Faculty Promotion and Tenure
The Department of Medicine is committed to fostering a clear and supportive process that recognizes each faculty member’s unique contributions and career path while advancing collaborative research, clinical innovation, and educational excellence. Whether building toward tenure, pursuing promotion, or exploring new opportunities, faculty are guided through this journey with confidence and purpose.
This commitment is grounded in a holistic review process that prioritizes quality over quantity, values diverse forms of excellence, and supports individual trajectories toward academic leadership that drives positive impact through rigorous scholarship and meaningful collaboration.
The DOM’s promotion and tenure framework reflects the understanding that transformative medical advances increasingly emerge from collaborative research teams. Scholarship that demonstrates meaningful collaboration, participation in multicenter studies, translational impact, and leadership in team-based scientific endeavors is highly valued and actively supported. These frameworks offer non-prescriptive, aspirational rubrics to help faculty, leadership, and the DOM A&P Committee assess readiness for promotion across tracks in the tenure and appointment stream (Clinician-Educator, Clinician-Investigator, Investigator-Educator) and tracks in the appointment stream only (Clinician-Leader, Research Prefix).
While the SOM guidelines emphasize a thematic approach, DOM frameworks incorporate specific, measurable metrics where applicable. Final decisions are made holistically, considering peer assessments, innovation, impact, and consistency across research, teaching, and service.
Faculty are encouraged to use these tools during their Annual Faculty Performance Evaluation to guide career planning and portfolio preparation.
Appointment Pathways
Excellence comes in many forms. Select the pathway that best reflects your scholarly contributions and career goals. Each pathway now recognizes collaborative research, innovation, and translational impact as core components of academic excellence.
Clinician-Educator
Educational excellence with clinical expertise. For faculty transforming medical education and training the next generation through innovative teaching and comprehensive mentoring.
Strategic Focus: Educational innovation, curriculum development, assessment tools, collaborative teaching initiatives, and educational research dissemination.
Clinician-Investigator
Bridging clinical excellence with research impact. Perfect for physician-scientists advancing patient care through scholarly work that translates discoveries to clinical practice.
Strategic Focus: Translational research, clinical trials leadership, multicenter collaborations, patient care innovation, and community health outcomes.
Clinician-Leader
Leadership impact in healthcare delivery and systems. For faculty driving organizational change and community health improvement through innovative leadership. Now Tenure-Eligible!
Strategic Focus: Healthcare innovation, system improvement, policy development, organizational transformation, and collaborative leadership across institutions.
Investigator-Educator
Research-focused with significant teaching and mentoring contributions. Ideal for faculty advancing knowledge through discovery or educational innovation while fostering collaborative research excellence.
Strategic Focus: Collaborative research networks, multicenter studies, innovative educational methods, mentorship of emerging researchers, and translational impact.
Additional Faculty Categories
Instructor
- A starting rank for those beginning their academic career
- Qualifications: Doctoral or highest appropriate professional degree (or evidence of pursuing)
- Duration: Transitional appointment, typically no more than 2-3 years
- Pathway: Available in appointment stream
- Focus: Demonstrate satisfactory scholarly progress and ability to pursue academic career
Research Faculty
- Effort: >90% in scientific investigation
- Role: Collaborative/supportive to PI’s research group
- Ranks: Research Instructor through Research Professor
- Not expected to be first/corresponding authors on most publications
- May participate in educational activities
- Specific promotion criteria apply
Clinical Faculty
- Effort: >90% in clinical care, often community-based
- Appointment: Voluntary without University salary/benefits
- Ranks: Clinical Instructor through Clinical Professor
- Contribute to educational mission
- Participate in service activities
- Specific promotion criteria apply
Visiting Faculty
- Duration: Temporary appointment, usually ≤ 1 year
- Purpose: Short-term academic contributions
- Ranks: Can be applied at any faculty level
Adjunct Faculty
- Primary Appointment: Outside University of Pittsburgh
- Participation: Collaborative projects within the University
- Compensation: No salary or benefits from Pitt
Timelines and Deadlines
Tenure-Stream Timeline
Years 1-2 Build your Foundation
Establish your scholarly program, develop innovative teaching skills, and begin institutional service. Focus on building collaborative networks and identifying team science opportunities.
Years 4-5 Mid-Course Review
Comprehensive evaluation of progress with feedback and guidance for achieving promotion readiness, conducted no later than the end of your fifth year. Assessment includes collaborative contributions and research impact.
Years 5-6 Associate Professor Consideration
Typically, eligible for promotion after 5+ years. Submit portfolio when you demonstrate sustained excellence, trajectory, and meaningful collaborative contributions.
Year 8 Mandatory Portfolio Due
If not yet promoted, portfolio due in April for tenure review. Portfolio should demonstrate comprehensive excellence including collaborative research and innovation.
Year 9 Decision Notification
Receive tenure decision by end of Year 9, with conferral effective by your 10-year anniversary.
NOTES
- Mid-course review timing: Conducted between years 4-5, no later than end of year 5, to assess progress and provide guidance
- Portfolio submission timing: If not promoted by year 8, portfolio due in April for mandatory tenure review
- Time in rank is necessary but not sufficient: Promotion depends on demonstrating excellence and readiness across all domains
- Team science is valued: Show how you contribute to collaborative research and multicenter initiatives
- Individual timelines vary: Some faculty may be ready earlier or later than typical timeframes
- Clock extensions: Available for family medical leave, parental leave, or other qualifying circumstances
- Cross-pathway contributions valued: Excellence in multiple areas strengthens your case
- Annual evaluations: Required for all tenure stream faculty to document progress
- Special considerations: Available for faculty with previous tenure at comparable institutions
Important Policies & Procedures
Terms of Appointment
Faculty appointments may be for:
- 1-year terms
- 2-year terms
- 3-year terms
Notification deadlines for non-renewal vary by appointment type and year.
