Voluntary Faculty

Voluntary faculty make a wide range of invaluable clinical, educational, administrative and research contributions to the Icahn School of Medicine. While they generally do not receive financial remuneration for their efforts, voluntary physicians do receive recognition through the faculty appointment and promotion system.

Faculty in the Voluntary Track are expected to possess doctoral degrees and to have completed their academic training.15

Voluntary faculty appointments are coterminous with clinical privileges in the Mount Sinai Health System. However, an individual may submit a written request to the Department Chair for continuation of the faculty appointment.  If the Chair agrees, the Chair will provide written confirmation to the Office of the Dean to continue the appointment.

The following academic appointments are available to voluntary faculty of Icahn School of Medicine and its affiliated and allied institutions.

Qualifications: Appointment at this level may be extended to individuals who possess excellent clinical skills and demonstratecommitment to the teaching of Mount Sinai students, residents and fellows.

Appointment and Term: Appointment to this position will be at the discretion of the Department Chair.16 The term of appointment is one year.

Prior to the end of each term, the Chair must decide whether to reappoint or not reappoint the individual. There is no limit on the number of reappointments permitted.

Non-Reappointment Notification Requirements: Notice of non-reappointment will be provided by the Chair in accordance with the voluntary faculty non-reappointment provisions in this section of the Faculty Handbook.

Promotion: The Department Chair may, at any time during the term of appointment, promote the individual to the rank of Assistant Clinical Professor.

 

Qualifications: Appointment at this level may be extended to individuals who possess Board certification or the equivalent.

  1. Clinical Care - Candidates must possess excellent clinical skills and will be perceived by other physicians in the institution and community as excellent caregivers.
  2. Teaching - Candidates must play an active role in the education of Mount Sinai students, residents and fellows.

Appointment and Term: Appointment to this position is at the discretion of the Department Chair.17 The term of appointment is one, two or three years.

Reappointment: Prior to the end of each term the Chair must decide whether to reappoint or not reappoint the individual. The reappointment can be for one, two or three years at the discretion of the Chair. There is no limit on the number of reappointments permitted.

Non-Reappointment Notification Requirements: Notice of non-reappointment will be provided by the Chair in accordance with the voluntary faculty non-reappointment provisions in this section of the Faculty Handbook.

Promotion: The Chair may, at any time, recommend promotion to the rank of Associate Clinical Professor.

 

Qualifications: Appointment at this level may be extended to excellent clinician/educators whose expertise is acknowledged at the local level. Individuals must possess Board certification or the equivalent. Candidates must show evidence of accomplishment that may include some or all of the following:

  1. Clinical Care - Candidates must possess excellent clinical skills and must be perceived by other physicians in the institution and community as excellent caregivers and important clinical resources. Candidates may be involved in clinical research at Mount Sinai.
  2. Teaching - Candidates must play an active role in the education of Mount Sinai students, residents and fellows. Their longevity in teaching should be valued by both trainees and peers. For new appointees, teaching expertise gained at other institutions will be considered.
  3. Service - Candidates should have a record of sustained administrative service at Mount Sinai that contributes to the success of educational and clinical program at the medical center.

Appointment and Term: Appointment to this position is upon recommendation by the Department Chair, with subsequent approval by the Committee on Appointments, Promotions and Tenure. The term of appointment can be one, two, three, four or five years at the discretion of the Chair.

Reappointment: Prior to the end of each term, the Chair must whether or not to reappoint the individual; the level of achievement that led to the initial appointment to this rank must be sustained or surpassed. There is no limit on the number of reappointments permitted.

Non-Reappointment Notification Requirements: Notice of non-reappointment will be provided by the Chair in accordance with the voluntary faculty non-reappointment provisions in this section of the Faculty Handbook.

Tenure: In exceptional circumstances an outstanding Associate Clinical Professor may be recommended for Tenure for Title. This may occur when the physician has made an unusual commitment to the School and has demonstrated superlative clinical skills as well as significant teaching and/or research and/or administrative accomplishments. In such cases, when there is strong promise for continued superior productivity and leadership in his/her field, yet the candidate does not meet the criteria for promotion to the rank of Clinical Professor, a recommendation for Associate Clinical Professor with Tenure for Title may be made.

Qualifications: Appointment at this level may be extended to outstanding clinician-teachers who have significant leadership roles in clinical care as well as in teaching and/or scholarship and/or administration. Individuals must posses Board certification or the equivalent.

