External Medical Education Faculty Appointment Policy - Office of Medical Education

PURPOSE
This policy establishes guidelines for the appointment of external faculty who contribute to the medical education mission within the Office of Medical Education (OME). OME is inclusive of Undergraduate Medical Education, Graduate Medical Education, Body Donation Program, Office of Student and Resident Diversity, and Center for a Diverse Healthcare Workforce. 

AUDIENCE
Faculty external of UC Davis School of Medicine

LCME STANDARD
Not applicable

POLICY
Occasionally, external faculty may be hired to meet the programmatic and student needs within the UC Davis School of Medicine (i.e., the School) at maximum appointment of 0.15 Full Time Equivalent (15% FTE) effort at the equivalent (salary and benefit) rate of a current School faculty member with the similar expertise and experience. Additional effort may be reviewed for approval by the Vice Dean for Education, with justification. Appointment terms may be up to one (1) year, renewable upon review of performance and deliverables. 

PROCEDURE
Hiring external faculty in a medical school involves a comprehensive process that characterizes an unmet need in the support, education, and training of medical students and ensures that qualified and experienced individuals are selected. The required details and procedure are as follows:

  1. Needs Assessment
    1. Identify the specific expertise and/or skills required for the medical school program.
    2. Assess the capacity of the School's current faculty to meet the identified need.
    3. If no current faculty are available to meet the need, consider a one 1 year limited FTE for external faculty. 
  2. Position Description/Agreement
    1. Develop a clear and detailed job description/agreement outlining the responsibilities, qualifications, expectations, deliverables, FTE, term, funding source, and reporting structure for the role.
    2. Conduct an appropriately broad and inclusive search.
  3. Approval Process
    1. Internal agreement initiator must obtain necessary approvals from the anticipated unit’s supervisor or faculty lead, Vice Dean for Medical Education, and Assistant Dean for Medical Education.
    2. Confirm approval from funding source. 
    3. Determine if a Volunteer Clinical Professor (VCP) appointment is needed for the role’s function.
    4. Ensure compliance with institutional policies and procedures.
  4. Contract Negotiation
    1. Present a written offer of the position to the selected candidate that includes terms, salary, benefits, and any other relevant details. Appointments over 6 months must be paid directly to the incumbent’s primary/sponsoring organization; payments may not be made directly to an individual.
    2. Ensure mutual understanding on expectations, responsibilities, deliverables, timeline, and performance metrics.
    3. Once terms have been agreed upon, process agreement through contracting standard procedure for final signatures.
  5. Orientation and Onboarding
    1. Develop an orientation program to introduce new faculty member(s) to the medical school's policies, procedures, and culture. 
    2. If needed, the internal agreement initiator must support the facilitation of a Volunteer Clinical Professor (VCP)  appointment for the external faculty incumbent, with the OME Community Physician Liaison and the School's sponsoring department. 
    3. Facilitate training on the use of educational technology, curriculum requirements, FERPA, and any other relevant information as needed.
  6. Integration and Evaluation
    1. Integrate the appointee into the relevant academic and clinical environment.
    2. Establish a system for ongoing evaluation of faculty performance, including feedback from students and colleagues.
  7. Feedback and Continuous Improvement
    1. Solicit faculty, students, and staff feedback to continually improve the hiring and onboarding process.
    2. Make adjustments as needed to address any challenges or shortcomings in the process.

RESPONSIBILITY
Vice Dean for Medical Education

REFERENCES
Not applicable

POLICY OWNER
Office of Medical Education

REVIEWED BY
Assistant Dean for Medical Education
OME Administrative Directors
Vice Dean for Medical Education*

REVIEWED DATE and REVIEW CYCLE
February 2024, annual review cycle

* Indicates the Policy Owner