CCLCM of CWRU SOM Faculty Appointments
CCLCM Office of Faculty Affairs
Education Institute; 9500 Euclid Avenue, EC40; Phone: 216-442-5627; Email: CCLCM Faculty Affairs
REQUIREMENTS for:
New Appointment & Promotion
Clinical Professor or Adjunct Professor
Approval Time-Frame: 9 - 12 months
This is a non-tenure Clinical / Adjunct track (part-time) rank with Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (CCLCM of CWRU SOM).
If your application receives final approval:
You will remain an employee of Cleveland Clinic or its affiliates and will not
receive any compensation (salary or otherwise) from CWRU SOM.
You will receive minimal benefits from CWRU SOM (ID, email address, etc.), which will be explained in your approval email.
REQUIRED REPUTATION
U.S. National or sustained/enhanced in your Primary Area of Excellence.
International Candidates
MUST have a minimum of one letter received from an external U.S.-based referee who can attest to your impact on your field.
You do NOT obtain this letter yourself.
Additional criteria outlining an external referee and explaining the process can be found under the Referee Name section below.
The clinical track is appropriate if any of the following are true:
If your Cleveland Clinic work hours are less than 0.5 FTE.
You are primarily committed to clinical service and have modest or sporadic accomplishments in professional service, education/teaching, and research.
You work outside of main campus and/or do not have a lot of education/teaching and academic medicine involvement and prefer the part-time track.
You are a Cleveland Clinic caregiver who must complete CCLCM student evaluations or teach repeatedly throughout the year.
You are not interested in applying for large grants or research projects where a regular track appointment is often required.
You are not interested in participating in CWRU governance and committees.
You are not interested in making CWRU your full-time primary affiliation because you wish to retain a full-time appointment at another academic institution. The outside faculty appointment will not need approval.
Adjunct vs. Clinical Prefix
Adjunct prefix is only for candidates in the CCLCM Academic Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Medicine who are part-time professional staff researchers.
Those hired as full-time professional staff researchers should apply in the regular track.
Note: All adjunct prefix ranks do not count towards, nor are they eligible for, emeritus per the CWRU Faculty Handbook.
Clinical prefix is for all candidates in the Clinical track, regardless of terminal degree, in every CCLCM Academic Department, except Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Medicine.
o Note: Throughout this document, all references to Clinical also pertain to Adjunct.
What rank is appropriate?
Start by using our CCLCM Comparison Tool of Ranks.
Review the requirements, eligibility, and reputation for each rank to determine which one you are qualified for.
You can also discuss your reputation and appropriate rank with your chair.
If you are still unsure, send your CV to [email protected] along with your Primary Area of Excellence to be reviewed by our Associate Dean. We will email you with his recommendation.
Before sending us your CV, make sure that it is updated according to the CV section outlined further down in this document.
If you are applying for a promotion, you must highlight your NEW
accomplishments in yellow so they can be reviewed accurately.
Note that the recommendation that CCLCM Faculty Affairs provides is not a guarantee of success!
Promotion
Currently appointed as a CCLCM of CWRU SOM Clinical/Adjunct Associate Professor.
Promotions must be completed in order; therefore, you cannot skip any rank.
To effectively represent academic and professional growth, promotions are generally submitted between 4-8 years from your last appointment or promotion.
However, CWRU requires no specific amount of time – the only specification is that you have new items on your CV that show you have reached the required reputation and impact.
Remember items on your CV dated BEFORE your past CWRU appointment approval date were already counted and will not count towards this promotion.
There is no difference in the documentation requirements between a new appointment and a promotion application.
New Appointment
Currently, you do not have a CCLCM of CWRU SOM clinical track appointment.
Or, you currently have a CCLCM of CWRU SOM regular track (full-time) appointment and would like to move to the clinical track (part-time). Contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs first.
Contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs if you still have questions after reviewing this entire document.
General Considerations:
Note: Throughout this document, all references to Clinical also pertain to Adjunct.
IMPORTANT – To receive a CCLCM of CWRU SOM appointment or promotion, you must prove you have a U.S. reputation.
How to Create a Reputation?
You create a U.S. reputation by having something you are known for in your Primary Area of Expertise outside your current location and Cleveland Clinic.
When referees and reviewers examine your application, they seek evidence of your U.S. reputation in your Primary Area of Excellence.
Significant accomplishments in one of the other two Areas of Excellence can help bolster your reputation and show the referees and reviewers you excel in other areas.
Additional information regarding the three Areas of Excellence is outlined after this section.
Different ways to create a reputation:
Become an expert on something within your specialty, figure out a novel way to teach learners, or make a research discovery that makes those outside Cleveland Clinic seek your opinion and expertise.
Discover an innovation or technology that puts your name in the regional and national community as an expert with knowledge that others are eager to learn (this can be a new technique, your way of teaching, or your novel program).
Become a leader, advisor, and reviewer within regional and national professional societies, government boards, advisor groups, editorial boards, and more.
Volunteer or ask to be on committees at the regional or national level that make decisions that advance your specialty.
Publish papers and receive funding for your research projects that show you have a reputation outside of your location and Cleveland Clinic or that you are an integral part of projects that cannot be done without your specific knowledge.
Get asked to present at regional and national platforms based on your expertise (presentations, grand rounds, visiting professorship, society meetings, etc.).
Win grants, awards, and honors that show others have noticed your exceptional or ground-breaking accomplishments (should be outside your location or Cleveland Clinic).
Primary Area of Excellence – Must declare and provide evidence of a U.S. reputation in this area; choose only ONE out of these three:
Professional Service (clinical & administrative) – The majority of candidates will choose this option because their primary focus is clinical along with administrative duties at Cleveland Clinic, regionally, and nationally through societies and journals and it is how they earned their reputation. Accomplishment in professional service is indispensable for the attainment of the academic goals of the School of Medicine, and the quality of this activity shall be assessed for candidates for a new appointment or promotion. The professional service accomplishments of faculty members may take different forms as defined by the objectives of the various departments. Professional service consists of both administrative and clinical service, and all candidates should demonstrate a continuing commitment to contributions to administrative and service tasks.
REQUIRED REPUTATION:
Clinical Professor: U.S. National
Clinical Associate Professor: U.S. Regional or emerging U.S. National
Administrative Service explanation:
All faculty will be expected to make administrative service contributions.
Examples of administrative service include but are not limited to:
significant administrative contributions;
significant contributions to university, hospital, or clinical practice welfare;
participation in departmental, hospital, university, and/or medical school committees;
professional memberships and activities and services related to professional societies;
participation in research review committees of the state and federal government and of voluntary health organizations;
service on editorial boards of scientific journals or as an examiner on subspecialty boards;
participation and/or leadership in educational and professional society committees or committees of national, state, and local voluntary health agencies, such as the Academy of Medicine and the Ohio State Medical Association.
Clinical Service explanation:
For those faculty engaged in it, excellence of clinical service will be recognized and evaluated as part of the combined achievements that qualify for a new appointment or promotion.
Excellence shall be judged by both objective and subjective measures. The determination of the level of clinical excellence achieved by a candidate for appointment or promotion may include consideration of materials not limited to the following:
specialty and subspecialty board certification and recertification;
outcomes data, if available, including mortality and morbidity data, comparative length of stay data, and surveys of patient satisfaction;
documentation of a reputation for excellence in one’s clinical specialty as evidenced by membership or fellowship in professional societies, especially in leadership positions, and awards for clinical service or patient satisfaction;
documentation of scholarly activities that influence the practice of medicine nationally;
recognition as an authority as indicated by consultations, invited lectures and seminars, visiting professorships, and invited writings; and
letters from those such as department chairs or division directors (names chosen as colleague referees) who have directly observed the candidate’s clinical work. In addition, letters of
reference as to the candidate’s degree of excellence in clinical service can be provided by students and residents (names chosen as trainee referees) who have been closely associated with the faculty member during their clinical work.
Education/Teaching – Some will choose if their reputation is as an educator and education is the subject of some of their publications and presentations, and it is how they earned their reputation.
REQUIRED REPUTATION:
Clinical Professor: U.S. National
Clinical Associate Professor: U.S. Regional or emerging U.S. National
A high level of teaching effectiveness, involving the organization, evaluation, and transmission of knowledge, is a primary criterion as well.
All faculty are expected to participate in teaching.
The candidate shall have demonstrated a capacity and a desire to maintain teaching effectiveness and show capacity for continuing growth as a teacher.
It is implicit that teaching effectiveness includes serving as a model of professional conduct for students, colleagues, and patients.
Standards relating to teaching include:
preparation and presentation of material in a well-organized, current, and stimulating fashion as viewed by peers and students;
leadership in design, organization, and/or presentation of a course, clinical program, or subdivision thereof;
ability to evaluate and counsel students; and
participation in postgraduate educational activities.