Clock Extensions
Available for:
- Medical leave
- Parental and family leave
- Other qualifying circumstances
Minimum extension: one academic term/semester
Appointment vs. Tenure Stream
Both streams are available at Assistant Professor level and beyond, with different trajectories and expectations.
Key difference: Tenure-stream faculty work toward tenure with a 10-year maximum timeline, while appointment stream faculty have renewable appointments without tenure eligibility but follow the same promotion criteria for rank advancement. The decision is made at initial appointment based on career goals and departmental needs.
Portfolio Checklist
Everything you need for a complete and compelling application that demonstrates collaborative excellence
Executive Summary
3–5-page overview of your accomplishments, written in third person
Tip: Highlight your collaborative research contributions and their impact alongside traditional achievements
Curriculum Vitae
Complete CV in Pitt SOM format with chronological ordering
Tip: Include team science activities, multicenter research, mentoring outcomes, and publication-equivalent scholarly products (PESPs)
Teaching Documentation
Teaching summary form plus aggregated evaluation data
Tip: Document innovative teaching practices, collaborative educational initiatives, and mentoring outcomes
Publication Samples
3-5 most impactful works (Associate Professor) or 6-8 works (Professor)
Tip: PESPs like educational innovations, clinical guidelines, assessment tools, and collaborative research products count as publications
Research Summary
Productivity metrics, funding summary, and citation report
Tip: Include metrics demonstrating collaborative impact, multicenter study leadership, and translational outcomes
Reference List
16 potential referees (12 external, 4 internal to Pitt)
Tip: Include referees who can speak to your collaborative contributions, innovation, and research impact
Support and FAQs
You don’t have to navigate this process alone. Our team provides guidance, resources, and support every step of the way, with particular attention to helping you articulate and develop your contributions to collaborative research, innovation, and academic impact.
DOM Faculty Affairs: facafmed@pitt.edu
DOM Faculty Appointments and Promotions Committee
Team Science Resources: Contact your pathway mentors for guidance on collaborative research opportunities
General Questions: Schedule time with your Division Chief or A&P Committee members
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I'm ready for promotion?
What if my career doesn't fit neatly into one pathway?
How do I demonstrate team science contributions in my portfolio?
How long does the review process take?
What are publication-equivalent scholarly products (PESPs)?
Can I get promoted on the Clinician-Leader pathway to tenure?
How is collaborative research valued compared to single-investigator work?
What's the difference between tenure stream and appointment stream?
What happens during the mid-course review?
Can I request an extension to my tenure clock?
What does "Under Committee Review" (OCR) status mean?
Your faculty appointment remains in OCR status until your portfolio is submitted and approved by the School of Medicine promotion/appointment committee. This is standard for all new faculty appointments.
Important: The School of Medicine is enforcing portfolio submission timelines rigorously. Work promptly with DOM Faculty Affairs to ensure timely submission of all required documents.
How do I resolve my OCR status?
Submit a complete portfolio including your Executive Summary, CV (in SOM format), Research and Teaching Summary Forms, and referee list. The School of Medicine Office of Faculty Affairs provides detailed guidance and templates at https://www.medfaculty.pitt.edu/.
Contact DOM Faculty Affairs immediately at facafmed@pitt.edu to begin the portfolio preparation process and understand your specific deadline.
Key Definitions
Scholarship:
The systematic and progressive accumulation of knowledge which leads to the competent mastery of an area of study. As defined by Weiser, scholarship is creative intellectual work that is validated by peers and communicated. Individual activities are not scholarship; rather, scholarship results from a set of activities with clear goals, involving adequate preparation and appropriate methods, culminating in a product with significant results accompanied by effective presentation, dissemination, and reflective critique.
Publication-Equivalent Scholarly Products (PESPs):
Scholarly products that fulfill the following criteria: 1) disseminated, 2) peer reviewed, 3) able to be applied by and built upon by others. Examples include Clinical Practice Guidelines, Curricula, Laboratory Manuals, Textbooks, Book Chapters, enduring symposia, enduring service products (e.g., Street Medicine Program), virtual educational materials, creation of assessment tools (e.g., OSCE), etc.
Publication Equivalents for Leadership Scholarship:
For Clinician-Leader pathway advancement to Professor, scholarly productivity may include traditional publications plus leadership-specific equivalents such as policy documents with institutional impact, healthcare delivery innovations with measurable outcomes, organizational transformation initiatives with documented results, quality improvement programs with published outcomes, and collaborative leadership products that advance the field.
Scholarship of Education:
A unique form of teaching that involves sustained depth of knowledge and commitment resulting in a product such as an original peer reviewed publication or publication-equivalent scholarly product. For example, developing a multi-modular course, creating the curriculum, serving as course director, and disseminating that product externally to others.
Scholarship of Service:
A unique form of service that involves sustained depth of commitment and results in a product, envisioned as a series of longitudinal actions toward a defined endpoint. For example, developing and defining a service activity, and then disseminating the written blueprint that can be built upon by others.