• Program Overview
• The Early Faculty Individual Development
  and Self-Assessment Plan
• Setting up the Mentoring Relationship
• Early Faculty IDP and Mentoring Toolkit

The mission of the Early Faculty Development and Mentoring Program is to create a positive atmosphere which fosters professional growth in academic medicine as researcher, educator and master clinician by strengthening the members of early faculty through the leadership of a strong faculty development and mentoring program which focuses on these critical areas:

Managing a productive academic medicine career

• In support of your academic career needs
• In support of the Department and University’s overall mission and goals

Understanding the vision, rules and operating procedures in academic medicine at UCSF

• Understanding criteria for advancement in career track
• Understanding how the merit and promotion system works

Developing and sustaining a network of professional colleagues

• Assistance in mentorship, advice and training
  
  

Effective interventions to improve training, academic progress and retention would include ongoing active self-assessment and greater discussion of academic career tracks, career development by mentors, formal orientation and career development meetings, processes to increase professional visibility, and implementing professional development methods and departmental oversight to reduce the concern about career success in the long term. The Professional Development Committee has proposed the development of a program for early faculty for the Department of Pediatrics. The overall approach in the development and implementation of this plan is to maximize existing resources for early faculty within pediatric divisions and institutes, the Department, the School of Medicine and the University while creating the framework to a successful and satisfying academic career plan for our early faculty. The Early Faculty Program (EFP) is based on the following premises to ensure a successful academic career:

• Self-assessment and pro-active professional planning is essential
• Scholarly/creative activity is core to a successful academic career
• Appropriate mentorship is key to early faculty development
• Establishing professional networks of colleagues accelerates early faculty development
• Academic skills building experiences through professional development programs including workshops, courses, specific mentored experiences, among others are important components to early faculty success
  
  

The purpose of the self assessment is to provide early faculty and the division chief with a clear understanding of what it means to shape a successful career in academic medicine over time. In doing so, the self assessment provides a shared language for discussing early faculty progress from appointment to promotion.

After a self assessment early faculty in concert with their division chief and mentors identify developmental opportunities that will help address any concerns/challenges that need further development. The EFP will serve as a functional tool to help organize a self assessment of early faculty’s current progress, skill levels, strengths, and developmental needs. The purpose of the EFP is for clarification of what professional activities are necessary in order to make appropriate progress towards academic goals, and at the same time to identify potential barriers that may impede such progress while there is time to adequately address such progress. A progress summary and plan for the next year to address any concerns and/or areas that need further development is required. The Early Faculty Development Plan packet consists of several components:

1. Early Faculty Individual Development and Self-Assessment Plan (EF-IDP): Academic progress to include goals and plan for achieving goals. Division chief and mentors will review and provide a plan for mentorship and support based on your self assessment
2. Academic CV: The CV is the key method for documenting and planning career progression, exhibiting activities and accomplishments in fulfilling the promotion precepts and demonstrates professional skills, academic awards and achievements
3. Mentorship Plan: Mentoring in academic medicine has an important influence on academic productivity, personal development and career guidance
   
   

For the purpose of our program we define three types of mentoring relationships which focus on review of career self assessment, developing an individual development plan and CV with research/scholarly activity, teaching and clinical activity descriptions outlined. Mentoring relationships are fluid and are multiple and change over time as “mentee” needs evolve. However, both the mentor and the “mentee” have specific roles and obligations to assure that an appropriate mentoring relationship will be developed over time and to clarify when changes in goals or mentorship partnerships are needed.

1. Career Mentor(s): Division chief is responsible for the oversight and mentoring of early faculty during their career development in the early years, usually the first three years in an academic appointment. In addition, there are other important mentors who provide career guidance who actually may be more important than a division chief in specific instances of early faculty development.
2. Research/Creative Activity Mentor: Project mentor requested to assist early faculty on specific projects with skills beyond that of the career mentor. This mentor may or may not be a member of the Division or Department or the School.
3. Peer/Collaborative Mentorship: Collaborative and peer mentorship creates an environment of support and guidance for achieving career satisfaction and advancement. Peer mentoring fosters networking and camaraderie and enhances faculty awareness of personal career goals, values, strengths, and priorities, and supports the early faculty’s integration into a collaborative effort and collegial team. This type of mentorship is often informal.
   
   
   

In an effort to facilitate the program with organizational tools and forms to assist with the documentation and recordkeeping, the following documents have been created to facilitate the program:

Early Faculty Development and Mentoring Program Overview

• Program description and instructions [PDF]

Guidelines for UCSF Academic CV

• Guidelines (PDF)

Early Faculty Individual Development and Self Assessment Plan

• Early Faculty Individual Development Plan [Word]

Mentoring Program Plan

• Mentoring Checklist and Plan [Word]