Teaching settings are to be broadly defined. They may include:
medical student teaching in all venues, subject committees, small group conferences, clinical science programs, elective programs, family clinic, core and optional clerkships, and ambulatory medicine,
as well las undergraduate and graduate courses in the basic science departments and in other schools of the university;
graduate medical and postgraduate medical teaching; serving as a student advisor or counselor and continuing medical education and community teaching.
Recognition of performance in these educational activities depends on consistent, enthusiastic participation and offering personal assistance to students. Similarly, recognition for clinical teaching requires contact with students over a sustained period, not limited to occasional ward rounds, demonstrations, or presentations. Such contributions, in general, include functions concerned with the planning and implementation of teaching with regard to content, depth, coverage, sequence, evaluation, and coordination
The candidate should exhibit scholarship in teaching as evidenced by careful thought regarding the purpose of teaching, the definition of realistic objectives,
identification of important material to be presented, selection of the appropriate
methods of presentation, the modification of teaching in light of experience, the evaluation of the teaching goals, and a willingness to engage in critical self- evaluation.
Recognition will be given to original, innovative, and unique contributions and published reports of such contributions. Teaching may be judged to be of high quality, however, without being innovative or original.
In addition, since administration of education efforts is an integral component of the teaching process, service as a subject committee chair, area of concentration chair, core clerkship director, section leader, residency training program director, or equivalent positions, and service on educational committees constitute significant criteria for consideration.
Contributions, in general, include functions concerned with the planning and implementation of teaching concerning content, depth, coverage, sequence, evaluation, and coordination. Recognition will be given to original, innovative, and unique contributions and published reports of such contributions.
Teaching may be judged to be of high quality, however, without being innovative or original.
In addition, since administration of education efforts is an integral component of the teaching process, service as a subject committee chair, area of concentration chair, core clerkship director, section leader, residency training program director, or equivalent positions, and service on educational committees constitute significant criteria for consideration.
Research – Chosen only by those who spend almost 100% of their time conducting research as either an independent, team scientist, or a combination of both, and it is how they earn their reputation. Those applying in the clinical/adjunct track will not usually choose Research as their Primary Area of Excellence.
REQUIRED REPUTATION:
Clinical Professor: U.S. National, sustained/enhanced
Clinical Associate Professor: U.S. National
Excellence in scholarly research, involving the discovery, organization, interpretation, and transmission of knowledge, is the primary criterion.
The quality of the research program of an individual shall be evaluated as to the originality, depth, rigor, and thoroughness of the studies.
Important discoveries and innovations in techniques or methods shall lend weight to the assessment.
The research may be laboratory, non-laboratory, or patient-based or a combination thereof.
Research contributions to be evaluated include publications in scholarly or professional journals, book chapters, books, invited papers and lectures, literature reviews, case history reports, abstracts, book reviews, major reports, and other presentations.
Success in obtaining external research grants or other supportive funding shall also be considered in the evaluation of research qualifications.
Also to be considered are professional honors, awards, and national offices; participation in research review committees of the national, state, or local
government and of voluntary health organizations; and service on editorial boards of scientific journals or as an examiner on subspecialty boards.
The quality research efforts of individuals will be assessed through letters of evaluation of the scholarly work obtained from authorities in the field of interest of the candidate at this and other major academic institutions.
While the evaluation of research accomplishment has traditionally focused on the faculty member’s individual achievements, including first and senior authorships and funding as principal investigator, the present and future of science will place increasing emphasis on interdisciplinary research team science. Where relevant, therefore, a faculty member’s contributions to interdisciplinary research team science shall also be considered. Such factors as originality, creativity, indispensability, and unique abilities may be considered when making this evaluation. The candidate is invited to submit a brief description of his/her role in the team effort, and statements (names chosen as team scientist referees) from the principal investigator, the director of the project, and others with first-hand knowledge as to the role of the candidate.
Summary of Exceptional Qualifications
The balance of accomplishments in teaching, research, and professional service may vary considerably from one candidate to another. While appointment, promotion, and tenure decisions must be based on evidence that candidates can and will continue to satisfy the qualifications described in the Faculty Handbook (Chapter Three, Part One, I. F), exceptional qualifications in one or two areas may partially compensate for less prominent but acceptable accomplishments in another.
There will be unusual instances when research accomplishments are of such high caliber that this activity shall compensate for less prominent but acceptable accomplishments in other activities; similarly there will be unusual instances when involvement in teaching is of such excellence in both quality and quantity and the impact of these contributions on the local environment so great that this activity shall compensate for less prominent but acceptable accomplishments in other activities.
Professional service activities shall be weighed in the assessment of a candidate for promotion and/or the award of tenure and an outstanding record in these activities may on occasion make up for less prominent accomplishments in either teaching or research. Administrative and clinical service contributions may be judged in the assessment of candidates for promotion or the award of tenure, especially when such contributions are clearly and directly related to teaching and/or research, as in the case of service as a subject committee chair, core clerkship director, section leader, or research training director, or as a member of an educational committee.
Please read the CWRU Qualifications and Standards for Appointment and Promotion for more detailed information.
Start Application
Go to the CCLCM Online Application System
Choose the correct employer.
Abu Dhabi candidates:
Choose Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD)
London candidates:
Cleveland Clinic Staff = Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Contract Staff = Cleveland Clinic London
Choose the rank you determine is most appropriate.
See the above section on page 2, “What rank is appropriate?” for more information.
When the application opens, you can elect to allow Proxy Access.
If you have an administrative assistant and would like them to have access to your application, then follow these steps:
At the top of your application, click “As an option, you can grant proxy access to your admin staff”.
Enter your admin’s email address or name.
Click “Search”.
Once their name pops up, click “Grant access”.
You can revoke or grant access to someone new at any time.
You cannot grant access to more than one person at a time.
Proxy access is usually granted for any of the following reasons:
To assist you with the application process.
Have them check in on the status of your application on your behalf.
Will receive most of the emails sent regarding your application.
Contact Information Tab
Personal Information & Contact Information
Enter your information in all the required fields.
Phonetics Pronunciation should NOT be a number but instead how you sound out your name and how you pronounce it.
Address should NOT be your work address; must be a home address.
Choose the correct Institute and Department information from the dropdowns.
CCAD and London - Enter your correct Institute and Department information based on your work location.
Current Employment Information
Enter your information in all the required fields.
Choose the correct Institute and Department information from the dropdowns according to your work location.
CCAD and London - Select the department at your work location.
Application Details Tab
Your Application Details
CCLCM Academic Department – Choose the one which you most closely identify.
CCLCM has 22 Academic Departments approved by CWRU.
This is the department you will be appointed in (for example, Clinical Professor of Neurology).
This might differ from your Cleveland Clinic Department, Institute, and Primary Clinical Department.
If you are unsure, contact your chair to discuss.
Primary Area of Excellence – Choose the one that your reputation supports.
Other Current non-CCLCM Academic Appointments – Should only be filled in if you have a faculty appointment at an outside-external institution. It should not be used for professional titles.
Promotion
You must choose the same CCLCM Academic department you are currently appointed in.
Refer to our CCLCM FindFaculty Search Directory to verify which department you are currently appointed in.
If you want your appointment if a different department, you must first complete a Change of Department application.
Contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs to obtain instructions.
Explanation of your Role
Provide ONE to TWO complete sentences explaining why you request this faculty appointment.
Your role should be in one of the Primary Areas of Excellence listed below.
Here are some examples:
Professional Service: I’m serving on the CCLCM MSPRC Student Portfolio Committee next semester.
Teaching: I’m a preceptor for 3rd year CCLCM medical students rotating through Neurology.
Research: I’m applying for a neurology research grant which requires a faculty appointment.
Your Nominating Chair Details
Select the chair of your department, institute, or CCLCM Academic Chair who knows you best (usually the person who conducts your APR), or contact them to find out whom they prefer you choose.
Your chair’s CCLCM Academic Department MUST be in the same CCLCM Academic Department you have chosen (do not have someone in Medicine write a letter for Pathology).
Utilize our CCLCM FindFaculty Search Directory to verify if your chair is in the same CCLCM Academic Department you are applying.
Your chair cannot also serve as a referee.
Find their name in the dropdown menu.
If your chair is not listed as an option, then select “Other” at the bottom of the list and enter their information.
Upload Documents Tab
Pre-Chair Approval Section
CV (required)
IMPORTANT! Before submitting your CV, we suggest you refer to our CCLCM CV Template (only required for the Regular track) to get ideas on what sections to include.
NEW! CVs must follow the below instructions, or it will be returned:
Required to be neat, detailed, and current.
Should be in an easy-to-follow format, with a consistent font so your accomplishments can be easily reviewed, and each section must be in chronological order.
Must include your:
Current role at Cleveland Clinic, prior employment (professional and academic), education, and training.
Between these areas, there should be no unexplained time gaps of more than four months.
Professional appointments (staff) in one section and academic appointments (faculty) in a separate section.
Medical license/certificates (if applicable).
Committee Service role (member, chair, fellow, etc.) for each entry.
Invited Lectures separated into Local, Regional, National, and International subsections with the location (city/country) listed.
