A variety of professional development programs and recognitions are offered to faculty in all career stages at Penn State College of Medicine.
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Professional Development Opportunities
A variety of professional development events and workshops are offered at Penn State Health/Penn State College of Medicine.
Upcoming events are listed here; click any event for details or to add it to your Outlook calendar.
A variety of accredited continuing education programs for medical professionals are offered.
See Continuing Education website for full list of upcoming programs
“Demystifying Promotion,” a panel discussion by fixed-term faculty, is held twice a year – once in the spring and once in the fall. When scheduled, dates appear on the Office of Faculty Affairs page.
The process of promotion can feel like a daunting task. Common questions include: How do you know when you are ready to be promoted? Who should be considered for external reviewers? How do you best create a personal statement?
By bringing together a group of recently promoted associate and full professor faculty from multiple departments, this workshop is designed to aid faculty beginning or considering the promotion process.
Any faculty member who is considering promotion in the future – not just in the coming year – is encouraged to attend.
The Woodward Center is designed to assist learners and educators in the development and use of effective learning and teaching methods.
A variety of educator development opportunities are offered through the Woodward Center, including EdVenture, the annual celebration of education at Penn State College of Medicine.
The center serves as a collaborative partner with learners, faculty and staff to develop the tools needed to support successful learning in a variety of learning environments.
Learn more about the Woodward Center’s educator development opportunities
The annual Grants Academy program is for postdocs and faculty who plan to submit a grant application.
Grants Academy is a structured, non-credit workshop intended to assist participants with preparation and submission of an independent investigator-initiated grant application.
Applications include submissions to the NIH (such as R01, R21, K01, K08, K23), the American Cancer Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association (among others). Participants will be asked to commit to submit a grant application, with support of their chair, in the summer/fall of each year.
Program directors are:
- Dr. Sarah Bronson, Associate Dean for Interdisciplinary Research, Director of Research Development, Co-Director of the Junior Faculty Development Program and Associate Professor of Cellular & Molecular Physiology
- Dr. Kent Vrana, Elliot S. Vesell Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology, former Chair of the NIH Molecular NeuroPharmacology and Signaling (MNPS) Study Section
- Dr. Sheila Vrana, Associate Dean for Research, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Director of the Office of Research Affairs
The Health Systems Science Academy (HSSA) was launched in September 2016 and is designed to develop teachers and role models in Health Systems Science within each department who will guide the new learning and practice models that are evolving for increasingly complex population-focused health care systems.
Health Systems Science includes core concepts related to health care delivery, clinical informatics, public and population health, value-based care, health system improvement, and healthcare policy. This Academy is specifically designed to develop a core group of Health Systems Science scholars, broadly representative across our departments, who will educate and guide learners from undergraduate medical students, graduate medical trainees, and faculty in learning, practicing, and teaching the core principles of Health Systems Science.
The program runs from September through May, and applications are accepted beginning in February for the coming academic year.
Overview
What: An educational program to discuss best practices in delivery of the annual review
Who: All administrator officers who perform annual reviews of faculty members
Why: To improve the process for annual reviews for the benefit of faculty members, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine
Program Details
Improving the AC-40: An Interactive Peer-to-Peer Program is designed to discuss best practices in the delivery of annual reviews to faculty and is intended for all administrative officers who conduct annual reviews of faculty members (e.g., department chairs, division chiefs, section chiefs and others).
The goal of this session is to reduce variability and improve the delivery of AC-40s for the benefit of faculty members and those who deliver AC-40s at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine. Special focus is given to how to account for COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions in academic, educational and clinical productivity, as well as how to use Activity Insight to improve the AC-40 process.
This program relies on the expertise of existing AC-40 officers, with the goal of sharing meaningful, actionable strategies. This program is designed to seed future workshops designed to further improve the AC-40 process.
Recording
A recording of this session is available on Mediasite (Penn State Health ePass login required).
The Office of Interprofessional Collaborative Education and Teamwork (ICE-T) at Penn State College of Medicine offers a variety of programs to support faculty and staff facilitators involved in interprofessional education.
The Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP) provides a foundation for the success of junior faculty at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Since the program was introduced in 2003, it has served as an important steppingstone for faculty interested in taking their academic careers to the next level. We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds and interests who share a passion for inquiry, improvement and collaboration.
The program runs from September to May each year and consists of two components:
- A comprehensive curriculum delivered through a series of weekly lessons
- An individual project completed under the guidance of a senior faculty mentor (assigned by the JFDP leadership)
The goals of the Junior Faculty Development Program are to:
- Promote the development and advancement of faculty of Penn State College of Medicine through a program targeted to and tailored to the specific needs of junior faculty.
