BioMed Faculty Tracks

Academic Tracks - All Departments

Academic Faculty includes (Research) for Biology departments, and Clinician Scholar, Research Scholar, Teaching Scholar, Pre-track*, and (Research) tracks in Medical/Clinical departments.

Faculty with academic tracks are physicians, research scientists, or health or allied science professionals whose primary professional efforts are as employees of Brown or of an affiliated organization(s). Faculty with Academic titles are voting members of the Brown University faculty in accordance with the Faculty Rules and Regulations of Brown University.

*If Pre-track, faculty must designate their track by the end of their second term as an Assistant Professor.

Faculty Recruitment and Appointments

For new appointments, all academic tracks must be recruited through the search or pre-select process.

All other faculty actions, such as reappointment, junior promotions, terminations, and extensions, are processed through the BMFA Faculty Actions site with instructions outlined on our Faculty Actions Processes page.

Appointments and Promotions to Senior Ranks

Appointment or promotion to a senior rank on the academic track is put before the Committee on Medical Faculty Appointments (CMFA).

(Research) - All Departments

A faculty member who has demonstrated:

Research potential.
A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Appointment at this rank is limited to one 2-year term.*

* A promotion review must take place by the end of the second year of the two-year term as it is designated as “up, over, out” status for this rank.

A faculty member who has demonstrated:

Potential or ability for conducting high-quality research as evidenced by scholarly publication in peer-reviewed journals, grant funding, and/or professional service to the outside scientific community.
A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is required.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 3 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has:

Established an independent or collaborative, productive research program, with a reasonable assurance of continuity or productivity.
A national reputation in their area of research.
A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Teaching, advising, and/or mentoring and service contributions to the University, its affiliates, or the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has:

Established an independent or collaborative program of high-quality, productive research program support by sustained, significant, external, peer-reviewed grants.
Continued to demonstrate research productivity since the previous appointment or promotion.
- For faculty in disciplines where collaborative, team-based research is the norm, the contribution should be substantive and distinct.
A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is required.
An international reputation for research in their area of expertise is required.
Teaching, advising, and/or mentoring and service contributions to the University, its affiliates, and the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

Clinician Scholars - Clinical Departments Only

A faculty member who:

Has completed training in their area of specialization.
Will have demonstrated the potential to interact effectively through teaching, advising, and/or mentoring undergraduates, graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral trainees, or residents and fellows
Has demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and an interest in scholarship.

Appointment at this rank is limited to two 2-year terms depending on the needs of the department.*

*A promotion review must take place by the end of the second two-year term as it is designated as “up or out” status for this rank.

A faculty member who has demonstrated:

The ability as a teacher, advisor, and/or mentor of undergraduates, graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral trainees, residents, or fellows.
A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Potential for scholarship in their chosen discipline.

Appointment at this rank is limited to three 3-year terms depending on the needs of the department.*

*A promotion review must take place by the end of the third three-year term as it is designated as “up or out” status for this rank.

A faculty member who has:

A major clinical role in a University-sponsored or affiliated program
Exhibits clinical expertise and excellence in teaching, advising, and/or mentoring,
Demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
A national reputation in their area of expertise.
A continuous record of scholarship since the last appointment or promotion is expected.
Service contributions to the University, its affiliates, or the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has:

Exceptional clinical expertise and who has continued to lead and innovate in clinical programs.
Excellence in teaching, mentoring and/or advising
A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion are required.
An international reputation as a clinician scholar in their area of expertise.
A continuous record of scholarship since the last appointment or promotion is expected.
Service contributions to the University, its affiliates, or the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

Research Scholars - Clinical Departments Only

A faculty member who:

Has completed training in his/her area of specialization.
Has demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Has demonstrated an interest in scholarship.
Will have demonstrated the potential to interact effectively through teaching, advising, and/or mentoring undergraduates, graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral trainees, or residents and fellows.

Appointment at this rank is limited to two 2-year terms depending on the needs of the department.*

*A promotion review must take place by the end of the second two-year term as it is designated as “up or out” status for this rank.

A faculty member who has demonstrated:

The ability as a teacher, advisor, and/or mentor of undergraduates, graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral trainees, residents, or fellows.
A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Potential for scholarship in their chosen discipline.

Appointment at this rank is limited to three 3-year terms depending on the needs of the department.

*A promotion review must take place by the end of the third three-year term as it is designated as “up or out” status for this rank.