Annotate if the meeting was held locally but had a national audience, etc.
Teaching Activities separated into who the audience was (staff, resident, fellow, medical student, etc.) with institution and location (city/country) noted.
Peer-reviewed publications section as this helps show your reputation.
Each entry should include:
Location (city, state, country).
Start-end dates (mm/yyyy format).
List in chronological date order within the section.
Must NOT include your picture, place or time of birth, nationality, social security number, marital status/children, spoken languages, or hobbies/outside interests.
CCLCM Faculty Affairs cannot review your CV before submission due to the volume of applications.
After submission, all documents will be reviewed, and if anything requires your attention, CCLCM Faculty Affairs will contact you.
Promotion
Only NEW accomplishments on your CV are counted towards your
promotion; older accomplishments were already counted and cannot be reused.
This means that accomplishments dated the YEAR AFTER your past CWRU appointment approval date will count towards your new accomplishments.
Explanation: We have been told that referees and reviewers tend to focus on the year after your last appointment. For example, if your last appointment was in 2022, they will start counting all items dated 2023 and newer, on your CV. While we agree this seems unfair, we want you to know about this unwritten academic practice.
These new accomplishments will prove your U.S.-based reputation for this promotion.
You must highlight your NEW accomplishments in yellow on your CV so CCLCM Faculty Affairs and reviewers can focus on what is new.
Personal Statement (required)
Download CCLCM PS Directions & Template – Clinical or Adjunct Track.
MUST be in the Personal Statement (PS) template, or it will be returned.
Fill in all sections under the black headers and delete the blue instructions before uploading into your application.
Can be up to 3 pages in length for all candidates.
Any professional who reads your PS should be able to easily understand all the evidence that supports your Primary Area of Excellence.
Do not make the referees and reviewers figure out your reputation – explain it in detail to them!
Use laypersons language and avoid using acronyms and abbreviations from your specialty.
Chair Nomination Letter (required)
NEW! Information
CCLCM Faculty Affairs has begun suggesting that nominating chairs meet with candidates before the nomination letter is written and the candidate completes their entire application.
When you request a nomination letter from your chair, the email sent to your chair will suggest the following:
Your chair meets with you before writing their nomination letter supporting your application.
This way, your chair can assess if you have the required reputation and impact before they write their letter of support.
Once you request the nomination letter, you CANNOT finish the rest of your application until one of these scenarios is completed:
Scenario #1: The chair approves you for the rank before writing their nomination letter so you can continue to work on your application. Later, they will upload your nomination letter.
You will receive one automatic email once the chair approves – then you can work on the rest of your application.
You will receive one automatic email when the chair uploads their nomination letter – then you can submit your application once completed.
Scenario #2: The chair will write and upload their nomination letter.
You will receive an automatic email when your chair uploads their nomination letter – then you can continue to finish your application and submit once completed.
If your chair does not support your application and you feel you have the required reputation, there is a CWRU process that allows you to apply.
Contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs for more information.
Request the Letter
Now that you have uploaded your CV and PS, you can request that your chair write your nomination letter and provide their approval.
You already selected your chair on the Application Details tab of your application.
If you need to change the name, it must be done on that tab only.
By requesting a nomination letter, you agree that you have read the above-detailed requirements and know you have the required U.S. reputation.
You must use the link in the online application to request a nomination letter from your chair.
You will receive a copy of the original email that is sent to your chair.
Automatic reminders will be sent to your chair every 2 weeks until the nomination letter is uploaded.
Per the instructions above, you CANNOT finish the rest of your application, including the Referee Names tab, until your chair has uploaded their nomination letter or gives you approval to continue your application.
The nomination letter is confidential and cannot be shared with you.
Upload Documents Tab
Post-Chair Approval Section
Now that your Chair’s Nomination Letter has been uploaded, you may complete the rest of this tab.
Candidate Request Letter (required)
CWRU School of Medicine requires this document.
The Candidate Request Letter (CRL) will be a pop-up document in your application.
Add information about why you want a faculty appointment and what you intend to contribute to CCLCM and CWRU SOM.
Update the CRL as often as you would like.
To see the finished letter, click the “View” button.
Your CRL will only be shared with CCLCM CAP and CWRU CAPT committee members,
not with referees.
Referee Names Tab
This tab will not be accessible until your chair uploads their Nomination Letter or has given you approval to continue.
CCLCM Faculty Affairs Office will solicit the referee letters and NOT the candidate.
Letters will be solicited AFTER your application has been reviewed to ensure the correct documents were uploaded.
You are NOT allowed to see a referee letter or consult with a referee on what they will or did put in their letter!
Do NOT contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs to ask if a letter has been uploaded—you are NOT supposed to know what the referee is doing after you put their name in your application!
If a referee contacts you during the application process, do NOT answer them! Instead, forward the email to [email protected] and we will answer.
Referee letters and the names of those who provide them are confidential and can never be disclosed, even to your chair.
Promotion & New Appointment:
All referee requirements are the same – there is no difference!
All referees will receive your CV and Personal Statement (PS).
External Referees (required; input 8 names total)
Read the entire external referee section before entering referee names into your application.
Enter a minimum number of the two types of “arm’s length” names into your application (following the arm’s length requirements below):
4 external names (from any location)
4 external U.S.-based names
To move your application forward, the minimum number of acceptable letters needed are:
1 letter from an External referee (from any location)
1 letter from an External U.S.-based referee.
Note: You can enter extra names so that the minimum number of letters needed to advance your application is received quickly.
If more than the minimum number are received, they will be included.
IMPORTANT! You are NEVER ALLOWED to contact external referees! The only exception is requesting their business card at a society meeting.
Must choose external referee names that hold a faculty appointment equal to or greater than the rank you are applying for.
Letters received from referees of a lesser rank will be DISCARDED, so choose carefully. Here are some examples:
Clinical Professor candidates: Clinical Professor or Professor
Clinical Associate Professor candidates: Clinical Associate Professor,
Clinical Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor
External Referees must understand your impact on the field and support your application.
Proof of Rank Verification (required)
Submit verification in your application that each external referee holds the required Professor rank by providing proof:
Link to the institution faculty website that proves the external referee holds the rank of Professor, NIH Senior Investigator, NIH Senior Scientist, or NIH Senior Clinician.
Social media sites such as LinkedIn do NOT qualify as proof!
Carefully read the website to make sure the professor rank is current.
NEW! PubMed Verification (required)
Submit verification in your application that each external referee has NOT
collaborated with you in the last 5 years by providing proof:
Link to the PubMed search that proves you have no publications together within the last 5 years.
The PubMed Instructions will guide you on how to access the PubMed website and complete your search.
IMPORTANT! If an external referee's name is found in your CV and your PubMed search, you MUST REMOVE THEIR NAME from your external referees in your application.
You can ONLY leave them in as a referee if it was a large group or team collaboration project and you did NOT work directly with them. However, we prefer you not to use them as each instance must be verified, which can delay the processing of your application.
If you still choose to use them on your CV, under each item under this exception, you MUST list the external referee’s full name and annotate how you did NOT work directly together.
"Arm's Length" rules to follow to avoid complications and delays:
MUST NOT HAVE…
A position with an academic institution in the region where you currently work or have worked in the last 5 years. This also includes:
Any Cleveland Clinic campus or location.
CWRU or any CWRU-affiliate, campus, or location.
In a neighboring or adjacent city, county, district, or area.
A close familial/friend relationship with you or anyone likely, or perceived to be likely, to be predisposed, positively or negatively, about you no matter where they work.
Served as your doctoral or postdoctoral supervisor, a mentor, or a senior staff member in your department when training.
Been someone you supervised (former mentee, trainee, or student). Served as your supervisor or received compensation from or on your behalf (in any employment relationship).
Been a former institution, departmental, or school colleague within the past 5 years.
A close research/project collaboration with you within the past 5 years or actively planning to collaborate with you
Coauthored with you within the past 5 years or actively planning to coauthor with you – other than those produced by membership on a committee, consortium, or task force.
Participated in a large presentation/project you both created within the past 5 years or are actively planning with you.
More than ONE referee from the same institution or same city as it weakens your application.
MUST BE...
"Arm's length" and should NOT have a close personal relationship with you other than an acquaintance.
A recognized expert in your field or a related field and be affiliated with an academic institution.
In your specialty, from a broader field, or a related specialty.
MIGHT HAVE...
Asked you to write a chapter in a book they edited or reviewed your manuscript for publication.
Been made aware of your work through casual personal exchange, publication, presentation, invitation to present at a conference they organized, or visiting professor at their institution.
Participated with you in a panel or large committee where you did not work closely together or had a short participation time.
NOTE: On your CV, under each item that falls into this exception, list the external referee’s full name and annotate in bold font how you did not work closely together, or it was a brief committee.
Have been on a large publication or research with you but not directly involved. Many large papers or projects have numerous authors who submit information but do not work closely with each other or are cited but were not involved in direct collaboration.