- Nurture and cultivate junior faculty to become the next generation of academic leaders.
- Support the retention of native faculty talent through opportunities and support to continuously build and expand professional skills.
Penn State Leadership Academy is an interdisciplinary leadership development program for academic health center and regional health systems professionals.
Developed in partnership with the Penn State Smeal College of Business and Penn State Executive Programs, the Leadership Academy of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine provides attendees (physicians, scientists, advanced practice clinicians, nurses and administrators) with the skills required to excel in strategic leadership and management roles in academic health centers and associated health care systems.
Classes run a full week in the fall at Penn State University Park.
Participants are expected to “leave pagers at the door” and remain free of other responsibilities so that full attention can be devoted to coursework and the educational experience.
Penn State College of Medicine offers an Onboarding Mentor Program to ensure that newly hired faculty members recognize the requirements for a successful academic career at our institution and the resources available to achieve that goal. A checklist is provided as a tool to help the onboarding mentor and the faculty member identify these resources.
Complete the onboarding checklist
See more new faculty orientation resources
Events for New Faculty
Upcoming events of interest to new and/or junior faculty are listed here.
The Office of Faculty Affairs holds regular workshops on promotion and tenure topics, including the popular “Demystifying Promotion and Tenure,” which brings together a group of recently promoted associate and full professor faculty from multiple departments to provide advice and aid faculty beginning or considering the promotion process.
At Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center/Penn State College of Medicine, two types of sabbatical leave are available for academic faculty to refresh their career goals, to gain new experiences, to learn new approaches or to embark on new ventures.
Sabbatical leave is a privilege that may be granted to an individual who has demonstrated by publication, teaching or performance an above-average ability in scholarship, research or other creative accomplishment.
Applicants must follow the sabbatical application process based on their organization of employment.
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center-employed faculty
Hershey Medical Center-employed academic faculty should contact the Office of Faculty and Professional Development about sabbatical leave.
Penn State College of Medicine-employed faculty
College of Medicine-employed faculty follow University Policy AC-17, Sabbatical Leave.
College of Medicine-employed faculty should contact the Office of Faculty and Professional Development about sabbatical leave.
Five-day Simulation Instruction Courses are conducted through the Penn State College of Medicine Simulation Center.
The highly interactive certificate course features a multi-disciplinary faculty who teach how to combine simulation with traditional methodologies, apply assessment tools, and choose among various simulation modalities for specific applications.
The course provides a practical framework in learning theory, group dynamics, and psychology of the learner, focusing on debriefing skills. Each participant assumes the role of student, instructor, and assessor in various simulation activities throughout the week.
Learn more and register for the Teaching With Simulation Course
In additional to internal training and development programs, a variety of professional development programs are available through the larger Penn State system.
- Faculty Pathway and Senior Faculty Mentors – A primary point of contact for new and established tenure-track and tenured faculty members who identify as historically underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities at Penn State, offered by the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
- Graduate Certificate in Adult Education in the Health and Medical Professions – A 12-credit graduate certificate offered at Penn State Harrisburg.
- Penn State Administrative Fellows Program – Provides professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. By serving under the mentorship of a senior level administrator, fellows receive opportunities to broaden their perspectives and experiences in higher education administration.
- Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence – Offers a variety of educational programs, including workshops and seminars as well as online resources.
In additional to internal training and development programs, a variety of professional development programs are available externally.
AAMC
The American Association of Medical Colleges offers a variety of resources and trainings, including many focused on female and minority faculty.
ELAM
Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine is a year-long Drexel University program that provides a part-time fellowship for female faculty in schools of medicine, dentistry and public health.
For details or if interested in applying to an ELAM program, contact the Office of Faculty and Professional Development.
Research Opportunities
Howard Hughes Medical Institute offers several resources for research faculty and staff, including training for lab managers.
Science Careers is a career-development resource for scientists sponsored by the journal Science.
For information on researcher development opportunities, contact the Research Development office.
Awards and Recognitions
This award was established in 2008 to recognize faculty members who make outstanding contributions to medical, graduate and physician assistant education at the College of Medicine.
Learn more about the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
The Distinguished Educator Award recognizes exemplary educators among the faculty of Penn State College of Medicine. Award recipients become members of the Society of Distinguished Educators.
To be eligible for a Distinguished Educator Award, faculty members must have held an appointment at Penn State College of Medicine or Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for a minimum of three years and hold the rank of at least associate professor or equivalent.