A faculty member who has:

Established an independent or collaborative, productive research program, supported by external, peer-reviewed grants and having reasonable assurance of continuity or productivity.
A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is required.
A continuous record of highly regarded research publications since the previous appointment or promotion is required.
A national reputation in his/her area of research.
A demonstrated record of excellence in teaching, advising, and/or mentoring is expected.
Excellent clinical skills will be given positive consideration.
Service contributions to the University, its affiliates, and the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has

Established an independent or collaborative productive research program supported primarily by sustained, significant external, peer-reviewed grants.
Demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
For faculty in disciplines where collaborative, team-based research is the norm, the contribution should be substantive and distinct.
A continuous record of highly regarded research publications since the last appointment or promotion is required.
The individual must have an international reputation in their area of research.
A record of excellence in teaching, advising, and/or mentoring is expected.
Excellent clinical skills will be given positive consideration.
Service contributions to the University, its affiliates, and the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

Teaching Scholars - Clinical Departments Only

A faculty member who:

Has completed training in his/her area of specialization.
Has demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Has demonstrated an interest in scholarship.
Will have demonstrated the potential to interact effectively through teaching, advising, and/or mentoring undergraduates, graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral trainees, or residents and fellows.

Appointment at this rank is limited to two 2-year terms depending on the needs of the department.*

*A promotion review must take place by the end of the second two-year term as it is designated as “up or out” status for this rank.

A faculty member who has:

Demonstrated ability as a teacher, advisor, and/or mentor of undergraduates, graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral trainees, residents, or fellows, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Demonstrated potential for scholarship in their chosen discipline.

Appointment at this rank is limited to three 3-year terms depending on the needs of the department.

*A promotion review must take place by the end of the third three-year term as it is designated as “up or out” status for this rank.

A faculty member who has:

A major educational role in a University-sponsored or affiliated program who exhibits excellence and innovation in teaching, and has demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
A national reputation in their area of expertise.
A continuous record of scholarship since the last appointment or promotion is expected.
Excellent clinical skills will be given positive consideration.
Service contributions to the University, its affiliates, or the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has:

Exceptional teaching skills and has continued to lead educational programs.
Excellence and innovation in teaching and a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. (Required)
The individual must have a national reputation as an educator in their area of expertise.
A continuous record of scholarship since the last appointment or promotion is expected.
Excellent clinical skills will be given positive consideration.
Service contributions to the University and its affiliates, or be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

Clinical Faculty Tracks - Clinical Departments Only

Faculty who hold clinical titles may be physicians, or health and allied science professionals who may be community-based practitioners or employees of affiliated organizations or Brown University.

Faculty with Clinical Faculty Titles have voting rights only within their department and the Medical School, and/or School of Public Health in accordance with the Faculty Rules and Regulations of Brown University.

Faculty Recruitment and Actions

All faculty actions such as appointments, reappointments, terminations, etc. are processed through the BMFA Faculty Actions site with instructions outlined on our Faculty Actions Processes page.

Appointments and Promotions to Senior Ranks

Appointment or promotion to a senior rank on the academic track is put before the Committee on Medical Faculty Appointments (CMFA).

Clinical Track

Clinical faculty are obligated to provide a minimum 100 hours of annual teaching, advising, mentoring and/or service to their department or to Brown University.

These faculty have the prefix “Clinical” before their title, for example, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics.

A faculty member who:

Participates in academic activities and interacts effectively with undergraduates, graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral trainees, residents or fellows through teaching, advising, and/or mentoring
Has demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 3 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has:

Documented ability in teaching, advising and/or mentoring or as a contributor to a clinical or research program
Demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 3 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has:

Demonstrated a high level of skill in teaching, advising, and/or mentoring.
As a practitioner, demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Contributed actively to clinical or research programs.
A regional reputation in their area of expertise.
Scholarly activity will be given positive consideration.
Service to the University, its affiliates, or to the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has:

Demonstrated excellence in teaching, advising, and/or mentoring.
As a practitioner, demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Contributed actively to clinical or research programs.
A national reputation in their area of expertise.
Evidence of scholarly activity is required.
Service to the University, its affiliates, or to the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

Clinician Educator Track

Clinician Educators are employees of Brown or of an affiliated organization and are obligated to provide a minimum of 200 hours of annual teaching, advising, mentoring and/or service to their department or to Brown University.

These faculty have “Clinician Educator” following their title, for example, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Clinician Educator.