NOTE: On your CV, under each item that falls into this exception, list the external referee’s full name and annotate in bold how you did not work with each other.
Ask them at a conference if you can have their business card so they can serve as an external referee for your future applications.
NOT SURE?
Consider leaving out any referee you are unsure about or might be too close to you. When in doubt, leave them out!
Colleague referees (required; input 4 names)
Enter a minimum number of 4 colleague referee names into your application.
To move your application forward, a minimum number of 2 acceptable colleague referee letters are needed.
If more than the minimum number are received, they will be included.
Are current or former colleagues or supervisors that can comment on your administrative
service role in a committee, project, or activity in which you were both engaged; and/or any of your teaching activities.
Should NOT have a close familial relationship with you or be anyone likely, or perceived to be likely, to be predisposed, positively or negatively, about you and your application.
The referee will be asked to draw upon their personal experiences with you.
It is preferable, but not required, that they have an academic appointment.
For Cleveland Clinic faculty, look up the academic rank in the CCLCM FindFaculty Search Directory.
CANNOT be your nominating chair. Other leadership names (leadership of CWRU, CCLCM, and Education) have been blocked from usage.
They cannot be trainees that you worked with.
They can be national (preferred) or international.
You can contact your colleague referees, but ONLY BEFORE submitting your application.
You may ask if they can write a reference letter when you apply for a faculty appointment. If they are too busy, that is fine, move on to another person.
Once you submit your application, you are NO longer allowed to speak with them about the letter.
If you receive an inquiry from a referee, forward it to CCLCM Faculty Affairs and do not answer it yourself.
Submit Application
Click the SUBMIT button!
You must submit your CCLCM Online Application for CCLCM Faculty Affairs to begin processing it.
Applications are processed in the order received, and high volume may delay processing.
When the CCLCM Faculty Affairs team reviews your application, they will ensure that all your information and materials are acceptable according to the requirements.
If any items require attention, then you will receive an email notifying you of what is still needed.
Failure to comply with requests by CCLCM Faculty Affairs team to update, modify, or obtain requested materials may result in your application being unsubmitted.
Once it is unsubmitted, we encourage you to update your materials and submit it again as soon as possible.
After your application review is complete, CCLCM Faculty Affairs will email your referees.
Every 32 days, a reminder is sent with a maximum of four reminders per referee.
If we have not obtained the minimum number of letters after 130 days, you will be notified via email to add additional names to your application.
If you delay adding new names, your application will be stalled.
You may add additional names at any time during the letter solicitation stage.
You do NOT need to notify Faculty Affairs when you add names. The system automatically notifies us of this action.
Anytime you update your CV, you should upload a new version into your application with
the current date.
If your CV was updated during the CCLCM Faculty Affairs review stage, you must use the most recent version of your CV when making any new additions.
To understand all the steps to final CWRU approval, see our Application Review Process.
We will notify you via email when your application has been approved by CWRU.
After CWRU approval, you should accurately list your CCLCM of CWRU SOM rank and department on your documents, in your signature, and on related websites, along with your Cleveland Clinic staff title.
Example: Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
Never list any pending (applied for) faculty rank.
Never list a department other than your CCLCM of CWRU SOM Academic Department.
Example: Do NOT list Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine.
Disclaimers
All applications are subject to current CWRU policy even if the policy changes while your application is being submitted or processed.
All approval time frames are average estimates based on application submittal, the upload of correct documents, the selection of accurate referee names, how quickly referee letters are received, and the timing of meetings and approval at CCLCM and CWRU, all of which can vary.
If your application is not submitted within 1-2 years, it may be inactivated; you can start a new one anytime.
CCLCM of CWRU SOM Faculty Appointments
CCLCM Office of Faculty Affairs
Education Institute; 9500 Euclid Avenue, EC40; Phone: 216-442-5627; Email: CCLCM Faculty Affairs
REQUIREMENTS for:
New Appointment & Promotion
Clinical Associate Professor or Adjunct Associate Professor
Approval Time-Frame: 9 - 12 months
This is a non-tenure Clinical / Adjunct track (part-time) rank with Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (CCLCM of CWRU SOM).
If your application receives final approval:
You will remain an employee of Cleveland Clinic or its affiliates and will not
receive any compensation (salary or otherwise) from CWRU SOM.
You will receive minimal benefits from CWRU SOM (ID, email address, etc.), which will be explained in your approval email.
REQUIRED REPUTATION
U.S. Regional or emerging U.S. National in your Primary Area of Excellence.
International Candidates
MUST have a minimum of one letter received from an external U.S.-based referee who can attest to your impact on your field.
An external referee is someone whom you have NOT worked with and have NOT published within the last 5 years.
You do NOT obtain this letter yourself.
Additional criteria outlining an external referee and explaining the process can be found under the Referee Name section below.
The clinical track is appropriate if any of the following are true:
If your Cleveland Clinic work hours are less than 0.5 FTE.
You are primarily committed to clinical service and have modest or sporadic accomplishments in professional service, education/teaching, and research.
You work outside of main campus and/or do not have a lot of education/teaching and academic medicine involvement and prefer the part-time track.
You are a Cleveland Clinic caregiver who must complete CCLCM student evaluations or teach repeatedly throughout the year.
You are not interested in applying for large grants or research projects where a regular track appointment is often required.
You are not interested in participating in CWRU governance and committees.
You are not interested in making CWRU your full-time primary affiliation because you wish to retain a full-time appointment at another academic institution. The outside faculty
appointment will not need approval.
Adjunct vs. Clinical Prefix
Adjunct prefix is only for candidates in the CCLCM Academic Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Medicine who are part-time professional staff researchers.
Those hired as full-time professional staff researchers should apply in the regular track.
Note: All adjunct prefix ranks do not count towards, nor are they eligible for, emeritus per the CWRU Faculty Handbook.
Clinical prefix is for all candidates in the Clinical track, regardless of terminal degree, in every CCLCM Academic Department, except Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Medicine.
o Note: Throughout this document, all references to Clinical also pertain to Adjunct
What rank is appropriate?
Start by using our CCLCM Comparison Tool of Ranks.
Review the requirements and reputation for each rank to determine which one you are qualified for.
You can also discuss your reputation, eligibility, and appropriate rank with your chair.
If you are still unsure, send your CV to [email protected] along with your Primary Area of Excellence to be reviewed by our Associate Dean. We will email you with his recommendation.
Before sending us your CV, make sure that it is updated according to the CV section outlined further down in this document.
If you are applying for a promotion, you must highlight your NEW
accomplishments in yellow so they can be reviewed accurately.
Note that the recommendation that CCLCM Faculty Affairs provides is not a guarantee of success!
Promotion
Currently appointed as a CCLCM of CWRU SOM Clinical / Adjunct Assistant Professor.
Promotions must be completed in order; therefore, you cannot skip any rank.
To effectively represent academic and professional growth, promotions are generally submitted 4-8 years after the last appointment or promotion.
However, CWRU requires no specific amount of time – the only specification is that you have new items on your CV that show you have reached the required reputation and impact.
Remember items on your CV dated BEFORE your past CWRU appointment approval date were already counted and will not count towards this promotion.
There is no difference in the documentation requirements between a New Appointment and a Promotion application.
New Appointment
Currently, you do not have a CCLCM of CWRU SOM appointment.
Or, you currently have a CCLCM regular track (full-time) appointment and would like to move to the clinical track (part-time).
Contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs if you still have questions after reviewing this entire document.
General Considerations:
Note: Throughout this document, all references to Clinical also pertain to Adjunct.
IMPORTANT – To receive a CCLCM of CWRU SOM appointment or promotion, you must prove you have a U.S. reputation.
How to Create a Reputation?
You create a U.S. reputation by having something you are known for in your Primary Area of Expertise outside your current location and Cleveland Clinic.
When referees and reviewers examine your application, they seek evidence of your U.S. reputation in your Primary Area of Excellence.
Significant accomplishments in one of the other two Areas of Excellence can help bolster your reputation and show the referees and reviewers you excel in other areas.
Additional information regarding the three Areas of Excellence is outlined after this section.
Different ways to create a reputation:
Become an expert on something within your specialty, figure out a novel way to teach learners, or make a research discovery that makes those outside Cleveland Clinic seek your opinion and expertise.
Discover an innovation or technology that puts your name in the regional and national community as an expert with knowledge that others are eager to learn (this can be a new technique, your way of teaching, or your novel program).
Become a leader, advisor, and reviewer within regional and national professional societies, government boards, advisor groups, editorial boards, and more.
Volunteer or ask to be on committees at the regional or national level that make decisions that advance your specialty.
Publish papers and receive funding for your research projects that show you have a reputation outside of your location and Cleveland Clinic or that you are an integral part of projects that cannot be done without your specific knowledge.
Get asked to present at regional and national platforms based on your expertise (presentations, grand rounds, visiting professorship, society meetings, etc.).
Win grants, awards, and honors that show others have noticed your exceptional or ground-breaking accomplishments (should be outside your location or Cleveland Clinic).
