Peers for Promotion
Overview
The Peers for Promotion program is a longitudinal cohort program designed to support, motivate, and prepare faculty for the promotions process. By the end of the program, faculty will have 1) an increased understanding of the promotions process, 2) identified tasks to strengthen their promotion materials, and 3) a detailed timeline for submission of those materials. The cohort model allows each participant to give and receive feedback on each of the elements of a promotions package.
Peers for Promotion is designed specifically for faculty members of the UMass Chan Medical School (TH Chan School of Medicine, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing) who are seeking academic advancement from the Assistant to Associate Professor level. Specific criteria for eligibility include 5-10 years at the rank of Assistant Professor in the non-tenure track, and support from their Chair or Division Chief. The program is most appropriate for faculty who have the potential to meet criteria for promotion pending several additional years (1-3) of achievement.
PFP 2025
The 2025 program consist of five sessions (one virtual, four in-person).
The program is offered free of charge and there are no tuition fees associated with it.
Selected participants agree to attend all sessions and complete between-session assignments. Total time commitment for program participation is approximately four hours per month March through June.
Application
A Peers for Promotion program application includes:
· Completed application *Opens January 6, 2025*
· Current CV in the UMass Chan format (uploaded as part of application submission)
· Signed Chair/Division Chief Support Form (you will download the form from the application itself, and then upload a signed version as part of the application submission)
All application materials must be submitted by February 20, 2025. Applicants will receive notice regarding acceptance into the program by late February/early March.
Session Dates and Topics
PFP sessions will be offered in person at the medical school and take place on Tuesday afternoons, 4:30-6:00pm, with the exception of the first session on Tuesday March 25, 2025 12:00-1:00pm which will be virtual.
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Session 1 (virtual) March 25 (noon-1pm) |
Session 2 March 25 (4:30-6:00pm) |
Session 3 April 29 (4:30-6:00pm) |
Session 4 May 13 (4:30-6:00pm) |
Session 5 June 10 (4:30-6:00pm) |
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Overview of the promotions process; CV development and maintenance (This session is open to all faculty and takes place via Zoom. Attendance is mandatory for PFP participants.) |
Selection of an area of distinction; Demonstration of scholarly productivity |
Development of a narrative statement
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Demonstration of educational effectiveness; Panel discussion
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Letters of evaluation; Development of a promotion timeline; Wrap-up & next steps *post-program 1:1 consultations |
Please direct any questions about the 2025 Peers for Promotion Program to Emily Green (Emily.Green@umassmed.edu)
Previous Scholarship- Program Impact
The Peers for Promotion program was originally designed, implemented and evaluated by Dr. Judith Ockene and Dr. Joanna Cain. The OFA sponsored four annual Peers for Promotion programs between 2013–17 with a total of 61 participants. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted for the first two years of the program (2013–15; 32 participants) using a Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model. The evaluation demonstrated the success of the program at all four levels of assessment:
- Level 1 (Reaction). Participants were highly satisfied with the program as shown by surveys and session evaluations.
- Level 2 (Learning). Participants reported significantly increased confidence in their skills and knowledge related to all aspects of the promotion process compared to their level of confidence before the start of the program.
- Level 3 (Behavior). Skills and knowledge were translated into behavior/practice: as of March 2017, 22 of the 29 participants who remained at UMass Chan Medical School submitted their materials for promotion and 21/29 (72%) were approved for promotion to Associate Professor.
- Level 4 (Results). The program has had a profound impact on academic advancement at UMass Chan Medical School. The rate of promotion to Associate Professor of program participants (72%, 21/29) is more than twice that of equivalent non-participants (32%, 61/188), a statistically significant difference. Promoted participants accounted for 29% (21/73) of all promotions of non-tenure track faculty members to Associate Professor since 2014, including 33% (12/36) of all women faculty members promoted.
Peers for Promotion: Achieving Academic Advancement through Facilitated Peer Mentoring. Ockene JK, Milner RJ, Thorndyke LE, Congdon J, Cain JM. Journal of Faculty Development 31: 5-14 (2017).