Clinician-Educator Pathway
Transforming medical education through clinical excellence and educational innovation
The Clinician-Educator pathway recognizes faculty who combine outstanding clinical practice with transformative contributions to medical education through collaborative and innovative approaches.
Educational Scholarship
Educational scholarship deserves recognition equal to traditional research. Original publications or publication-equivalent scholarly products (PESPs) must be: 1) disseminated, 2) peer reviewed, and 3) able to be applied by and built upon by others.
Promotion Requirements:
Examples of Publication-Equivalent Scholarly Products (PESPs)*
Curriculum Development: Creation of innovative curricula that are peer-reviewed and adopt-ed by others
Assessment Tools: Development of validated assessment instruments (OSCEs, simulation scenarios)
Educational Technology: Virtual education tools, apps, or digital learning platforms
Educational Resources: Textbooks, laboratory manuals, or educational media with peer review
Collaborative Educational Innovations: Team-based learning curricula, interdisciplinary training programs, or innovative assessment tools
Evidence-Based Educational Programs: Community-engaged education, simulation programs, or competency-based training
Collaborative Educational Excellence
Outstanding educational scholarship increasingly emerges from collaborative teams, interdisciplinary partnerships, and innovative teaching approaches leading to effective learning environments, mentoring diverse learners, developing evidence-based curricula, and advancing medical education through team-based innovation.
Expected Time Allocation
Clinical Service: ≥40% • Research: Variable • Teaching & Mentoring: >25% • Administrative Service: Variable
Assistant Professor
Developing Educational Excellence • Years 1-6+
An Assistant Professor demonstrates excellent patient care, effective teaching, and beginning educational scholarship while building the foundation for sustained educational impact through collaborative approaches and innovative practices.
Timeline & Expectations
Typical Duration: 5-6 years (minimum 5 years) • Focus: Develop educational identity alongside clinical excellence • Key Milestone: Evidence of growing educational impact and scholarship
Basic Qualifications & Requirements
- Postgraduate training in clinical medicine beyond MD/DO degree
- For MDs/DOs: Successful completion of residency/fellowship program
- Specialty board certification or eligibility
- Relevant PA state licensure
- Demonstrated teaching ability, advanced study experience, or professional experience
Teaching Development
- Demonstrate effective teaching with evidence of learner impact
- Seek feedback and show continuous improvement in teaching
- Participate in educational activities beyond direct teaching
- Engage in mentoring of students and trainees
- Participate in curriculum development or educational innovation
Clinical Excellence
- Provide high-quality patient care with teaching integration
- Develop clinical expertise that enhances educational effectiveness
- Excel in bedside teaching and clinical instruction
- Create authentic clinical learning experiences
- Demonstrate professionalism as a role model
Educational Scholarship
- Begin developing educational scholarly work
- Participate in educational research or innovation projects
- Create educational materials or assessment tools
- Present educational work at conferences or meetings
- Seek educational funding or support for innovations
Collaborative Innovation Development
- Demonstrate innovative teaching practices and educational approaches
- Mentor learners from diverse backgrounds with evidence-based approaches
- Participate in collaborative educational initiatives or curriculum development
- Show awareness of educational innovation and technology integration in teaching
- Engage in collaborative educational assessment and improvement practices
Associate Professor
Establishing Educational Leadership • Years 5-12+
An Associate Professor has established themself as an outstanding educator whose contributions have measurable impact on learners and the broader educational community. Their educational scholarship demonstrates sustained excellence, having gained regional and national recognition for innovations in medical education while maintaining clinical excellence through collaborative approaches and evidence-based practices.