Primary Area of Excellence – Must declare and provide evidence of a U.S. reputation in this area; choose only ONE out of these three:
Professional Service (clinical & administrative) – The majority of candidates will choose this option because their primary focus is clinical along with administrative duties at Cleveland Clinic, regionally, and nationally through societies and journals and it is how they earned their reputation. Accomplishment in professional service is indispensable for the attainment of the academic goals of the School of Medicine, and the quality of this activity shall be assessed for candidates for a new appointment or promotion. The professional service accomplishments of faculty members may take different forms as defined by the objectives of the various departments. Professional service consists of both administrative and clinical service, and all candidates should demonstrate a continuing commitment to contributions to administrative and service tasks.
REQUIRED REPUTATION:
Clinical Professor: U.S. National
Clinical Associate Professor: U.S. Regional or emerging U.S. National
Administrative Service explanation:
All faculty will be expected to make administrative service contributions.
Examples of administrative service include but are not limited to:
significant administrative contributions;
significant contributions to university, hospital, or clinical practice welfare;
participation in departmental, hospital, university, and/or medical school committees;
professional memberships and activities and services related to professional societies;
participation in research review committees of the state and federal government and of voluntary health organizations;
service on editorial boards of scientific journals or as an examiner on subspecialty boards;
participation and/or leadership in educational and professional society committees or committees of national, state, and local voluntary health agencies, such as the Academy of Medicine and the Ohio State Medical Association.
Clinical Service explanation:
For those faculty engaged in it, excellence of clinical service will be recognized and evaluated as part of the combined achievements that qualify for a new appointment or promotion.
Excellence shall be judged by both objective and subjective measures. The determination of the level of clinical excellence achieved by a candidate for appointment or promotion may include consideration of materials not limited to the following:
specialty and subspecialty board certification and recertification;
outcomes data, if available, including mortality and morbidity data, comparative length of stay data, and surveys of patient satisfaction;
documentation of a reputation for excellence in one’s clinical specialty as evidenced by membership or fellowship in professional societies, especially in leadership positions, and awards for clinical service or patient satisfaction;
documentation of scholarly activities that influence the practice of medicine nationally;
recognition as an authority as indicated by consultations, invited lectures and seminars, visiting professorships, and invited writings; and
letters from those such as department chairs or division directors (names chosen as colleague referees) who have directly observed the candidate’s clinical work. In addition, letters of
reference as to the candidate’s degree of excellence in clinical service can be provided by students and residents (names chosen as trainee referees) who have been closely associated with the faculty member during their clinical work.
Education/Teaching – Some will choose if their reputation is as an educator and education is the subject of some of their publications and presentations, and it is how they earned their reputation.
REQUIRED REPUTATION:
Clinical Professor: U.S. National
Clinical Associate Professor: U.S. Regional or emerging U.S. National
A high level of teaching effectiveness, involving the organization, evaluation, and transmission of knowledge, is a primary criterion as well.
All faculty are expected to participate in teaching.
The candidate shall have demonstrated a capacity and a desire to maintain teaching effectiveness and show capacity for continuing growth as a teacher.
It is implicit that teaching effectiveness includes serving as a model of professional conduct for students, colleagues, and patients.
Standards relating to teaching include:
preparation and presentation of material in a well-organized, current, and stimulating fashion as viewed by peers and students;
leadership in design, organization, and/or presentation of a course, clinical program, or subdivision thereof;
ability to evaluate and counsel students; and
participation in postgraduate educational activities.
Teaching settings are to be broadly defined. They may include:
medical student teaching in all venues, subject committees, small group conferences, clinical science programs, elective programs, family clinic, core and optional clerkships, and ambulatory medicine,
as well las undergraduate and graduate courses in the basic science departments and in other schools of the university;
graduate medical and postgraduate medical teaching; serving as a student advisor or counselor and continuing medical education and community teaching.
Recognition of performance in these educational activities depends on consistent, enthusiastic participation and offering personal assistance to students. Similarly, recognition for clinical teaching requires contact with students over a sustained period, not limited to occasional ward rounds, demonstrations, or presentations. Such contributions, in general, include functions concerned with the planning and implementation of teaching with regard to content, depth, coverage, sequence, evaluation, and coordination
The candidate should exhibit scholarship in teaching as evidenced by careful thought regarding the purpose of teaching, the definition of realistic objectives,
identification of important material to be presented, selection of the appropriate
methods of presentation, the modification of teaching in light of experience, the evaluation of the teaching goals, and a willingness to engage in critical self- evaluation.
Recognition will be given to original, innovative, and unique contributions and published reports of such contributions. Teaching may be judged to be of high quality, however, without being innovative or original.
In addition, since administration of education efforts is an integral component of the teaching process, service as a subject committee chair, area of concentration chair, core clerkship director, section leader, residency training program director, or equivalent positions, and service on educational committees constitute significant criteria for consideration.
Contributions, in general, include functions concerned with the planning and implementation of teaching concerning content, depth, coverage, sequence, evaluation, and coordination. Recognition will be given to original, innovative, and unique contributions and published reports of such contributions.
Teaching may be judged to be of high quality, however, without being innovative or original.
In addition, since administration of education efforts is an integral component of the teaching process, service as a subject committee chair, area of concentration chair, core clerkship director, section leader, residency training program director, or equivalent positions, and service on educational committees constitute significant criteria for consideration.
Research – Chosen only by those who spend almost 100% of their time conducting research as either an independent, team scientist, or a combination of both, and it is how they earn their reputation. Those applying in the clinical/adjunct track will not usually choose Research as their Primary Area of Excellence.
REQUIRED REPUTATION:
Clinical Professor: U.S. National, sustained/enhanced
Clinical Associate Professor: U.S. National
Excellence in scholarly research, involving the discovery, organization, interpretation, and transmission of knowledge, is the primary criterion.
The quality of the research program of an individual shall be evaluated as to the originality, depth, rigor, and thoroughness of the studies.
Important discoveries and innovations in techniques or methods shall lend weight to the assessment.
The research may be laboratory, non-laboratory, or patient-based or a combination thereof.
Research contributions to be evaluated include publications in scholarly or professional journals, book chapters, books, invited papers and lectures, literature reviews, case history reports, abstracts, book reviews, major reports, and other presentations.
Success in obtaining external research grants or other supportive funding shall also be considered in the evaluation of research qualifications.
Also to be considered are professional honors, awards, and national offices; participation in research review committees of the national, state, or local
government and of voluntary health organizations; and service on editorial boards of scientific journals or as an examiner on subspecialty boards.
The quality research efforts of individuals will be assessed through letters of evaluation of the scholarly work obtained from authorities in the field of interest of the candidate at this and other major academic institutions.
While the evaluation of research accomplishment has traditionally focused on the faculty member’s individual achievements, including first and senior authorships and funding as principal investigator, the present and future of science will place increasing emphasis on interdisciplinary research team science. Where relevant, therefore, a faculty member’s contributions to interdisciplinary research team science shall also be considered. Such factors as originality, creativity, indispensability, and unique abilities may be considered when making this evaluation. The candidate is invited to submit a brief description of his/her role in the team effort, and statements (names chosen as team scientist referees) from the principal investigator, the director of the project, and others with first-hand knowledge as to the role of the candidate.
Summary of Exceptional Qualifications
The balance of accomplishments in teaching, research, and professional service may vary considerably from one candidate to another. While appointment, promotion, and tenure decisions must be based on evidence that candidates can and will continue to satisfy the qualifications described in the Faculty Handbook (Chapter Three, Part One, I. F), exceptional qualifications in one or two areas may partially compensate for less prominent but acceptable accomplishments in another.
There will be unusual instances when research accomplishments are of such high caliber that this activity shall compensate for less prominent but acceptable accomplishments in other activities; similarly there will be unusual instances when involvement in teaching is of such excellence in both quality and quantity and the impact of these contributions on the local environment so great that this activity shall compensate for less prominent but acceptable accomplishments in other activities.
Professional service activities shall be weighed in the assessment of a candidate for promotion and/or the award of tenure and an outstanding record in these activities may on occasion make up for less prominent accomplishments in either teaching or research. Administrative and clinical service contributions may be judged in the assessment of candidates for promotion or the award of tenure, especially when such contributions are clearly and directly related to teaching and/or research, as in the case of service as a subject committee chair, core clerkship director, section leader, or research training director, or as a member of an educational committee.
Please read the CWRU Qualifications and Standards for Appointment and Promotion for more detailed information.
Start Application
Go to the CCLCM Online Application System
Choose the correct employer.
Abu Dhabi candidates:
Choose Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD)
London candidates:
Cleveland Clinic Staff = Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Contract Staff = Cleveland Clinic London
Choose the rank you determine is most appropriate.
See the above section on page 2, “What rank is appropriate?” for more information.
When the application opens, you can elect to allow Proxy Access.
If you have an administrative assistant and would like them to have access to your application, then follow these steps:
At the top of your application, click “As an option, you can grant proxy access to your admin staff”.
