Academic Position Descriptions

Introduction
Teaching and Education
Scholarship (Research, Creative Professional Activities and Sustained Excellence in Teaching)
Administrative Service
Professionalism
Department of Medicine Academic Position Descriptions
Summary of Teaching Experience form

Academic Activities Document for Adjunct and Part-time Clinical Faculty Appointments

Introduction

Academic position descriptions are a university requirement for all clinical faculty academic appointees. They are department-specific and intended to clarify the amount of time the individual will devote to each of scholarship, teaching (formal and informal), clinical activities and administrative service as well as the focus of the individual's scholarly work. Details of our academic position descriptions are summarized below, in the Table.

Teaching and Education

The Department of Medicine (DoM) at the University of Toronto is committed to delivering the highest quality medical education across the learning continuum. All faculty members are expected to teach within the context of the provision of clinical care and to engage in formal, scheduled teaching outside of clinical care delivery, although teaching scope and intensity will vary by faculty member’s academic position description. Please refer to the following documents for details regarding the expectations of faculty members with respect to teaching and education:

As outlined in these documents, all faculty members are expected to:

  • Demonstrate competence in teaching, striving for excellence.
  • Be receptive to feedback on their teaching; and,
  • Engage in faculty development and/or mentorship around teaching as required.

Scholarship (Research, Creative Professional Activities and Sustained Excellence in Teaching)

All faculty members are expected to engage in scholarly activities. However, the scope and intensity will vary by faculty member’s academic position description

Scholarship through Research:

Research excellence is demonstrated through traditional metrics, e.g., peer-reviewed publications and operating grants, graduate teaching supervision, the success of one’s trainees, receipt of research awards and honours, and invitations to speak at national and international research symposia. Excellence in research is also demonstrated by the impact the research has or has potential to have – direct or indirect - on the health of the population.  

The criteria for senior promotion based on Excellence in Research may be found here

Scholarship through Creative Professional Activities (CPA): 

CPA is a broad term that refers to: 1. Contributions to the Development of Professional Practices, e.g., health policy development, regulatory committees, setting of standards; 2. Exemplary Professional Practice, e.g., teaching techniques, educational innovations, curriculum development, models of care innovations (e.g. role of EMR prompts, standardized pathways, pre-printed patient ‘order sets’, on quality and safety of inpatient care or resident experience); leadership in development of professional practice (e.g. tools to enhance physician communication, professionalism); and 3. Professional Innovation and Creative Excellence, e.g., patient videos, curriculum innovations, use of digital technologies or other devices to improve care and outcomes. The criteria for senior promotion based on Excellence in CPA may be found here

Scholarship through Sustained Excellence in Teaching:

The DoM at U of T values the contributions of our teachers. Sustained Excellence in Teaching may be demonstrated through a breadth and depth of teaching, e.g., across different trainee levels and/or training environments, with consistent receipt of positive teaching scores and comments, student testimonials, and nomination or receipt of teaching awards and honours. The criteria for senior promotion based on Sustained Excellence in Teaching may be found here

Administrative Service

Provision of administrative services is required for continuing faculty appointment and senior promotion, but in an of itself is insufficient for either. All faculty members are expected to provide 5% of their professional time to administrative service. Administrative service means serving as members of hospital or university committees pertaining to clinical care, quality, research, education, or administration. At the hospital level, this might include serving on the Research Ethics Board or other hospital committees. At the Divisional level, it may be serving as a site lead for residents or fellows or participation in your specialty interview and match process. At the university level, it might include sitting on a departmental committee, e.g., department appointments or continuing faculty appointment, holding a leadership role, or serving on a committee of Temerty Medicine. 

Professionalism

Professionalism is a core value in the department. Professional conduct is taken into consideration at re-appointment, continuing faculty appointment review, senior promotion, and in selection of candidates for leadership positions and awards.

