Pursuing a Faculty Position

May 2007

Trenika R. Mitchell, Pharm.D., Lecturer
Kelly M. Smith, Pharm.D., Associate Professor

After watching fellow members of my pharmacy residency class accept pharmacist positions, I realized the wide variety of career options available to pharmacists, from clinical specialist positions with minimal teaching responsibilities to nontenure-track faculty positions with colleges of pharmacy that integrate clinical work with research and didactic lectures. As I watched my friends move to various geographic locations, I began to reflect on my own career and what job qualities were important to me.

I knew that I had a strong passion for teaching and began exploring the opportunities available within a college of pharmacy. My search revealed that there are many titles bestowed upon faculty members. Some titles are more indicative of the funding source for the position (e.g., public, private, service-generated funds), while other titles refer to the rank of the individual (e.g., assistant or associate professor, instructor, lecturer). The most common faculty options include tenure-track regular and special title positions, nontenure-track clinical title positions, and staff positions with voluntary faculty appointment. All of these positions have different job descriptions, training prerequisites, salary ranges, and professional expectations. I quickly realized that the best way to determine my ideal career choice was to learn more about each type of position.

Tenure-track regular title
Tenure-track regular title positions represent the conventional collegiate professor who primarily works for a college and has minimal clinical activity. Requirements for this position include obtaining a doctor of philosophy degree or fellowship and proof of excellence in the areas of research, teaching, and service. Teaching responsibilities are typically confined to traditional didactic lectureship in the classroom setting and are regularly evaluated. Research and service are strongly emphasized, with research being the most highly weighted element. When tenure is obtained, recipients may be reassessed every five years to determine if tenure will be maintained.

Tenure-track special title
Tenure-track special title positions are newer and evolved in response to the increased emphasis on integrating clinical experience with traditional pharmacy coursework (e.g., disease management, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics). Appointments are created for practitioners involved both in clinical care and clinical research. Participation in research activities is expected, but research typically does not overshadow teaching responsibilities and clinical service. However, clinical service may demand the least amount of time from the faculty member. Teaching experiences are not confined to the classroom setting. Many clinicians also serve as preceptors in their corresponding practice sites. Therefore, clinicians who hold this job title are generally compensated for their work by the academic institution and the practice site.

Nontenure-track clinical title
Nontenure-track clinical title positions are usually held by clinical specialists who have completed pharmacy residencies. These positions are designed for practitioners who devote the majority of their time to clinical activities and practice-based teaching.1 Research is not generally a significant expectation because these positions are primarily funded by the institution in which the pharmacist provides clinical services (e.g., hospital, clinic). Compensation for teaching services is accomplished by completing a professional services contract with a college. These practitioners are often called adjunct or clinical professors and are involved in didactic lectureship as well as student and resident preceptorship.

Staff position with voluntary faculty appointment
The primary job of these clinicians is their staff position at a clinical institution. They generally do not have occupational obligations to a college but volunteer their teaching services in specific areas of expertise. The clinical practice site provides 100% of their salary. This position is designed for the practitioner who enjoys teaching but does not want the additional pressures of scholarly activity and research.

Tenure-track versus nontenuretrack positions
What are the benefits of a tenure versus a nontenure-track position? Tenure translates to academic freedom. A tenured position provides security and protection to faculty members. Tenured faculty members work in an environment that promotes professional creativity and research autonomy without constant concern of employment termination.2 Tenured positions also provide the employee with extended benefits, such as increased vacation and professional leave.

However, from those to whom much is given, much is required. The pathway leading to tenure is not an easy one. The average length of time to tenure attainment is six years. Tenure appointments require a strong time commitment to research, teaching, scholarship, and service. In fact, the continued preservation of tenure is strongly dependent on productivity in these areas.

The requirements for tenure are institution specific. The first and most vital step involved in obtaining tenure is to become familiar with the standards established by the university.2 Learn what is expected. How many published articles are expected per year? What are the research requirements? How will your teaching be evaluated (e.g., student evaluations, dean evaluations, self-evaluations)? What is the percentage of tenured versus nontenured faculty at the institution? What is the general timeline for tenure attainment? Remember that earning tenure usually takes years of hard work, so be prepared to fully commit yourself to the process.

The first commandment in Schoenfeld and Magnan’s2 "10 Commandments of Tenure" is to become involved in scholarly activity. Being well published is a critical facet of professorship. Therefore, the maintenance of an up-to-date curriculum vitae outlining all publications is vital. Other commandments include documenting everything and reinforcing research with teaching and service. A teaching portfolio that contains your teaching philosophy, student evaluations, course syllabuses and presentations, and self-evaluations should therefore be kept.3 The teaching portfolio should show your growth as a teacher and demonstrate the student mentorship you have provided.

Service beyond patient care includes service to your community, university, students, and profession. Service activities demonstrate your dedication to your profession and overall versatility. The final and most essential element is research. Research activities account for 40–75% of work time in most tenured faculty positions. It is important to maintain documented, accessible proof of your research endeavors.

Nontenure-track faculty positions also have advantages. A nontenure-track position is an ideal employment opportunity for practitioners whose primary objective is participating in clinical patient care activities and have a desire to teach and mentor students. This is the career path that many new pharmacists assume after their residency.1,4 Nontenure-track positions do not have the increased emphasis on research and scholarship that is seen with tenured positions, which allows more time to augment your clinical practice while enhancing your teaching abilities.5 These practitioners should develop a job description depicting expectations from both the clinical practice site and the college. This will prevent time conflicts and help to schedule daily activities accordingly.

There are numerous opportunities for those who have a desire to educate. If you want to teach, there is a way to make it happen. No matter which avenue you choose, know that the end result is the same. You will have personally invested in the future leaders of pharmacy.

Footnotes 
 
The experience described is that of Dr. Mitchell. Dr. Smith served as cowriter of the article.

The New Practitioners Forum column features articles that address the special professional needs of pharmacists early in their careers as they transition from students to practitioners. Authors include new practitioners or others with expertise in a topic of interest to new practitioners. AJHP readers are invited to submit topics or articles for this column to the New Practitioners Forum, c/o Jill Haug, 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD20814 (301-664-8821 or newpractitioners@ashp.org).

References
Raehl C, MacLaughlin EJ, Bond CA. Upgrading nontenure-track pharmacy practice faculty from second- to first-class citizens. Am J Pharm Educ. 2003; 67:115–6.
Shoenfeld C, Magnan R. Mentor in a manual: climbing the academic ladder of tenure. 3rd ed. Madison, WI: Atwood; 2004.
Johnson PN, Smith KM. Developing a teaching portfolio. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2007; 64:352, 354–6.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
Smith KM, Romanelli F. Use of an electronic survey to assess the training and practice experiences of pharmacy residency graduates. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2005; 62:2283–8.[Free Full Text]
Glover ML, Deziel-Evans L. Comparison of the responsibilities of tenure versus nontenure-track pharmacy practice faculty. Am J Pharm Educ. 2002; 66:388–91.