Enter your admin’s email address or name.
Click “Search”.
Once their name pops up, click “Grant access”.
You can revoke or grant access to someone new at any time.
You cannot grant access to more than one person at a time.
Proxy access is usually granted for any of the following reasons:
To assist you with the application process.
Have them check in on the status of your application on your behalf.
Will receive most of the emails sent regarding your application.
Contact Information Tab
Personal Information & Contact Information
Enter your information in all the required fields.
Phonetics Pronunciation should NOT be a number but instead how you sound out your name and how you pronounce it.
Address should NOT be your work address; must be a home address.
Choose the correct Institute and Department information from the dropdowns.
CCAD and London - Enter your correct Institute and Department information based on your work location.
Current Employment Information
Enter your information in all the required fields.
Choose the correct Institute and Department information from the dropdowns according to your work location.
CCAD and London - Select the department at your work location.
Application Details Tab
Your Application Details
CCLCM Academic Department – Choose the one which you most closely identify.
CCLCM has 22 Academic Departments approved by CWRU.
This is the department you will be appointed in (for example, Clinical Professor of Neurology).
This might differ from your Cleveland Clinic Department, Institute, and Primary Clinical Department.
If you are unsure, contact your chair to discuss.
Primary Area of Excellence – Choose the one that your reputation supports.
Other Current non-CCLCM Academic Appointments – Should only be filled in if you have a faculty appointment at an outside-external institution. It should not be used for professional titles.
Promotion
You must choose the same CCLCM Academic department you are currently appointed in.
Refer to our CCLCM FindFaculty Search Directory to verify which department you are currently appointed in.
If you want your appointment if a different department, you must first complete a Change of Department application.
Contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs to obtain instructions.
Explanation of your Role
Provide ONE to TWO complete sentences explaining why you request this faculty appointment.
Your role should be in one of the Primary Areas of Excellence listed below.
Here are some examples:
Professional Service: I’m serving on the CCLCM MSPRC Student Portfolio Committee next semester.
Teaching: I’m a preceptor for 3rd year CCLCM medical students rotating through Neurology.
Research: I’m applying for a neurology research grant which requires a faculty appointment.
Your Nominating Chair Details
Select the chair of your department, institute, or CCLCM Academic Chair who knows you best (usually the person who conducts your APR), or contact them to find out whom they prefer you choose.
Your chair’s CCLCM Academic Department MUST be in the same CCLCM Academic Department you have chosen (do not have someone in Medicine write a letter for Pathology).
Utilize our CCLCM FindFaculty Search Directory to verify if your chair is in the same CCLCM Academic Department you are applying.
Your chair cannot also serve as a referee.
Find their name in the dropdown menu.
If your chair is not listed as an option, then select “Other” at the bottom of the list and enter their information.
Upload Documents Tab
Pre-Chair Approval Section
CV (required)
IMPORTANT! Before submitting your CV, we suggest you refer to our CCLCM CV Template (only required for the Regular track) to get ideas on what sections to include.
NEW! CVs must follow the below instructions, or it will be returned:
Required to be neat, detailed, and current.
Should be in an easy-to-follow format, with a consistent font so your accomplishments can be easily reviewed, and each section must be in chronological order.
Must include your:
Current role at Cleveland Clinic, prior employment (professional and academic), education, and training.
Between these areas, there should be no unexplained time gaps of more than four months.
Professional appointments (staff) in one section and academic appointments (faculty) in a separate section.
Medical license/certificates (if applicable).
Committee Service role (member, chair, fellow, etc.) for each entry.
Invited Lectures separated into Local, Regional, National, and International subsections with the location (city/country) listed.
Annotate if the meeting was held locally but had a national audience, etc.
Teaching Activities separated into who the audience was (staff, resident, fellow, medical student, etc.) with institution and location (city/country) noted.
Peer-reviewed publications section as this helps show your reputation.
Each entry should include:
Location (city, state, country).
Start-end dates (mm/yyyy format).
List in chronological date order within the section.
Must NOT include your picture, place or time of birth, nationality, social security number, marital status/children, spoken languages, or hobbies/outside interests.
CCLCM Faculty Affairs cannot review your CV before submission due to the volume of applications.
After submission, all documents will be reviewed, and if anything requires your attention, CCLCM Faculty Affairs will contact you.
Promotion
Only NEW accomplishments on your CV are counted towards your
promotion; older accomplishments were already counted and cannot be reused.
This means that accomplishments dated the YEAR AFTER your past CWRU appointment approval date will count towards your new accomplishments.
Explanation: We have been told that referees and reviewers tend to focus on the year after your last appointment. For example, if your last appointment was in 2022, they will start counting all items dated 2023 and newer, on your CV. While we agree this seems unfair, we want you to know about this unwritten academic practice.
These new accomplishments will prove your U.S.-based reputation for this promotion.
You must highlight your NEW accomplishments in yellow on your CV so CCLCM Faculty Affairs and reviewers can focus on what is new.
Personal Statement (required)
Download CCLCM PS Directions & Template – Clinical or Adjunct Track.
MUST be in the Personal Statement (PS) template, or it will be returned.
Fill in all sections under the black headers and delete the blue instructions before uploading into your application.
Can be up to 3 pages in length for all candidates.
Any professional who reads your PS should be able to easily understand all the evidence that supports your Primary Area of Excellence.
Do not make the referees and reviewers figure out your reputation – explain it in detail to them!
Use laypersons language and avoid using acronyms and abbreviations from your specialty.
Chair Nomination Letter (required)
NEW! Information
CCLCM Faculty Affairs has begun suggesting that nominating chairs meet with candidates before the nomination letter is written and the candidate completes their entire application.
When you request a nomination letter from your chair, the email sent to your chair will suggest the following:
Your chair meets with you before writing their nomination letter supporting your application.
This way, your chair can assess if you have the required reputation and impact before they write their letter of support.
Once you request the nomination letter, you CANNOT finish the rest of your application until one of these scenarios is completed:
Scenario #1: The chair approves you for the rank before writing their nomination letter so you can continue to work on your application. Later, they will upload your nomination letter.
You will receive one automatic email once the chair approves – then you can work on the rest of your application.
You will receive one automatic email when the chair uploads their nomination letter – then you can submit your application once completed.
Scenario #2: The chair will write and upload their nomination letter.
You will receive an automatic email when your chair uploads their nomination letter – then you can continue to finish your application and submit once completed.
If your chair does not support your application and you feel you have the required reputation, there is a CWRU process that allows you to apply.
Contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs for more information.
Request the Letter
Now that you have uploaded your CV and PS, you can request that your chair write your nomination letter and provide their approval.
You already selected your chair on the Application Details tab of your application.
If you need to change the name, it must be done on that tab only.
By requesting a nomination letter, you agree that you have read the above-detailed requirements and know you have the required U.S. reputation.
You must use the link in the online application to request a nomination letter from your chair.
You will receive a copy of the original email that is sent to your chair.
Automatic reminders will be sent to your chair every 2 weeks until the nomination letter is uploaded.
Per the instructions above, you CANNOT finish the rest of your application, including the Referee Names tab, until your chair has uploaded their nomination letter or gives you approval to continue your application.
The nomination letter is confidential and cannot be shared with you.
Upload Documents Tab
Post-Chair Approval Section
Now that your Chair’s Nomination Letter has been uploaded, you may complete the rest of this tab.
Candidate Request Letter (required)
CWRU School of Medicine requires this document.
The Candidate Request Letter (CRL) will be a pop-up document in your application.
Add information about why you want a faculty appointment and what you intend to contribute to CCLCM and CWRU SOM.
Update the CRL as often as you would like.
To see the finished letter, click the “View” button.
Your CRL will only be shared with CCLCM CAP and CWRU CAPT committee members,
not with referees.
Referee Names Tab
This tab will not be accessible until your chair uploads their Nomination Letter or has given you approval to continue.
CCLCM Faculty Affairs Office will solicit the referee letters and NOT the candidate.
Letters will be solicited AFTER your application has been reviewed to ensure the correct documents were uploaded.
You are NOT allowed to see a referee letter or consult with a referee on what they will or did put in their letter!
Do NOT contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs to ask if a letter has been uploaded—you are NOT supposed to know what the referee is doing after you put their name in your application!
If a referee contacts you during the application process, do NOT answer them! Instead, forward the email to [email protected] and we will answer.
Referee letters and the names of those who provide them are confidential and can never be disclosed, even to your chair.
Promotion & New Appointment:
All referee requirements are the same – there is no difference!
All referees will receive your CV and Personal Statement (PS).
External Referees (required; input 8 names total)
Read the entire external referee section before entering referee names into your application.
Enter a minimum number of the two types of “arm’s length” names into your application (following the arm’s length requirements below):
4 external names (from any location)
4 external U.S.-based names
To move your application forward, the minimum number of acceptable letters needed are:
1 letter from an External referee (from any location)
1 letter from an External U.S.-based referee.