Timeline & Expectations
Minimum Time: 5+ years as Assistant Professor • Focus: Sustained educational excellence with scholarship and innovation • Recognition: Growing reputation in medical education community
Benchmarks
Educational Scholarship:
- Typically ≥10 publications, reviews, case reports, chapters, books, or PESPs*
- Track record of articles/reviews (preferably as senior author) in clinical or educational journals
- Consistent and continuing resources to sustain scholarship
- Invitations to speak at grand rounds, national, or international meetings
- Service as peer reviewer for educational or clinical journals
Clinical & Teaching Excellence:
- Usually 5 years of significant teaching and clinical contributions
- Consistently strong teaching evaluations (≥4 on 1-5 scale or equivalent)
- Meeting clinical quality metrics
- Reputation as a clinician as manifested by peer review
NB: Extramural funding may not be required for educational scholarship
Teaching Development
Teaching & Educational Leadership
- Organizer/leader of institutional teaching conferences
- Director or Co-Director of course, clerkship, or elective
- Director or Co-Director of subspecialty fellowship or residency program
- Service on institutional educational committees
- Member of institutional or national education committees
Educational Program Development
- Developer of UME (undergraduate medical education) curricula
- Developer of GME (graduate medical education) programs
- Developer of CME (continuing medical education) programs
- National recognition for education or mentoring accomplishments
- Successful track record as mentor with measurable outcomes
Innovative Educational Excellence
- Evidence of commitment to supporting collaborative learning environments
- Mentoring of diverse learners with demonstrated success
- Development of evidence-based curricula using innovative approaches
- Educational innovations addressing contemporary medical practice
- Leadership in collaborative educational initiatives
Educational Scholarship
- Typically ≥10 publications, reviews, case reports, chapters, books, or PESPs
- Track record of articles/reviews (preferably as senior author) for clinical or teaching journals
- Publication-Equivalent Scholarly Products (PESPs) with peer review
- Internal or foundation grant support for educational research
- Service as peer reviewer for educational and clinical journals
Innovation & Dissemination
- Invitations to speak at grand rounds, national or international meetings
- Creation of novel educational approaches or technologies
- Curriculum innovations with evidence of effectiveness
- Assessment tool development or validation
- Educational program development with measurable outcomes
Quality Improvement Leadership
- Leader of QI (quality improvement) initiatives
- Integration of QI principles into educational programs
- Educational research addressing quality and safety
- Development of QI curricula or training programs
- Recognition for QI contributions in educational contexts
Clinical Excellence and Service
Clinical Excellence
- Meeting clinical quality metrics
- Reputation as a clinician as manifested by peer review
- Maintenance of specialty board certification
- Local or regional recognition for clinical expertise
Clinical Service & Leadership
- Member of institutional or national clinical committees
- Co-director of major clinical/service programs
- Leader of QI initiatives in clinical settings
- Community and outreach service
- Member of national professional society committees
Professional Recognition
- Regional or national “top doc” awards
- Awards from professional societies
- Media appearances as a clinical expert
- Invited consultations for clinical expertise
- Appointment to regional or national expert clinical panels (NIH, VA, FDA, CDC)
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Developer of new credit-bearing didactic courses
- Developer of high-impact educational content
- Development, publication, or commercialization of novel teaching products
- Developer of high-impact clinical websites
- Educational technology innovations with demonstrated impact
Clinical Innovation
- Inventor on patents with clinical or educational applications
- Hold Investigational New Drug Application (IND) or Investigational Device Exemption (IDE)
- Development, publication, or commercialization of novel devices or methodologies
- Development, publication, or commercialization of novel clinical procedures
- Developer of systemwide expansion of new clinical services or models of care
Educational Technology Innovation
- Development of educational technology platforms with widespread adoption
- Innovation in simulation-based education or virtual learning
- Educational innovations promoting collaborative learning approaches
- Technology solutions addressing barriers to medical education
- Community-engaged educational innovations with measurable outcomes
Professor
Leading Educational Transformation • Years 10-15+
A Professor has established themself as a leader in medical education whose work has significantly advanced the field and influenced educational practice nationally and internationally. Their sustained contributions demonstrate transformative impact on learners, educators, and educational systems, and they have been recognized as a visionary leader who shapes the future of medical education through collaborative innovation and evidence-based approaches.