In addition to demonstrated excellence as a teacher, nominees will have made exceptional contributions in medical (which could include undergraduate or graduate) education and/or graduate student (which could include postdoctoral) education in one or more of the following ways:
- Research in education (e.g., publications or grants)
- Innovations in teaching methods or curriculum (e.g., new ways to teach subject matter)
- Development of new assessment methods
- Mentoring and development of faculty
- Leadership in education (e.g., course director, program director, involvement at national level)
Distinguished Educator awardees receive:
- The Distinguished Educator title
- Membership in the Society of Distinguished Educators
- A medallion signifying the wearer as a Distinguished Educator
- Recognition on the Distinguished Educator plaque
- A $1,500 financial award to be used at the discretion of the Distinguished Educator
- Free rental of academic regalia for Commencement
Penn State College of Medicine values the contributions mentors make to enhance and develop the careers of faculty, students and trainees. Generosity of time and spirit; objectivity and honest feedback; and commitment to the personal, professional and career development of mentees are some of the components of superb mentoring.
In order to recognize the contributions of outstanding mentors in the College of Medicine, the Office of Faculty and Professional Development presents four annual Excellence in Career Mentoring Awards.
The awards acknowledge the exceptional effort of faculty who enable and empower students, residents and trainees, junior faculty and peers on their path to achieve their full potential in one or more of the organization’s missions: clinical care, scholarship and research, teaching and/or service.
The Excellence in Education and Mentorship Award (formerly the Student-Nominated Excellence in Teaching Award) was established in 2019 to recognize exemplary educators who fourth-year medical students recognize as consistently demonstrating exceptional teaching. The educators may teach in any area of the medical school throughout any of the four years of training. These educators promote excellence within one (or more) of Penn State’s four educational domains: basic and clinical sciences, humanitarian patient-centered care and health systems sciences.
Learn more about the Excellence in Education and Mentorship Award
The Office of the Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Studies and the Center for Medical Innovation annually present Innovation Awards open to those from Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Awards presented are:
- Innovator of the Year
- Investigator to Watch
- Student Award for Excellence in Innovation
Interprofessional Education Incentive Awards support Penn State faculty and staff in launching new interprofessional education/practice activities of relevance to learners at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine.
To be considered interprofessional, an activity must include learners from two or more professions with the ultimate goal of improving patient care. The term “learners” can include learners/professionals in disciplines such as medicine, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, social work, chaplaincy and more.
This award is sponsored by the College of Medicine, therefore the proposed project should include College of Medicine students in some fashion.
The proposed interprofessional initiative should address one of more of the following:
- Improving teamwork
- Improving communication
- Recognizing shared values and ethics
- Understanding different roles and responsibilities across disciplines
Learn more about the Interprofessional Education Incentive Awards
The Junior Faculty Teaching Award recipients are selected by the Society of Distinguished Educators as a means of recognizing the accomplishments of some of the outstanding junior faculty who are already making an impact on the educational mission. Recipients of this award are program leaders, instructional designers, education scholars and, above all, great teachers.
This award is arguably the most competitive educational award available through the College of Medicine.
The Mark J. Young International Health Policy Scholarship award was established in memory of Mark Young, MD, the first chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences at Penn State College of Medicine.
Dr. Young was a champion for education and his community, both next door and around the world. Following this legacy, this scholarship provides support for faculty, fellows, residents, or medical students at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine to undertake study programs outside the United States.
The scholarship may be used for study in two broad categories:
- Attendance at international conferences, short courses, or workshops focused on international health care or international health policy.
- Participation in innovative, ongoing international health care or health policy projects.
The recipient is required to make a presentation about the experience to the campus community within three months of return.
Started in 2014, the Faculty and Staff Research Recognition Awards, presented each spring, honor the outstanding research achievements of Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center investigators and their teams.
The event highlights investigators who have distinguished themselves in several areas:
- Outstanding Research Publication
- Outstanding Early-Stage Investigator
- Outstanding Collaborative Research Team
- Outstanding Education Researcher
- Outstanding Community-Engaged Researcher
- Outstanding Champion of Diversity in Research
- Outstanding Research Staff Member
- Career Citation Milestone
- Career Research Excellence
Well-Being
About the committee
The Office of Faculty and Professional Development oversees the Liaison Committee on Well-Being. This group consists of representatives from departments and well-being stakeholders around Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Its purpose is to facilitate communication between leadership and faculty and between departments regarding efforts to enhance well-being for faculty throughout the institution.
Contact
For details on the committee, contact the Office of Faculty and Professional Development.
About the grants
Wellness Mini-Grants are awarded by the Office of Faculty and Professional Development to support institutional wellness projects. Anyone can apply, but teams must include at least one faculty member. Application information will be posted when submissions for the grants are being accepted.