A faculty member who:

Participates in academic programs and interacts effectively with undergraduates, graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral trainees, residents or fellows through teaching, advising and/or mentoring.
Has a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 3 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has:

Documented ability in teaching, advising, and/or mentoring.
Contributed to a clinical or research program.
A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is required.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 3 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has:

Demonstrated a substantial involvement and documented recognition as excellent in teaching, advising, and/or mentoring.
Demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
As a practitioner, made important contributions to a clinical or research program.
A regional reputation in their area of expertise.
Scholarly activity is required.
Service to the University, its affiliates, or to the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

A faculty member who has:

Demonstrated a substantial involvement and documented recognition as excellent in teaching, advising, and/or mentoring.
Demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
As a practitioner, made important contributions to a clinical or research program.
A national reputation in their area of expertise.
Scholarly activity is required.
Service to the University, its affiliates, or to the profession will be given positive consideration where a substantial role can be documented.

Appointment at this rank is for a term of up to 5 years that may be renewed depending on the needs of the department.

Tenure Track and Lecturer Titles - Biology Departments Only

The tenurable ranks at Brown are Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. Those holding these ranks are hired for initial periods of more than one year, and, in the case of tenured faculty, until retirement or resignation.

Faculty at these ranks are expected to hold the highest academic degree that can be earned in their fields, and all are expected to teach classes, advise students, engage in research and other scholarly undertakings, and participate in departmental and University activities - all to a high degree of excellence.

Those holding ranks which are not tenurable (see "Other Ranks" below) may not necessarily fulfill all of these conditions.

Faculty Recruitment and Actions

All tenure-track faculty must be recruited through the search or pre-select process.

New appointments are reviewed by the Tenure, Promotions, and Appointments Committee (TPAC) if they carry tenure, or are at the rank of Associate or Full Professor (with or without tenure), Senior Lecturer, or Distinguished Senior Lecturer. The process for appointment and promotion to senior ranks is provided by the Dean of the Faculty.

Tenure Track

Appointment in the rank of Instructor is normally offered to qualified persons who have nearly completed the requirements for the highest degree appropriate to their disciplines, but who do not yet possess it at the time of their initial appointments.

Appointments are normally for one year, with the expectation that the faculty member will receive their degree within that time period. Upon certification that these requirements have been completed, promotion to the rank of Assistant Professor will normally follow.

If the Ph.D. requirements are completed before the opening of the academic year, the promotion in rank and the attendant salary increase will be retroactive to July 1st. If, however, the Ph.D. is completed after the beginning of the academic year, promotion in rank will be effective at the beginning of the next semester, but the attendant salary increase will be effective on the first day of the calendar month following completion of the Ph.D.

Instructors may perform the same duties as those in tenurable ranks, but their service in this rank is not counted as part of the probationary period.

Initial appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor is for a term of four years.

The appointment may be renewed, following review, for a period of two or four years.

The rank of Associate Professor usually carries tenure and is thus of unlimited duration.

On occasion, an initial appointment may be made at this rank without tenure; this may be done in situations in which the department wishes to gather information about the candidate’s teaching at Brown, or in those in which the completion of one or more projects will be important in assessing the case for tenure.

Such an appointment is normally for no more than five years.

Appointment as, or promotion to, Associate Professor (whether tenured or untenured) requires review by the Tenure, Promotions, and Appointments (TPAC) Committee.

Appointment as Professor is ordinarily tenured.

On rare occasions, term appointments at this rank may be appropriate. Consultation with the appropriate Dean is recommended if such an appointment is contemplated.

Appointment as, or promotion to, Professor requires review by the Tenure, Promotions, and Appointments (TPAC) Committee.

Lecturer Titles

Lecturers are individuals with appropriate professional qualifications who are appointed to teach one or more courses or to carry out other academic responsibilities which are appropriately assigned to regular members of the department faculty, but who are not expected to fulfill the requirements of scholarly research that are expected of faculty who hold professorial rank.

Initial appointments may be for one, two, or three years, and may be renewed for fixed terms of no more than three years, so long as the needs of the department and the quality of performance warrant such appointment.

Contingent and Concurrent Appointments as Lecturer: There are some cases in which a regular staff position includes some regular teaching responsibilities. In such cases, the incumbent may be appointed as Lecturer, concurrent with and contingent upon the staff position. These positions are structured and defined so that individuals holding them are expected to be qualified to teach regularly. Teaching is at the discretion of the Director or Chair and is not compensated separately. The contingent and concurrent Lecturer appointment should be for a renewable term of three to five years.