Timeline & Expectations
Minimum Time: 5-7 years as Associate Professor • Focus: Leadership in educational transformation with national/international recognition • Impact: Significant influence on medical education field
Benchmarks
Leadership in Educational Scholarship:
- Record of scholarly contributions to knowledge, typically more than 20 original peer-reviewed publications or PESPs
- More important than the number is that the scholarship has substantially impacted the field
- Co-I or PI on foundation, industry, or government grants (tenure stream)
- Extensive presentations as visiting professor at national or international meetings
- Invited articles/reviews as first or senior author in subspecialty journals
- Book Editor with clinical or teaching focus
Clinical Leadership:
- Typically ≥10-12 years of significant teaching contributions
- Director of major medical school, fellowship, or residency program
- Election to Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators
NB: Extramural funding may not be required for educational scholarship
Educational Leadership
- Director of major medical school, fellowship, or residency program
- Director of faculty development programs
- Leader of institutional educational committees
- Leader in development and presentation of CME programs
- Leader of institutional or national education committees
National Recognition & Impact
- Election to Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators in University of Pittsburgh SOM
- Institutional or national recognition for education or mentoring accomplishments
- Book Editor with clinical or teaching focus
- Extensive presentations as visiting professor at national or international meetings
- Invited articles/reviews as first or senior author in subspecialty journals
Research & Scholarship Leadership
- Co-I or PI on foundation, industry, or government grants
- Sustained program of educational research with significant impact
- Educational research that has changed educational practice
- Development of educational standards or guidelines
- Educational policy influence at institutional or national level
Clinical Excellence & Service Leadership
- Director of clinical service/program
- Developer of clinical or community service programs
- Leader of institutional clinical or QI committees
- Chair of national or international clinical committees
- National recognition for excellence in clinical care or service
Collaborative Innovation Legacy
- National leadership in advancing collaborative approaches in medical education
- Development of sustainable educational innovation programs with documented long-term impact
- Mentoring pipeline of diverse educational leaders who achieve prominence
- Policy or systemic changes advancing educational excellence nationally
- Recognition as a thought leader in evidence-based medical education
Legacy Building
- Mentoring of educational leaders who achieve independent success
- Development of educational training programs with national adoption
- Creation of educational resources used widely across institutions
- Recognition through major educational awards and honors
- Lasting contributions to the field of medical education
Measuring Transformative Impact at Professor Level
Educational Practice Change: Curriculum standards, assessment innovations, educational transformation
Collaborative Innovation Impact: Team-based learning, interdisciplinary curricula, innovation in medical education
Field Leadership: Professional recognition, editorial roles, society leadership
Educational Legacy: Diverse educators trained, programs established, lasting impact
Tenure
Tenure can be conferred to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the scholarship of medical education. This recognition is reserved for those whose educational scholarship has achieved the highest levels of impact and recognition through collaborative innovation and transformative contributions to the field.
Candidates must demonstrate scholarly achievement at the highest level equivalent to traditional research-focused pathways:
- Publication Portfolio: Sustained program of high-impact educational scholarship publications with documented scholarly influence and national/international recognition
- External Funding: External funding as PI, Co-PI, or Co-I strengthens the application but is not required
- Scholarly Impact: Demonstrated influence through H-index, citations, and measurable impact on educational practice and medical education
- Editorial Leadership: Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Board member of reputable educational or clinical journals with documented scholarly influence
- Peer Recognition: External validation through awards, invited presentations, permanent study section membership, and consultation roles at national/international level
Excellence in Educational Innovation and Practice
In addition to meeting scholarship requirements:
- Educational Research Program: Active, productive educational research program addressing fundamental questions in medical education with documented transformative impact on teaching and learning
- Curriculum Innovation: Development of evidence-based curricula or educational approaches that have been widely adopted and validated across multiple institutions
- Educational Impact: Measurable improvements in learner outcomes, program effectiveness, or educational practice resulting from scholarly work
- Collaborative Educational Leadership: Leadership in multicenter educational research, national curriculum initiatives, or collaborative assessment development with documented outcomes
National Recognition & Professional Impact
- Professional Leadership: Leadership roles in national medical education organizations, educational policy committees, or expert panels
- Educational Recognition: National/international recognition for educational excellence through major awards, distinguished lectureships, or society honors
- Policy Influence: Contributions to educational standards, accreditation guidelines, or national educational policy through scholarship
- Mentoring Excellence: Track record of mentoring successful educational scholars and leaders who achieve independent recognition
Transformative Impact and Legacy
- Field Advancement: Educational innovations, research discoveries, or assessment methods that significantly advance the field of medical education
- Institutional Leadership: Sustained leadership that positions institution as a national leader in educational excellence and innovation
- Scholar Development: Former mentees achieving independent educational leadership positions or educational research programs
- Innovation Legacy: Creation of educational programs, methodologies, or resources with lasting impact adopted across institutions
Timeline and Administrative Requirements
- Assistant Professors: Tenure must be conferred within 10 years of appointment to tenure stream
- Associate Professors: Tenure must be conferred within 4 years of appointment to tenure stream
- Alternative Pathway: Promotion to Associate Professor in tenure stream may occur in lieu of mid-course review for exceptional candidates
- Regular Review: Ongoing assessment with clear milestones and mentoring support for sustained educational scholarly excellence
Documentation Requirements
Tenure candidates must provide robust evidence of scholarly impact through traditional academic metrics (H-index, citations, peer-reviewed publications) and education-specific measures (curriculum adoption, educational practice change, learner outcome improvements). External funding as PI, Co-PI, or Co-I strengthens the application but is not required. Candidates must demonstrate scholarship at the highest academic standards while creating transformative contributions to medical education and educational practice.