This policy establishes criteria and procedures for promotion of Volunteer Faculty who hold non‑salaried academic appointments and contribute substantially to the educational programs of the Larner School of Medicine. This may include Educators, Researchers, and Clinicians. 

Volunteer Pathway: 

Faculty who contribute substantially to the educational programs of LCOM without pay may be appointed to the non-salaried, Volunteer Pathway. This may include Educators, Researchers, and Clinicians. Faculty on the Volunteer Pathway are not employees of UVM and are not eligible for UVM benefits or benefits under this Faculty Handbook, except as explicitly noted.

Ranks: 

Voluntary faculty, upon approved application to LCOM, are assigned a title of (Clinical/Education) Instructor*, (Clinical/Education/Research) Assistant Professor, (Clinical/Education/Research) Associate Professor, or (Clinical/Education/Research) Professor on the Volunteer Pathway. 

• NOTE: Instructor level primarily reserved for trainee (residents and fellows) applicants. 

Criteria‑driven Promotion: 

Advancement in rank is based on demonstrated accomplishments and impact that meet defined standards for the higher rank; although time in rank will be considered, no specific number of years in rank guarantees promotion.

1. Promotion is a recognition of sustained excellence and impact in assigned roles, not a reward for time in rank alone.
2. Volunteer faculty may be considered for promotion when they and their department believe criteria are met, recognizing that most candidates will require multiple years (generally six or more) to build an appropriate record.

1. Any Faculty member holding a volunteer LCOM appointment, currently in good standing may be nominated for promotion when they have:

• A record of sustained contributions since initial appointment or last promotion, and
• Performance and accomplishments that meet or exceed the criteria for the next rank, as defined in this policy.

2. Departments may issue expected ranges (e.g., “typically 6 or more years at Assistant Professor before promotion to Associate”), but these ranges do not create entitlement to promotion.
3. Excellence in one (specifically Assistant to Associate Professor) or two (specifically Associate Professor to Professor) primary domains (teaching, research and clinical care) with at least satisfactory performance in other domains.

Promotion decisions are based on a holistic assessment across the following domains, with teaching and clinical excellence as primary:

A. Teaching

Evidence may include:

• Regular and substantive participation in teaching activities (e.g., clerkships, courses, small groups, simulation, mentoring).
• Learner evaluations demonstrate effectiveness and professionalism.
• Peer evaluations of teaching, where available.
• Development or significant revision of curricula, teaching materials, or assessments.
• Leadership in educational programs (e.g., course director, site director, clerkship lead).
  • Assistant: Effective and reliable educator with consistent contributions and positive evaluations; Effective small‑group or bedside teaching; participation in faculty development; Consistent teaching contributions (e.g., specific hours or sessions per year), participation in curriculum delivery.
  • Associate: Sustained, high‑quality teaching across settings; leadership in courses/clerkships, mentoring of learners or junior faculty, evidence of innovation.
  • Professor: Regional/national recognition for educational excellence, leadership of major educational initiatives, significant and sustained mentoring, and/or curriculum innovation.

Expectations increase by rank (example language):

B. Clinical Excellence (for clinical roles)

Evidence may include:

• Current licensure, board certification (where applicable), and good standing with clinical affiliates.
• Evidence of high‑quality patient care, such as peer assessments, quality metrics, or patient feedback, if available.
• Participation in quality improvement or patient safety initiatives.
• Excellence in  leadership or oversight of clinical programs.

C. Service and Educational Citizenship

Evidence may include:

• Service on departmental, school, or hospital committees related to education, clinical care, or diversity/equity.
• Participation in admissions, OSCEs, examinations, remediation, or faculty development offerings.
• Leadership roles in committees, task forces, or community engagement activities.
  • Increasing leadership expectations with rank (e.g., chairing a committee, leading site coordination, engaging in community outreach).

D. Scholarship and Professional Activity

Evidence may include:

• Broadly defined to include educational materials, QI projects, abstracts/posters, invited talks, or practice‑improvement projects.
• For higher ranks, expect a track record of scholarly or professional contributions beyond the local site (regional/national talks, guidelines, leadership roles).
• Leadership or active roles in professional societies, local, regional, or national educational meetings.
• Contributions to guidelines, policy documents, or innovative practice models.

Faculty are not required to meet the highest standard in all domains, but promotion typically requires:

• Clear excellence in teaching (and clinical care for clinicians), and
• At least meaningful contributions in service and/or scholarship appropriate to rank.