Note: You can enter extra names so that the minimum number of letters needed to advance your application is received quickly.
If more than the minimum number are received, they will be included.
IMPORTANT! You are NEVER ALLOWED to contact external referees! The only exception is requesting their business card at a society meeting.
Must choose external referee names that hold a faculty appointment equal to or greater than the rank you are applying for.
Letters received from referees of a lesser rank will be DISCARDED, so choose carefully. Here are some examples:
Clinical Professor candidates: Clinical Professor or Professor
Clinical Associate Professor candidates: Clinical Associate Professor,
Clinical Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor
External Referees must understand your impact on the field and support your application.
Proof of Rank Verification (required)
Submit verification in your application that each external referee holds the required Professor rank by providing proof:
Link to the institution faculty website that proves the external referee holds the rank of Professor, NIH Senior Investigator, NIH Senior Scientist, or NIH Senior Clinician.
Social media sites such as LinkedIn do NOT qualify as proof!
Carefully read the website to make sure the professor rank is current.
NEW! PubMed Verification (required)
Submit verification in your application that each external referee has NOT
collaborated with you in the last 5 years by providing proof:
Link to the PubMed search that proves you have no publications together within the last 5 years.
The PubMed Instructions will guide you on how to access the PubMed website and complete your search.
IMPORTANT! If an external referee's name is found in your CV and your PubMed search, you MUST REMOVE THEIR NAME from your external referees in your application.
You can ONLY leave them in as a referee if it was a large group or team collaboration project and you did NOT work directly with them. However, we prefer you not to use them as each instance must be verified, which can delay the processing of your application.
If you still choose to use them on your CV, under each item under this exception, you MUST list the external referee’s full name and annotate how you did NOT work directly together.
"Arm's Length" rules to follow to avoid complications and delays:
MUST NOT HAVE…
A position with an academic institution in the region where you currently work or have worked in the last 5 years. This also includes:
Any Cleveland Clinic campus or location.
CWRU or any CWRU-affiliate, campus, or location.
In a neighboring or adjacent city, county, district, or area.
A close familial/friend relationship with you or anyone likely, or perceived to be likely, to be predisposed, positively or negatively, about you no matter where they work.
Served as your doctoral or postdoctoral supervisor, a mentor, or a senior staff member in your department when training.
Been someone you supervised (former mentee, trainee, or student). Served as your supervisor or received compensation from or on your behalf (in any employment relationship).
Been a former institution, departmental, or school colleague within the past 5 years.
A close research/project collaboration with you within the past 5 years or actively planning to collaborate with you
Coauthored with you within the past 5 years or actively planning to coauthor with you – other than those produced by membership on a committee, consortium, or task force.
Participated in a large presentation/project you both created within the past 5 years or are actively planning with you.
More than ONE referee from the same institution or same city as it weakens your application.
MUST BE...
"Arm's length" and should NOT have a close personal relationship with you other than an acquaintance.
A recognized expert in your field or a related field and be affiliated with an academic institution.
In your specialty, from a broader field, or a related specialty.
MIGHT HAVE...
Asked you to write a chapter in a book they edited or reviewed your manuscript for publication.
Been made aware of your work through casual personal exchange, publication, presentation, invitation to present at a conference they organized, or visiting professor at their institution.
Participated with you in a panel or large committee where you did not work closely together or had a short participation time.
NOTE: On your CV, under each item that falls into this exception, list the external referee’s full name and annotate in bold font how you did not work closely together, or it was a brief committee.
Have been on a large publication or research with you but not directly involved. Many large papers or projects have numerous authors who submit information but do not work closely with each other or are cited but were not involved in direct collaboration.
NOTE: On your CV, under each item that falls into this exception, list the external referee’s full name and annotate in bold how you did not work with each other.
Ask them at a conference if you can have their business card so they can serve as an external referee for your future applications.
NOT SURE?
Consider leaving out any referee you are unsure about or might be too close to you. When in doubt, leave them out!
Colleague referees (required; input 4 names)
Enter a minimum number of 4 colleague referee names into your application.
To move your application forward, a minimum number of 2 acceptable colleague referee letters are needed.
If more than the minimum number are received, they will be included.
Are current or former colleagues or supervisors that can comment on your administrative
service role in a committee, project, or activity in which you were both engaged; and/or any of your teaching activities.
Should NOT have a close familial relationship with you or be anyone likely, or perceived to be likely, to be predisposed, positively or negatively, about you and your application.
The referee will be asked to draw upon their personal experiences with you.
It is preferable, but not required, that they have an academic appointment.
For Cleveland Clinic faculty, look up the academic rank in the CCLCM FindFaculty Search Directory.
CANNOT be your nominating chair. Other leadership names (leadership of CWRU, CCLCM, and Education) have been blocked from usage.
They cannot be trainees that you worked with.
They can be national (preferred) or international.
You can contact your colleague referees, but ONLY BEFORE submitting your application.
You may ask if they can write a reference letter when you apply for a faculty appointment. If they are too busy, that is fine, move on to another person.
Once you submit your application, you are NO longer allowed to speak with them about the letter.
If you receive an inquiry from a referee, forward it to CCLCM Faculty Affairs and do not answer it yourself.
Submit Application
Click the SUBMIT button!
You must submit your CCLCM Online Application for CCLCM Faculty Affairs to begin processing it.
Applications are processed in the order received, and high volume may delay processing.
When the CCLCM Faculty Affairs team reviews your application, they will ensure that all your information and materials are acceptable according to the requirements.
If any items require attention, then you will receive an email notifying you of what is still needed.
Failure to comply with requests by CCLCM Faculty Affairs team to update, modify, or obtain requested materials may result in your application being unsubmitted.
Once it is unsubmitted, we encourage you to update your materials and submit it again as soon as possible.
After your application review is complete, CCLCM Faculty Affairs will email your referees.
Every 32 days, a reminder is sent with a maximum of four reminders per referee.
If we have not obtained the minimum number of letters after 130 days, you will be notified via email to add additional names to your application.
If you delay adding new names, your application will be stalled.
You may add additional names at any time during the letter solicitation stage.
You do NOT need to notify Faculty Affairs when you add names. The system automatically notifies us of this action.
Anytime you update your CV, you should upload a new version into your application with
the current date.
If your CV was updated during the CCLCM Faculty Affairs review stage, you must use the most recent version of your CV when making any new additions.
To understand all the steps to final CWRU approval, see our Application Review Process.
We will notify you via email when your application has been approved by CWRU.
After CWRU approval, you should accurately list your CCLCM of CWRU SOM rank and department on your documents, in your signature, and on related websites, along with your Cleveland Clinic staff title.
Example: Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
Never list any pending (applied for) faculty rank.
Never list a department other than your CCLCM of CWRU SOM Academic Department.
Example: Do NOT list Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine.
Disclaimers
All applications are subject to current CWRU policy even if the policy changes while your application is being submitted or processed.
All approval time frames are average estimates based on application submittal, the upload of correct documents, the selection of accurate referee names, how quickly referee letters are received, and the timing of meetings and approval at CCLCM and CWRU, all of which can vary.
If your application is not submitted within 1-2 years, it may be inactivated; you can start a new one anytime.
CCLCM of CWRU Faculty Appointments
CCLCM Office of Faculty Affairs
Education Institute; 9500 Euclid Avenue, EC40; Phone: 216-442-5627; Email: CCLCM Faculty Affairs
REQUIREMENTS for:
New Appointment & Promotion
Clinical Assistant Professor or Adjunct Assistant Professor
Approval Time-Frame: 1 - 6 months
These are the requirements to become a faculty member of CWRU through CCLCM and as such, after final approval is obtained, you agree to recognize CWRU, instead of Cleveland Clinic, in all your achievements (publications, research, presentations, committee service, etc.).
This is a non-tenure Clinical / Adjunct track (part-time) entry-level rank with Case Western Reserve University.
o Note: Throughout this document, all references to Clinical also pertain to Adjunct.
Clinical prefix is for all candidates, regardless of terminal degree, in every CCLCM academic department, except Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Medicine.
Adjunct prefix is only for those in Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Medicine.
Those hired for full-time research should apply in the regular track.
Note: All adjunct prefix ranks do not count towards, nor are they eligible for, emeritus per the CWRU Faculty Handbook.
REQUIRED REPUTATION: None.
This rank offers a short application and only requires a nomination letter.
This track is best for you if any of the following are true:
You are primarily committed to clinical service rather than academic medicine and do not work at main campus (those at main should choose the regular track).
You have modest professional service, teaching, and research accomplishments.
You are not interested in participating in CWRU governance and committees.
You have a full-time faculty appointment at another academic institution that you wish to retain as your primary affiliation.
Staff with the title of Clinical Associate can ONLY choose this rank.
Promotion
Currently appointed as a Clinical / Adjunct Instructor or Clinical / Adjunct Senior Instructor.
There is no difference in the documentation requirements between a Promotion and a New Appointment application!
If after reviewing the information within this document and still have remaining questions, contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs.
