Preparing a Portfolio for Appointment and Promotion (FAQ)

Substantial documentation to support recommendation for appointment or promotion should be submitted in the form of a Portfolio (i.e.., a set of materials that includes a Chair's letter, curriculum vitae, Executive Summary, referee names and email addresses, publications, etc.; (see "Checklist for Preparation of Faculty Portfolios"). The following responses to "frequently asked questions" supplement the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Guidelines for Faculty Appointment and Promotion PDF by highlighting types of information that are very useful to the School's standing committees for appointment and promotion and that should be included (as relevant) in the portfolio.

Who must prepare a portfolio?

All faculty members appointed or promoted in the appointment stream or tenure tracks, as follows: 

  • Associate Professor 
  • Professor 
  • Research Associate Professor 
  • Research Professor

Faculty members appointed or promoted to Instructor or Assistant Professor do not need to prepare portfolios. Those appointed or promoted with a Clinical prefix should follow the guidelines titled "Checklist for Preparation of Faculty Portfolios for Volunteer Clinical Appointment and Promotion".

What is a portfolio?

A portfolio for a candidate who is being considered for appointment or promotion is a set of materials that describe the candidate's qualifications and accomplishments. For a complete listing of the required portfolio materials, see "Checklist for Preparation of Faculty Portfolios".

What is a pathway?

A pathway is a conceptual framework for describing a faculty member's scholarly accomplishments, contributions, and career progression. Pathways exist within either the appointment stream or tenure tracks (see diagram titled Pathways in the Tenure and Appointment Stream Tracks) PDF.

What is the purpose of having pathways?

The pathways are designed to encourage a candidate for appointment or promotion, and his or her mentor, to think about career development and to help the candidate prepare materials for the School's appointment/promotions committee. The pathways reflect the most common ways that faculty careers develop. In cases in which a faculty member's career overlaps or extends beyond these pathways, the pathways should not be seen as limiting, and the narrative in the Executive Summary should describe the candidate's full accomplishments and contributions.

At what point should I declare that I am on a particular pathway?

In this context, the pathways are a conceptual tool to facilitate the documentation of a faculty member's accomplishments and contributions. From the perspective of the School of Medicine, one should indicate a pathway at the time of portfolio preparation. From the perspective of the individual faculty member, division, or department, it may facilitate career development, time allocation, and other decisions for a faculty member to consider himself or herself in a particular pathway.

How should I describe projects, programs, initiatives, and other major undertakings?

It is helpful to members of appointment/promotion committees if descriptions of projects, programs, initiatives, and other major undertakings in which you played a significant role in creation, development, implementation, and evaluation include: clear goals, adequate preparation, appropriate methods, significant results, effective presentation, and reflective critique. (For more information, see Glassick CE, Huber MT, Maeroff GI. Scholarship Assessed - Evaluation of the Professoriate, 1997.)

Do I need to address each item listed for my pathway?

The committees recognize that each candidate has a unique set of qualifications and that an individual candidate may not provide documentation for each listed item. Is there a required format for my Curriculum Vitae? Yes, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has a required format for a Curriculum Vitae submitted with an appointment or promotion portfolio.

Who should prepare my Executive Summary?

The faculty member and his/her mentor or chair should prepare the executive summary jointly. It should be in narrative form (third person) and not an outline of bullet points. Information in executive summary must match the details listed within your CV. The document "SOM Guidelines for Faculty Appointment and Promotion" should serve as a guide for providing specific information to describe the faculty member's accomplishments relative to the appropriate pathway in the tenure or appointment stream track. How long should my Executive Summary be? The summary should be three to five pages in length.

How should my Executive Summary be organized?

The typical Executive Summary will include 6 main categories (as applicable to a particular faculty member's work and accomplishments) including: 1) Education and Training, 2) Research and Scholarly Achievements, 3) Academic and Clinical Activities, 4) Teaching and Mentorship, 5) Service and Administrative Activities, and 6) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Activities.  Within each category, information should be provided to document a faculty member's accomplishments, contributions, and career progression. For more specific guidance, see Executive Summary Supplemental Guidance.

When preparing the personal DEI paragraph(s), describe your knowledge, experience, and contributions to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism activities that align with the UPSOM’s mission, vision, and values.  Faculty may find value in looking at a guide provided in the Chronicle of Higher Education on writing a personal statement: https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2016/06/10/how-write-effective-diversity-statement-essay  

Examples of topics to discuss in a personal DEI statement include:

* Continuing education on diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism

* Experience in working to reduce barriers to education and research for those underrepresented

* Activities such as working with communities to advance the goals of equity and inclusion

* Describe how your teaching methods address inequities and foster inclusive learning experiences

* Scholarly activities that expose inequalities and/or seek to improve the lives of the underserved

How are appointment and promotion criteria different for Associate vs. Full Professors?

Refer to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Guidelines for Faculty Appointment and Promotion. PDF

 

 

 

 Amended 4/12/2022