A. Initiation of Promotion

1. A promotion may be initiated by:
   • The site director, or
   • The department chair.
2. Departments should annually review their volunteer faculty to identify individuals who may be ready for promotion based on contributions and evaluations.
3. Faculty candidates should consult with their department to confirm readiness and align evidence with criteria before submitting a dossier.
4. The initiation process requires identification of a departmental leader and their administrative contact, both of whom guide and support the candidate throughout the promotional process and consult liaise directly with the LCOM Office for Faculty.

B. Dossier Requirements

A complete promotion dossier must include:

• A current CV formatted according to LCOM guidelines[RW1] .
• A personal statement (1–2 pages) detailing roles and accomplishments in teaching, clinical practice, service, and scholarship since appointment or last promotion.
• Evidence of teaching excellence:
• LCOM Teaching Evaluation Table[RW2]  summarizing quantitative teaching evaluations over the past five years.
• All available teaching evaluations, including those from various learner levels (graduate students, CME peer education, medical students, etc.), documenting qualitative teaching performance over the past five years.
• Evidence of clinical excellence:
• Relevant quality metrics or peer attestations, if available.
• Documentation may be presented within the personal statement, CV, or as supplementary documents.
• Record of service, leadership, professional activity
• Examples of participation in committees, leadership roles, community outreach, or institutional initiatives, where applicable 
• Examples of scholarly or professional outputs (presentations, educational tools, QI reports), where applicable 
• Documentation may be presented within the personal statement, CV, or as supplementary documents.
• Letters of evaluation:
• Two letters attesting to excellence in teaching, research/scholarly mentorship, and/or clinical care (e.g., from course leaders, program directors, former mentees, or clinical leaders), addressing impact and professional reputation. Letters may be solicited internally or externally. Candidates may request letters of support from individuals who know them personally, provided that the letter writer has substantial familiarity with the candidate’s work and can speak specially to its impact. 
• For promotion to Professor on the Volunteer Pathway, departments may solicit additional letters, including external recommendations, to document broader impact.

C. Departmental Review

The relevant LCOM department RPT committee reviews the dossier against criteria for the proposed rank. The committee submits a written recommendation to the department chair, which includes:

• A concise summary of the candidate’s contributions in each domain,
• An assessment confirming whether the candidate meets the criteria for promotion,
• Completion and signature of the LCOM voting form by the department chair.

The department chair, site director, or appointed designee provides an independent written assessment of the candidate's promotion dossier, referencing LCOM criteria and committee recommendations. Additionally, responsibility rests with the department chair, site director, or designee to establish a primary point of contact for communication with the LCOM Office for Faculty, upload the dossier to the LCOM Volunteer Pathway Promotions shared website, and adhere to published deadlines.

Volunteer pathway promotion dossiers must be uploaded to the LCOM shared drive by May 1^st, or the first working day in May. 

D. College‑Level Review and Decision

1. Dossiers recommended by both the candidate’s department chair and their respective LCOM department  RPT committee are reviewed by LCOM’s Associate Dean (AD) for Faculty. 
2. The AD for Faculty evaluates whether the candidate’s record meets college‑wide standards and ensures consistency across departments.
3. The AD for faculty, using the candidate record, as well as the documentation from the respective department RPT committee and respective chair letter will make a recommendation to the Dean, who makes the final promotion decision.
4. The faculty member will receive official notice of results with subsequent updating of their LCOM rank/title. For unsuccessful cases, the Office for Faculty will offer feedback and guidance on areas for development.
5. Approved promotions take place on July 1^st of the respective year. 

1. Volunteer Faculty appointments are time‑limited and subject to periodic reappointment (e.g., every 3 years), as defined in LCOM Faculty Handbook.
2. Reappointment decisions consider:

• Ongoing engagement in agreed‑upon teaching and clinical roles.
• Professionalism and adherence to institutional policies.

3. Failure to meet minimal engagement expectations over time may result in non‑reappointment or a change in title, regardless of rank.

1. All Volunteer Faculty are expected to uphold LCOM standards of professionalism and faculty must comply with institutional policies on conflicts of interest, and educational environment.
2. Violations may lead to immediate action, including suspension of teaching roles, removal from committees, or termination of appointment, independent of the promotion process.

1. Departments may develop department‑specific norms that provide concrete examples of activities and typical time frames for promotion in their specialties, provided they are consistent with this policy.
2. This policy will be reviewed periodically (e.g., every 3–5 years) to ensure alignment with institutional standards, accreditation requirements, and best practices in medical education.