FAQs

The Policy and rank criteria were revised to standardize the criteria by which clinical faculty are assessed across all Departments and Schools. To facilitate consistency in application across the Faculty, a new Faculty-level committee, Faculty Clinical Appointment, Reappointment, and Promotion Committee (FCARP) has also been established.

Please refer to the Faculty of Medicine’s Guide to Academic Activities for Clinical Faculty for the full list of recognized teaching activities.

For detailed information on academic activities that support contribution expectations, please refer to the Faculty of Medicine’s Guide to Academic Activities for Clinical Faculty. Please also check with your Department Head or School Director for further information on what may apply in your specific discipline.

No, your rank will not be changed. Academic contributions are reviewed at reappointment, and if you are no longer engaged in activities that require an appointment, your Department/School will discuss whether you are still eligible for a clinical faculty appointment.

FCARP reviews files for promotion to the rank of Clinical Professor only. For Clinical Assistant Professor and Clinical Associate Professor appointment, reappointment or promotion files, FCARP will review cases only if there is a discrepancy between the recommendations of the Department Head/School Director and the unit-level Clinical Appointment, Reappointment, and Promotion Committee (CARP), or if the Clinical Faculty member requests a review following an unsuccessful appointment, reappointment, or promotion file.

Leaves of absence are recognized as periods when a clinical faculty member is not engaged in their usual academic contributions. You are encouraged to keep your Department/School informed about the timing and anticipated length of any leave so that records remain accurate.

The revised policy establishes common rank criteria across all departments and schools within the Faculty, so your rank should remain consistent when moving between departments. While there may be minor differences in how criteria are applied, the standards themselves are aligned to prevent significant discrepancies.

You have multiple avenues in which to provide your feedback on the impact of these updates. You may speak directly to your Department Head or School Director or the Chair of your Clinical Appointment, Reappointment, and Promotion Committee, to your Clinical Faculty Advisory Council representative, or to the Clinical Faculty Affairs team.

Yes. Processes will be coordinated for clinical faculty who are engaged with medical education across institutions in BC. For further guidance, please contact the Clinical Faculty Affairs team.

Becoming a clinical faculty member offers the opportunity to teach enthusiastic learners who can invigorate and sustain your clinical and academic interests. It also provides you with the infrastructure and resources to facilitate research focused on improving patient care, patient outcomes, and professional practice. Additional advantages of holding a clinical faculty appointment at UBC are outlined on the Advantages of Becoming Clinical Faculty page.

Appointment terms are up to 5 years for Clinical Instructors, Clinical Assistant Professors, and Clinical Associate Professors, and up to 7 years for Clinical Professors. All appointments are renewable.

Appointment terms vary. A one-year appointment may be made through the regular process at any rank, or through the streamlined process.

The streamlined appointment process is used in specific situations to meet immediate teaching needs. Appointments made through the streamlined process are at the rank of Clinical Instructor. To be appointed at a rank higher than Clinical Instructor, your appointment review must go through the regular appointment review process. One-year streamlined appointments can be renewed, and promotion to a higher rank may occur at any time, following your Department/School’s normal promotion review process and timelines.

No, reappointment is not a new process. Clinical faculty have always been appointed for defined terms and reappointed at the end of those terms. The process has been updated to include a step where clinical faculty confirm their intent to be reappointed.

Yes, the reappointment process applies to all clinical faculty ranks.

Yes. Your Department/School will contact you to initiate the reappointment process. This is an excellent time to share information on your academic contributions since your last appointment and to update your contact and payment information (if applicable).

No. Existing clinical faculty term end dates will not change, and current appointments will continue through to their original end date. Terms will be reviewed under the revised policy only when they come up for reappointment.

If a clinical faculty member is not reappointed, their current appointment will conclude at the end of its term. If your circumstances change in the future and you become engaged in activities that require an appointment, you may apply again at that time. If non-reappointment is being considered, your Department/School will communicate with you directly and provide an opportunity to share additional information about your academic contributions before a final decision is made.

No. Promotion is based on meeting the rank criteria, not time served.

July 1, 2026. The updated Policy and rank criteria will apply to promotions effective on or after this date.

Yes. Clinical faculty may initiate a promotion review at any time during their appointment term provided that the rank criteria are met.

Promotions typically occur stepwise, and it is uncommon for applicants to skip a rank. In such cases, a strong and well-supported rationale along with meeting the required criteria for that rank must be demonstrated.

Participation in the promotion process is optional.

Moving to a higher rank provides an opportunity to formally recognize and celebrate your sustained contributions as a clinical faculty member.

Clinical faculty are expected to maintain an up-to-date record of their academic activities using the UBC Faculty of Medicine Clinical Faculty CV.

Not yet. The Faculty of Medicine is in the process of creating a CV database that will provide an online platform for clinical faculty to manage and update their CVs.

No. A teaching dossier is not required. Clinical faculty may provide evidence of their teaching through the UBC Faculty of Medicine Clinical Faculty CV and any available teaching evaluations.

Yes. Candidates requesting an appointment or promotion to Clinical Professor are asked to provide a list of six (6) referees with contact information. At least two must be external to UBC. Referees should speak to different areas of your academic contributions and how they meet the criteria. Your Department/School will solicit two referee letters from that list to support your application.

Referees should be individuals who are familiar with your academic contributions and can speak to them in an informed and impartial way. Family members and individuals with personal or financial relationships should not serve as referees.