Associate professors who have not been recommended for consideration for promotion by the departmental P&T committee/departmental advisory committee, and believe they have not been fairly reviewed, shall have the opportunity to seek advice from the college ombudsperson.

Faculty who have been nominated for promotion to full professor and are undergoing a formal promotion review, if the peer review committee does not recommend promotion and the department chair agrees, after consulting with the dean of the College of Medicine, the department chair should discuss with the candidate the advisability of withdrawing the dossier.

The non-tenure line will be available to both basic science and clinical faculty. Appointment or promotion to these ranks will be based on the following criteria.

Criteria for Appointment and Promotion

1. Instructor – An instructor should possess at least a master’s degree or its equivalent, or be an active candidate for a terminal degree, in an academic field related to their teaching specialization.
2. Researcher – The researcher should possess at least a master’s degree or its equivalent, or be an active candidate for a terminal degree, in an academic field related to their research.
3. Assistant Professor – The assistant professor should possess a terminal degree in an academic field related to their specialization; alternatively, the assistant professor without a terminal degree should possess at least a master’s degree or its equivalent in an academic field related to their specialization; must have demonstrated ability as a teacher and adviser or excellence in ability as a researcher; and must have shown evidence of professional growth, scholarship, and/or mastery of subject matter in their discipline.
   • Satisfactory recommendations from individuals who know the candidate’s work. At least one letter must come from a senior mentor at the previous place of training or employment, whether that employment was as a resident or postdoctoral trainee.
   • For all clinicians, appointment as an assistant professor requires meeting American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or equivalent requirements to enter the process for the appropriate specialty board certification or the equivalent.
   • The faculty member must have demonstrated the potential to teach medical students, physician assistant students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, or residents and the willingness to participate in service capacities in the University.
4. Associate Professor – The associate professor should possess a terminal degree in an academic field related to their teaching specialization; must have demonstrated ability as a teacher and adviser; and must have shown evidence of professional growth, scholarship, and/or mastery of subject matter. Alternatively, the associate professor should possess at least a master’s degree or its equivalent in an academic field related to their specialization; must have demonstrated excellence in ability as a teacher and adviser or researcher while in the rank of assistant professor; and must have shown evidence of professional growth, scholarship, and/or mastery of subject matter at a level of distinction beyond that of the assistant professor.
   • Demonstration of the ability to teach medical students, physician assistant students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, or residents, as well as participation in the administrative duties and the intellectual life of the University.
   • Performance of scholarly activity and the dissemination of the results of that activity.
   • Establishing mastery and independence in their field as demonstrated by acknowledgement of their work by their peers. For the clinician this shall also include appropriate ABMS or equivalent board certification.
   • Establishing a regional reputation in their discipline as manifested by membership in regional and national professional specialty societies, and presentation at local, regional and national meetings. This reputation should also be reflected in letters of evaluation from internal and external evaluators.
5. Professor – The professor should possess a terminal degree or its equivalent in an academic field related to their teaching or research.
   • Demonstration of excellence and creativity in the teaching of medical students, physician assistant students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, or residents.
   • Showing evidence of recognized leadership in their discipline and evidence of continuing productivity manifest by additional dissemination of scholarly activity.
   • Showing evidence of a national reputation as demonstrated by membership in study sections, advisory groups, prestigious professional societies, as well as the receipt of awards, prizes, and other notable scholarly achievements including national recognition for leadership in the College of Medicine or the hospital. A clinician can also be recognized for superior scholarly accomplishments in their clinical specialty.

To be considered for promotion, a non-tenure line faculty member in the College of Medicine should perform well in all categories in which they participate (teaching, research, service, patient care) and must achieve clearly demonstrated professional excellence and/or sustained contribution in a least one or two areas, depending upon the department’s policy. The criteria for performance in these areas are the same as for tenure-line faculty.

Non-tenure line faculty members in both basic science and clinical departments should be reviewed for promotion eligibility at least every five years at the departmental level. Promotion typically is recommended after a minimum of five years in rank; evaluation of candidates for promotion should be based primarily upon performance and not solely on meeting a time-in-rank guideline. The promotion process for non-tenure line faculty members is initiated by the Department Chair. Consideration for promotion requires review of a full Dossier in the same manner as tenure-line faculty. There is no University-level review.