General Considerations:
Note: Throughout this document, all references to Clinical also pertain to Adjunct.
Primary Area of Excellence – Select ONE of the following:
Professional Service (clinical & administrative)
Patient care and teaching
Professional service obligations (local to national)
Involved in medical student teaching
Lectures and papers regarding teaching methods (local to national)
Research, grants, and publications
Lectures regarding research and publications (local to national)
Please read the CWRU Appointment and Promotion Standards for more detailed information.
Open CCLCM of CWRU Online Application (required)
Choose the most appropriate rank, and use our Comparison Tool to review the requirements.
Open your application right away and begin completing it.
Chair's Nomination Letter (required for Clinical Assistant Professor ONLY)
Select either your department or institute chair who knows you best (usually who conducts your APR).
Your chair’s CCLCM department must be in the CCLCM academic department you have chosen (do not ask someone in Medicine write a letter for Pathology).
If your chair is not listed in the Online Application, select “Other” and enter in their information.
Can only request the letter through a link in your online application and your chair will receive directions on what to include in the letter.
Advocate strongly on your behalf regarding your Primary Area of Excellence.
Explain your past, current, and future roles in the department and how you help fulfill department and institutional goals.
Discuss what curricular, research, and clinical directions you are pursuing.
You CANNOT submit your application until your Chair’s Nomination Letter has been uploaded into your application by your chair.
You will receive an email notification when this action is completed.
Reminders are automatically sent every 2 weeks until the nomination letter is uploaded.
The letter is confidential and cannot be shared with you.
CV (required)
Required to be neat, detailed, and up-to-date. It should be in an easy-to-follow format with a consistent font.
Must include your:
Current role at Cleveland Clinic, prior employment (professional and academic), education, and training. Between these areas, there should be no unexplained time gaps of more than four months.
Professional appointments (staff) in one section and academic appointments (faculty) in a separate section.
Medical license/certificates (if applicable).
Committee Service role (member, chair, fellow, etc.) for each entry.
Invited Lectures separated into Local, Regional, National, and International subsections with the location (city/country) listed. Annotate if the meeting was held locally but had an international audience, etc.
Teaching Activities separated into who the audience was (staff, resident, fellow, medical student, etc.) with institution and location (city/country) noted.
Peer-reviewed publications section as this helps show your reputation.
Each entry should include:
Location (city, state, country).
Start-end dates (mm/yyyy format).
a. List in chronological date order within the section.
Must NOT include your picture, place or time of birth, nationality, social security number, marital status/children, or hobbies/outside interests.
CVs are NOT reviewed before submission by CCLCM Faculty Affairs due to the volume of applications.
After submission, all documents will be reviewed and if anything requires your attention, Faculty Affairs will reach out to you to update it.
Explanation of your Role (required for Clinical Instructor ONLY)
Provide at least ONE brief reason in why you are requesting this faculty appointment.
Your role should be in one of the Primary Areas of Excellence listed below.
Here are some examples:
Professional Service: Serving on the CCLCM MSPRC Student Portfolio Committee next semester.
Teaching: Preceptor for 3rd year CCLCM medical students rotating through the Simulation Center.
Research: Applying for a neurology research grant that requires a faculty appointment.
Submit Online Application (required)
You must SUBMIT your application in our College Portal so CCLCM Faculty Affairs can begin processing it.
Applications are processed in the order received and high volume may delay processing.
Your application will be reviewed, and Faculty Affairs will contact you if any documents need to be updated.
To understand all the steps to final CWRU approval, see our Application Review Process.
Disclaimers: All applications are subject to current CWRU policy even if the policy changes while your application is being submitted or processed. All approval time-frames are average estimates based on the submission of correct documents and referee names, how quickly letters are received, and the timing of meetings and approval at CCLCM and CWRU, all of which can vary. If your application is not submitted within 1-2 years it may be inactivated; you can start a new application at any time.
CCLCM of CWRU Faculty Appointments
CCLCM Office of Faculty Affairs
Education Institute; 9500 Euclid Avenue, EC40; Phone: 216-442-5627; Email: CCLCM Faculty Affairs
REQUIREMENTS for:
New Appointment
Clinical Instructor or Adjunct Instructor
Approval Time-Frame: 1 - 2 months
These are the requirements to become a faculty member of CWRU through CCLCM and as such, after final approval is obtained, you agree to recognize CWRU, instead of Cleveland Clinic, in all your achievements (publications, research, presentations, committee service, etc.).
This is a non-tenure Clinical / Adjunct track (part-time) entry-level rank with Case Western Reserve University.
o Note: Throughout this document, all references to Clinical also pertain to Adjunct.
IMPORTANT! The ranks of Clinical Instructor and Adjunct Instructor can never count towards, nor are they eligible for Emeritus per the CWRU Faculty Handbook.
Clinical prefix is for all candidates, regardless of terminal degree, in every CCLCM academic department, except Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Medicine.
Adjunct prefix is only for those in Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Medicine.
Those hired for full-time research should apply in the regular track.
REQUIRED REPUTATION: None.
This rank offers the shortest application and quickest approval timeline; no chair nomination letter or referee names are required.
If after reviewing the information within this document and still have remaining questions, contact CCLCM Faculty Affairs.
General Considerations:
Note: Throughout this document, all references to Clinical also pertain to Adjunct.
Primary Area of Excellence – Select ONE of the following:
Professional Service (clinical & administrative)
Patient care and teaching
Professional service obligations (local to national)
Involved in medical student teaching
Lectures and papers regarding teaching methods (local to national)
Research, grants, and publications
Lectures regarding research and publications (local to national)
Please read the CWRU Appointment and Promotion Standards for more detailed information.
Open CCLCM of CWRU Online Application (required)
Choose the most appropriate rank, and use our Comparison Tool to review the requirements.
Open your application right away and begin completing it.
Chair's Nomination Letter (required for Clinical Assistant Professor ONLY)
Select either your department or institute chair who knows you best (usually who conducts your APR).
Your chair’s CCLCM department must be in the CCLCM academic department you have chosen (do not ask someone in Medicine write a letter for Pathology).
If your chair is not listed in the Online Application, select “Other” and enter in their information.
Can only request the letter through a link in your online application and your chair will receive directions on what to include in the letter.
Advocate strongly on your behalf regarding your Primary Area of Excellence.
Explain your past, current, and future roles in the department and how you help fulfill department and institutional goals.
Discuss what curricular, research, and clinical directions you are pursuing.
You CANNOT submit your application until your Chair’s Nomination Letter has been uploaded into your application by your chair.
You will receive an email notification when this action is completed.
Reminders are automatically sent every 2 weeks until the nomination letter is uploaded.
The letter is confidential and cannot be shared with you.
CV (required)
Required to be neat, detailed, and up-to-date. It should be in an easy-to-follow format with a consistent font.
Must include your:
Current role at Cleveland Clinic, prior employment (professional and academic), education, and training. Between these areas, there should be no unexplained time gaps of more than four months.
Professional appointments (staff) in one section and academic appointments (faculty) in a separate section.
Medical license/certificates (if applicable).
Committee Service role (member, chair, fellow, etc.) for each entry.
Invited Lectures separated into Local, Regional, National, and International subsections with the location (city/country) listed. Annotate if the meeting was held locally but had an international audience, etc.
Teaching Activities separated into who the audience was (staff, resident, fellow, medical student, etc.) with institution and location (city/country) noted.
Peer-reviewed publications section as this helps show your reputation.
Each entry should include:
Location (city, state, country).
Start-end dates (mm/yyyy format).
a. List in chronological date order within the section.
Must NOT include your picture, place or time of birth, nationality, social security number, marital status/children, or hobbies/outside interests.
CVs are NOT reviewed before submission by CCLCM Faculty Affairs due to the volume of applications.
After submission, all documents will be reviewed and if anything requires your attention, Faculty Affairs will reach out to you to update it.
Explanation of your Role (required for Clinical Instructor ONLY)
Provide at least ONE brief reason in why you are requesting this faculty appointment.
Your role should be in one of the Primary Areas of Excellence listed below.
Here are some examples:
Professional Service: Serving on the CCLCM MSPRC Student Portfolio Committee next semester.
Teaching: Preceptor for 3rd year CCLCM medical students rotating through the Simulation Center.
Research: Applying for a neurology research grant that requires a faculty appointment.
Submit Online Application (required)
You must SUBMIT your application in our College Portal so CCLCM Faculty Affairs can begin processing it.
Applications are processed in the order received and high volume may delay processing.
Your application will be reviewed, and Faculty Affairs will contact you if any documents need to be updated.
To understand all the steps to final CWRU approval, see our Application Review Process.
Disclaimers: All applications are subject to current CWRU policy even if the policy changes while your application is being submitted or processed. All approval time-frames are average estimates based on the submission of correct documents and referee names, how quickly letters are received, and the timing of meetings and approval at CCLCM and CWRU, all of which can vary. If your application is not submitted within 1-2 years it may be inactivated; you can start a new application at any time.