Community-Based Faculty Appointments

As a community-based medical school, we depend on the generosity of over 5,000 faculty physicians who donate their time, medical expertise and clinical acumen to benefit our students and residents throughout the state of Michigan. 

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Appointment Process and Procedures

If you are not an MSU employee but are interested in a faculty appointment with the MSU College of Human Medicine, you should contact the appropriate person in the Community Assistant Dean's Office in your respective community campus:

Individuals not employed by Michigan State University who are interested in providing their service to advance the educational, research and/or service missions of the College of Human Medicine are invited to apply for an appointment in the clinical/adjunct faculty appointment system. Clinical and adjunct appointments in the College of Human Medicine are generally for three years and may be renewed upon application to the college.

There are two categories of appointment that are used by the College of Human Medicine for individuals appointed in the clinical/adjunct appointment system: prefix and non-prefix categories.

Prefix Category

Individuals not employed by Michigan State University are typically appointed in this category.  The prefix "clinical" or "adjunct" precedes the rank, e.g., clinical assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, etc. "Adjunct" precedes the rank unless the appointee holds a professional medical degree, in which case the "clinical" prefix is used. Reappointment and promotion are at the discretion of the department and college. Faculty granted clinical/adjunct appointments must have the educational background and experience required for the assigned rank and must be willing to provide some degree of service to the department or the college even though they are not employed by MSU.

Non-Prefix Category

The university also recognizes that the college relies on clinician faculty in the various communities in which our students learn to fill important administrative roles, or to teach medical students and residents (e.g., Clerkship Director, Residency Director, Core Teaching Faculty). Given the significant time commitment required of these faculty, though not directly employed by MSU, they are generally compensated by MSU through contracts between MSU and their employers. Recognizing their significant contributions to MSU and college missions, the university grants an exception to allow this group to apply for a "non-prefix" rank (e.g., assistant professor, associate professor or professor) as long as they meet at least one of the eligibility criteria (see below) in addition to a minimum time commitment of 20% effort. If granted a non-prefix appointment, these faculty then have the same expectations as MSU-employed faculty in the Health Programs (HP) faculty appointment system; these expectations include commitment to not only clinical and patient care, but also to teaching, research and service missions of the college. Faculty in the non-prefix category are also expected to work toward academic promotion which requires meeting promotion criteria comparable in rigor to their MSU-employed colleagues in the HP system.

Eligibility criteria for non-prefix appointment (must meet one of the following):

  • Official administrative position in the college (e.g., Clerkship Director, Course Director, etc.). Official administrative positions in the college are designated as such by the dean's office.
  • Paid by a College of Human Medicine-affiliated or College of Human Medicine-sponsored residency as core faculty or administrator for the program, such as Residency Director. "Core faculty" means a significant amount of your effort is devoted to teaching/precepting in an MSU-sponsored or affiliated program and you are paid by the residency program or clinical entity specifically for that teaching role.
  • Engagement in a meaningful, collaborative research relationship with one or more regular MSU faculty (adjudicated by the CHM Senior Associate Dean for Research).

In addition to the minimum eligibility criteria stated above, the following MUST be considered for appointment, reappointment or promotion of faculty with a non-prefix rank:

  • Initial appointment is at the rank of assistant professor. Higher rank requires previous appointment at the higher rank at another academic institution. It also requires peer review and recommendation at the department and college levels and final recommendation by the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Staff Administration.
  • Non-prefix faculty must be able to demonstrate and attest to at least 20% effort on behalf of MSU in the areas of teaching, scholarly productivity/research, and institutional services, as outlined in the CHM promotion criteria. It is important to understand that teaching assignments must include both medical students and residents, and institutional service includes election or assignment to department or college committees, such as the Student Grievance Hearing Panel, Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee, etc.
  • Non-prefix faculty must recognize and commit to working toward academic promotion which requires meeting expectations in all mission areas of patient care service, teaching, scholarly productivity/research, and institutional service. Individuals without intent or time availability to work toward promotion in this category should request the prefix appointment.
  • Reappointment to the non-prefix category continues only as long as the eligibility criteria and expectations continue to be met. Faculty who no longer meet eligibility criteria for the non-prefix category (e.g., unable to contribute 20% effort to CHM missions, no longer hold the administrative position, unable to work toward academic promotion, etc.) will be transferred or reappointed to the prefix category.

Human Resources Procedures
HR/Payroll-4 Appointment Process: Community-Based Prefix/Non-prefix Faculty
HR/Payroll-6 Reappointment: Community-Based Faculty

Human Resources