Please note that those holding contingent and concurrent appointments at these ranks are not eligible for scholarly leave. A contingent and concurrent Lecturer may, per their department’s standards and criteria, be a voting member of the department; for a contingent and concurrent Lecturer to be considered eligible to vote at regular faculty meetings, the department must seek approval of the Faculty Executive Committee.

A Lecturer appointment is not appropriately made to accommodate a particular individual, nor to address temporary or irregular teaching needs. In those cases, an Adjunct appointment should be considered.

Senior Lecturers have similar responsibilities as those defined for Lecturers, with a greater emphasis on service and excellence in teaching over a number of years.

A Senior Lecturer may also have demonstrated professional accomplishments and recognition beyond that of a Lecturer.

Individuals are normally eligible for promotion to Senior Lecturer only after the second consecutive three-year appointment as lecturer, or after a total of six years of appointment in rank.

Reappointments at this rank may be for periods of up to six years provided that the needs of the department and the quality of performance warrant such appointment.

Departments should develop clear standards for promotion to Senior Lecturer.

Distinguished Senior Lecturers execute the responsibilities of Senior Lecturers at an exceptional level over a number of years, and demonstrate continued professional growth within their field.

A consistent record of excellence in teaching and significant service to the department, University, and profession is required for promotion to Distinguished Senior Lecturer. They also demonstrate continued professional accomplishment beyond the level required of Senior Lecturers.

Individuals are normally eligible for promotion to Distinguished Senior Lecturer after a minimum of six years from appointment as Senior Lecturer.

Reappointments at this rank may be made for periods of up to six years, according to the needs of the department. Departments should develop clear standards for promotion to Distinguished Senior Lecturer.

Emeritus/a Appointment - All Departments

Please note: The University Policy regarding eligibility criteria changed effective July 1, 2024.

When a faculty member retires, they are customarily given the rank and title of Professor Emeritus or Professor Emerita. However, not all retiring persons receive that designation. The University policy for determining who shall be entitled to it is as follows:

Tenured faculty and faculty at the rank of Full Professor are recommended to the Corporation for the emerita/emeritus title upon retirement.
Other faculty may be recommended for such a title, provided that they have served a minimum of fifteen years’ service as faculty at Brown University (or equivalent for medical faculty in the community), and are retiring from the faculty.

All such recommendations are made by the appropriate senior administrator (Provost, Dean of the Faculty, Senior Vice President, Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences, Dean of Engineering, or Dean of Public Health) to the President for their approval and subsequent presentation by the President to the Corporation.

The following applies only to emeritus faculty; it does not refer to emeritus administrators without faculty rank, or to retiring persons who do not qualify for the emeritus rank. Emeritus professors remain members of the faculty of Brown University with all the privileges appertaining to that rank except three:

They are no longer tenured, if they previously were.
They do not receive pay from the University unless they also hold an adjunct, research, or visiting appointment.
They are not voting members of the faculty.

All requests for emeritus/a appointments should be submitted to BMFA through the BMFA Faculty Actions site.

If approved by the Dean, the request will be submitted to the President for her approval and subsequent presentation to the Corporation.

Additional Resources

General Resources

Brown University Faculty Handbook

For the most up-to-date information concerning definitions, policies, and procedures, please refer to the Brown University Faculty Handbook.

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Resources for Faculty Development

Information and resources designed to assist with faculty development.

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Affiliate Titles

Learn more about affiliate appointments for faculty, professionals, and international scholars.

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For Department Administrators

Faculty Actions Processes

Instructions and additional information for completing appointments, reappointments, secondary appointments, terminations, and emeritus actions.

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Faculty Recruitment Processes

Learn about the several ways in which a department can recruit faculty including searches, pre-selects, and hiring international scholars.

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BMFA Faculty Actions Site

Department Administrators can submit appointment, reappointment, secondary appointment, emeritus, and termination requests directly to our BMFA Actions Site.

Please connect with our office if you have any questions or run into difficulty with the Actions Site.

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For Biology Faculty

Biology Faculty

The Office of BioMed Faculty Administration works in collaboration with the Dean of the Faculty to support faculty in basic science departments at Brown.

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Tenure and Promotion (TPAC)

Tenure and Promotion provide resources and support for annual reviews, reappointments, tenure, and promotion cases, as well as guidance for dossier preparation.

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