Associate Professor Promotion Process

A faculty member stands, smiling at the camera.

Appointment or promotion to the rank of Associate Professor, full-time, requires meritorious publications and substantive contributions to education and/or clinical practice. The scholarly achievement of candidates for promotion to Associate Professor should be indicated by national recognition among their peers. Candidates should document progress toward becoming an outstanding national leader in the field with recognition beyond the School of MedicineNational recognition is not required in all areas of scholarship, but in at least one area of scholarship (research, education, clinical distinction, and/or program building). in any of these areas, national recognition is required.  However, all faculty members are required to achieve excellence in education/teaching. 

Faculty members who are candidates for appointment or promotion to the rank of Associate Professor typically will have demonstrated commitment and service (citizenship) to the JHSOM, through service on various University, School of Medicine, and Department committees; service as a division, program, or section chief; or service as director, co-director, or administrator of a residency or fellowship program; or service as a course director.

Recognition beyond the School of Medicine

All full-time faculty members who are candidates for appointment or promotion to the rank of Associate Professor must have achieved national recognition as documented, for example, by

  • Awards or prizes for research, clinical, or educational contributions or program building from national or international organizations
  • Invited lectures at scholarly meetings and conferences nationwide
  • Invitation to serve as visiting professor or as speaker for endowed lectureships
  • Service on national scientific advisory boards, study sections, and grant review panels
  • Elected membership in national scholarly organizations
  • Editor or service on editorial board of professional journal
  • Organizer, chair or moderator of international, national, or regional clinical, educational, or scientific meetings
  • Introduction and evaluation of innovative approaches and/or development of standards for patient care, education, or research
  • Outstanding letters of recommendation from leaders in the field across the nation
  • Leadership roles in regional or national scholarly organizations
  • Patents that have an impact on the academic field or patient care
  • Impact on public policy

Appointment or promotion to the rank of Associate Professor requires excellence in teaching. Excellence in teaching at this level can be documented teaching and/or mentoring of medical students, graduate students, residents, fellows, junior faculty, or CME attendees, as documented by objective measures of outcome or written feedback from learners, teaching awards within the JHSOM, and recruitment and effective mentorship of postdoctoral fellows.

Additional achievements that demonstrate outstanding citizenship and recognition for program building often include:

  • Development or management of a model program that is integral to the success of one’s own department or other departments or programs within Johns Hopkins Medicine
  • Development or management of a program that expands the services, productivity, revenue, and reputation of Johns Hopkins Medicine