A faculty member may request that the chair confer with their departmental P&T committee or a subcommittee of their departmental P&T committee to evaluate the faculty member’s candidacy for promotion. The contents of the supporting material will be at the discretion of the department and communicated to the candidate. Examples of such supporting materials may include a CV, a current draft of a dossier or a narrative statement. If the committee reaches consensus, the committee will provide a recommendation to the chair regarding nomination for promotion in the coming academic year which will be followed. If consensus is not reached, the committee will provide a list of strengths or weaknesses to the chair for consideration, at which point the chair will decide whether to nominate the faculty member for promotion. Regardless of the recommendation of the advisory review, department chairs will provide the candidate with the results of advisory review including the strengths as well as areas that may require further attention prior to a formal review for promotion. This process is intended to be developmental and helpful, and no record of this will be placed in the candidate’s dossier.

Non-tenure line faculty members who have not been recommended for consideration for promotion by the departmental P&T committee/departmental advisory committee, and believe they have not been fairly reviewed, shall have the opportunity to seek advice from the college ombudsperson.

The College of Medicine Promotion and Tenure Committee is a committee comprised of 8 members elected by the tenure-line and tenured faculty of the Faculty Organization (4 basic science plus 4 clinical), and 3 members appointed by the Dean to serve staggered two-year terms. Members are required to hold the rank of professor and be tenured. Re-election to a second consecutive 2-year term is possible. After two 2-year terms, the faculty member must stand down for at least 2 years. The chair is selected by the Dean on an academic year basis.

The College of Medicine Non-Tenure Line Promotion Committee is comprised of 11 members elected by the non-tenure line faculty of the Faculty Organization, and 4 members appointed by the Dean to serve staggered two-year terms. Members are required to hold the rank of professor and have non-tenure line appointments. Re-election to a second consecutive 2-year term is possible. After two 2-year terms, the faculty member must stand down for at least 2 years. The chair is selected by the Dean on an academic year basis.

Academic administrators (department chair or above) or faculty who hold a position that reports directly to the Dean are not eligible to serve on the College Committee. Members must recuse in advance of any discussion if there is a declared conflict of interest. Faculty members on leave of absence, including sabbatical leave, are prohibited from participating in college promotion and tenure committees.

Each faculty member supplies relevant and accurate information for inclusion in the dossier. The College of Medicine requires faculty members undergoing formal review to utilize Activity Insight to generate their dossier, which may be edited or supplemented after it is created. Faculty members are responsible for ensuring their information entered into their dossier is complete, accurate and in accordance with the annual department and college deadlines.

This section applies to faculty members of the College of Medicine who hold “adjunct” appointments and are not employed by The Pennsylvania State University or by Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. “Adjunct” appointments are for physicians who perform educational or research services for the College of Medicine without remuneration, and for basic scientists who perform educational or research services without remuneration.

When an individual is appointed as an “adjunct” faculty member, the determination of rank is based on prior academic experience and credentials in the academic areas of teaching, research, service, and patient care as described above in Section II. If the individual has held no prior academic appointment, the initial appointment typically will be at the rank of Adjunct Assistant Professor. The nominating Department Chair may wish to provide information to supplement the CV in cases where the CV does not fully reflect prior teaching or other academic experience or scholarship. Documentation of board certification is required for physicians.

Volunteer faculty members should be reviewed for promotion eligibility at least every five to 10 years at the department level. A recommendation for promotion should be based on evidence of ongoing excellence in teaching or research; expansion of teaching responsibilities, such as assuming leadership for training activities or program development; scholarly contributions to teaching, patient care, or research; or other evidence of leadership in the profession.

The promotion process is initiated by the Department Chair and should involve the departmental promotion committee. A nomination letter addressed to the Dean should summarize accomplishments in teaching or research and any other relevant mission area(s) since the initial appointment or last promotion. This letter and a current CV should be submitted to the Office of Faculty Affairs no later than April 1. If approved by the Dean, the promotion takes effect on July 1.

¹ UniSCOPE 2000: A Multidimensional Model of Scholarship for the 21st Century. Penn State, 2000. P.2.

² Our Commitment to Impact: The Pennsylvania State University’s Strategic Plan for 2016-2025.

College of Medicine Promotion and Tenure Criteria adopted January 2000
Revised and accepted July 2003
Revised and accepted January 2010
Revised and accepted June 2012
Formatting revised August 2016
Revised November 2016
Revised March 2017
Revised April 2017
Revised December 2017
Revised March 2018
Revised July 2021
Revised July 2022
Revised July 2023
Revised July 2024