Preparing for a Promotion

The promotion review process is lengthy, with multiple levels inside and outside the Department. Typically, the process takes about 6-12 months. Please respond promptly to requests for information to prevent additional delays.

Additional tips to help smooth the path include:

• Keep your CV up to date and in the UNC School of Medicine format. It is much easier to do this prospectively than retroactively.
• Be aware of your personal timeline and goals for promotion. This should be discussed regularly with your mentoring committee, and at least annually with your division chief.
• Inadequate or subpar teaching evaluations can be a roadblock to promotion. Be sure you are receiving teaching evaluations at regular intervals, and that you are aware if there are deficiencies to be addressed.
• Likewise, inadequate compliance with “citizenship” requirements, such as clinical documentation, can delay or prevent promotion. The School of Medicine APT policy specifically requires that citizenship be addressed in your promotions package. In our Department, we consider this to include engagement, professionalism, and teamwork, in addition to professional service roles.
• For Faculty who are predominantly researchers, teaching evaluations are not often generated “automatically” and this can pose a problem for promotion reviews, which require evidence of good teaching. If you give lectures, for example in the School of Medicine or School of Public Health, inquire with the curriculum director whether evaluations are available from students. Individual letters of endorsement from your successful laboratory mentees are helpful. Finally, a letter evaluating your teaching skills by a senior course or Center director can be helpful.

For questions regarding promotions policies and guidelines, please contact Dr. Noah any time.

Fixed Term Promotions: Example Milestones

Faculty and their mentoring committees often request guidance about how to apply the fixed-term promotions criteria in the various mission focus areas. What specific steps are considered progress toward promotion, and how can one assess progress? Dr. Mike Steiner, Chief of the General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine division, has prepared example timelines for progress toward promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor in the five major areas of excellence: clinical, research, teaching, administration, and community professional service. While these are intended to be examples, not rigid criteria, they provide some useful, practical goals or milestones. To view these, please click here.