Faculty members are expected to behave in accordance with the following policies:

Department of Medicine Academic Position Descriptions

Table 1: DoM Academic Position Descriptions

Characteristics Academic Focus Percent full-time faculty (June 2023)
Clinician Teacher (CT) Teaching and supervising medical learners 38%
Academic Clinician (AC) Clinical care to support the academic mission <1%
Clinician in Quality & Innovation (CQI) Teaching and CPA in Quality Improvement, Patient Safety, and other forms of healthcare innovation 8%
Clinician Educator (CE) Education scholarship and/or education leadership and administration 7%
Clinician Investigator (CI) CPA and related research in the context of clinical care 22%
Clinician Scientist (CS) Independent research (all types) & graduate supervision 22%
Clinician Administrator (CA) Senior academic leadership role 2%
Research Scientist (RS) PhD Scientists 1%

Table 2: Distribution of Professional Time by Academic Position Description 

Activity Academic clinician (AC)

Clinician-teacher (CT)

Clinician in Quality & Innovation (CQI) Clinician-educator (CE) Clinician-investigator (CI) Clinician-scientist (CS) Research scientist (RS)  Clinician-administrator (CA)
% of time spent in clinical care  90% 75% 65-75% ~50% ~50% 25% N/A 25%
% time spent in Scholarly Activities  5% 20% 20-30%  ~45% ~45% 70% 95% N/A
% time spent in Administrative Service 5%, e.g., member of a hospital/university committee 5%, e.g., member of a hospital/university committee 5%, e.g., member of a hospital/university committee 5%, e.g., member of a hospital/university committee 5%, e.g., member of a hospital/university committee 5%, e.g., member of a hospital/university committee 5%, e.g., member of a hospital/university committee 75%

Table 3: Formal Teaching Expectations by Academic Position Description

Formal Teaching refers to teaching that is provided outside of the context of provision of clinical care.

Academic Position Description Amount and Type of Formal Teaching Examples
Clinician-teacher (CT) 40-50 hours per year; multiple teaching levels, with an emphasis on undergraduate MD and post-graduate medical trainees Pre-clerkship and clerkship teaching and seminars, lectures, and participation in examinations; Participation in academic half-day/other educational programs; Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Clinician in Quality & Innovation (CQI) 15-30 hours per year; multiple teaching levels QI-related teaching, e.g. morbidity and mortality rounds; non-QI-related teaching as per Clinician Teachers, above
Clinician-educator (CE) 15-30 hours per year; multiple teaching levels All types of graduate teaching; MD seminars, lectures, and examinations; participation in PG academic half-day; supervision of learner research projects; CPD
Clinician-investigator (CI) 15-30 hours per year; multiple teaching levels, with supervision of trainee projects All types of graduate teaching; member graduate thesis committee; undergraduate and undergraduate MD seminars, lectures, and examinations; supervision of resident research projects
Clinician-scientist (CS) Teaching at multiple teaching levels, including graduate course instruction and supervision of graduate students All types of graduate teaching and supervision; supervision of learner research projects; resident academic half-day/ other educational programs; CPD
Clinician-administrator (CA) N/A N/A
Research Scientist (RS) Undergraduate and graduate level course instruction and graduate research supervision All types of graduate teaching and supervision; undergraduate and undergraduate MD seminars & lectures
Academic Clinician (AC) Teaching relevant to the interdisciplinary clinical team and participation in medical rounds Inter-professional in-service sessions and rounds; CPD

Table 4: Expectations Regarding Scholarly Productivity by Academic Position Description 

Academic Position Description Expectations Regarding Scholarly Productivity Usual Basis for Senior Promotion
Clinician-teacher (CT) Teaching effectiveness striving for excellence; CPA related to education, including curriculum development and novel approaches to teaching/education Sustained Excellence in Teaching or CPA
Clinician in Quality & Innovation (CQI) Leadership role in at least one QI-related project every three years with evidence of impact outside local setting OR intellectual contribution to several QI-related projects over a three-year period CPA
Clinician-educator (CE) CPA related to education, including curriculum development and novel approaches to teaching/education and/or at least one first- or senior-authored peer reviewed paper and at least two co-authored papers per year over a three-year period  CPA or Sustained Excellence in Teaching
Clinician-investigator (CI) At least one first- or senior-authored peer reviewed paper and at least two co-authored papers per year over a three-year period and evidence of impact outside local setting CPA or Research
Clinician-scientist (CS) PI on at least one peer-reviewed operating grant and two to three first- or senior-authored peer-reviewed manuscripts per year over a three-year period and evidence of impact outside local setting Research
Clinician-administrator (CA) Success as a leader as evaluated through annual and formal external and internal reviews N/A
Research Scientist (RS) PI on at least one peer-reviewed operating grant and two to three first- or senior-authored peer-reviewed manuscripts per year over a three-year period and evidence of research impact Research
Academic Clinician Role model patient-centred clinical care that is aligned with the CanMEDs framework and roles. Participation in QI or other scholarly activities in the context of provision of clinical care, e.g., evaluation of a novel tool for patient triage To be determined