  1. Clinical Care - Candidates should be recognized locally and regionally as outstanding Master Clinician role models. Candidates should be clearly recognized as significant caregivers within their specific clinical areas.
  2. Teaching - Candidates should have a strong ability to serve as role models and mentors to young faculty who are striving to become Master Clinicians. Candidates having a long-term relationship with Mount Sinai should be known as committed educators. Those who are new to Mount Sinai may have educational expertise gained at other academic centers or from professional societies.
  3. Service - Strong involvement in departmental, institutional, community and/or professional organizations, with leadership roles in some or all, is desirable.
  4. Scholarship - Evidence of scholarship will be viewed positively. Scholarship may be evidenced through a wide variety of venues: journal publications; textbook contributions; editorial service; presentations; clinical summaries; published standards of care; new teaching methods; program development for MSSM or in other professional medical organizations; program organization.

Appointment and Term: Appointment to this position is upon recommendation by the Department Chair, with subsequent approval by the Committee on Appointments, Promotions and Tenure. The term of appointment one, two, three, four or five years at the discretion of the Chair.

Reappointment: Prior to the end of each term, the Chair must whether or not to  reappoint the individual; the level of achievement that led to the initial appointment to this rank must be sustained or surpassed. There is no limit on the number of reappointments permitted.

Non-Reappointment Notification Requirements: Notice of non-reappointment will be provided by the Chair in accordance with the voluntary faculty non-reappointment provisions in this section of the Faculty Handbook.

Tenure: Clinical Professors in the Voluntary Track are eligible to be considered for Tenure for Title at any time, including at the time of appointment/promotion to this rank. Eminently qualified faculty should be considered for tenure at the earliest possible time.

Consideration for tenure requires not only that candidates fulfill all of the requirements for Clinical Professor, but also that they demonstrate the ability for continued superior productivity and leadership in their field, as well as demonstrable excellence in the dissemination of knowledge.

Notice of Non-Reappointment of Voluntary Faculty
The following non-reappointment provisions apply to Voluntary Faculty at the rank of Clinical Instructor and above who are not tenured.

Terms of Appointment One or Two Years in Length
In the event of non-reappointment, the Chair will provide written notice at least six months prior to the end of the faculty member's current term. If fewer than six months remain until the end of the faculty member's term, the term will be extended for a period of six months from the date of written notice of non-reappointment solely for the purpose of ensuring that adequate notice is provided.

In the event that no written notice of reappointment or non-reappointment is provided by the end of the term, the appointment will be extended six months beyond the original term end date, and the non-reappointment will be effective at the end of that extension.

If a decision to reappoint a faculty member is made during the term extension, notice must be in writing from the Chair. The reappointment will commence retroactive to the first day following completion of the original term of appointment.

Terms of Appointment Three, Four of Five Years in Length
In the event of non-reappointment, the Chair will provide written notice at least one year prior to the end of the faculty member's current term. If less than one year remains until the end of the faculty member's term, the term will be extended for a period of one year from the date of written notice of non-reappointment solely for the purpose of ensuring that adequate notice is provided.

In the event that no written notice of reappointment or non-reappointment is provided by the end of the term, the appointment will be extended one year beyond the original term end date, and the non-reappointment will be effective at the end of that extension.

If a decision to reappoint a faculty member is made during the term extension, notice must be in writing from the Chair. The reappointment will commence retroactive to the first day following completion of the original term of appointment.

Term Continuation Beyond Extension Period
In the event that a faculty member receives neither notice of reappointment nor notice of non-reappointment and continues to be employed beyond the six-month or one-year notification and extension periods described in above, the appointment will be considered renewed for a one year term. The start date of the renewed term will be the day following the end of the last term of appointment.

 

Updated April 2019

Updated November 2016

Footnotes

15 Doctoral degrees include Doctor of Medicine, Dentistry, Podiatric Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Osteopathy, Jurisprudence, Public Health, Science, Social Work, and Philosophy (Ph.D.). Under exceptional circumstances, the Department Chair may recommend individuals for appointment who lack doctoral degrees but otherwise fulfill the qualifications for such appointments. Any recommendation by a Department Chair of an individual without a doctoral degree for appointment to the position of Instructor or higher ranks will be subject to the approval of the Committee on Appointments and Promotions.

16 All appointments and promotions made at the discretion of the Department Chair will require verification and written documentation of credentials by the Department Chair.

17 All appointments and promotions made at the discretion of the Department Chair will require verification and written documentation of credentials by the Department Chair.