Continuing Faculty Appointment Review
Full-time clinical faculty in the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine are required to undergo a mandatory in-depth review after completing the third year of their academic appointment.
This is known as the Continuing Appointment Review (CAR), sometimes called the Three-Year Review.
Why is this process important?
The purpose of the continuing appointment review is to convert probationary faculty from term appointment to a continuing renewal appointment.
On this page:
CAR answers the question, "Given the terms and expectations set out at the time of the probationary appointment, and the academic standards of the Department and Faculty, does the appointee's performance merit a recommendation that he/she be transferred to the system of continuing annual renewal?"
Who is eligible?
After a faculty member completes three consecutive years of appointment, they become eligible to participate in the CAR. This requirement applies to all appointed faculty, regardless of their academic rank.
What are applicants judged on?
To achieve a continuing renewal appointment, faculty will need to demonstrate:
- Evidence of participation and completion of scholarly activities within their Academic Program Description (APD).
- Competence in teaching, and efforts to achieve excellence in teaching.
- Receptivity to feedback on their teaching.
- Engagement in faculty development and/or mentorship around teaching, as required.
The Process and Timeline
When does it begin?
The CAR process typically begins each summer (July - September).
Eligible faculty members can expect to be contacted by the department in August or September, confirming their eligibility. Following this, faculty will receive an official email from MEDHR detailing the next steps in the CAR process.
If the faculty member's third work anniversary falls after the commencement of that year's review, the faculty member will be notified in the following year.
What is the process?
- Step One: In September of each year, the Faculty of Medicine’s HR Office and the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine will initiate a review after a faculty member's third year of appointment has passed. The applicant will be invited to submit a dossier to initiate the CAR process.
- Step Two: By February of the following year, the Department Appointments Committee (DAC) will meet and review the applicant's dossier and will submit a recommendation to the Department Chair. Possible recommendations could be:
- transfer to continuing appointment for Full-Time Clinical faculty OR
- continue probationary period for a further one or two years.
- Step Three: The department chair will review the recommendations of the DAC. In Spring of the following year (normally in March or April), the applicant will be asked to meet with the Department Chair and their site chief to discuss their accomplishments and goals, as well as any difficulties they have encountered or that were identified through the review. The applicant will be notified of the recommendation of the DAC ahead of this meeting. If the recommendation is for extended probationary period, the applicant will be invited to provide additional information before the next step in the process.
- Step Four: The Department Chair makes the final recommendation which will be submitted to the Dean. The Dean (or delegate) makes the final decision to approve or deny transfer to the system of continuing annual renewal. This usually takes place before June. This recommendation is advisory only.
- Step 5: Once the review is complete, candidates and site chiefs are notified of the outcome of the DAC within five days of the Dean’S meeting.
What should be included in the dossier?
- A cover letter
- A current curriculum vitae (CV)
- Applicants must use the Temerty Faculty of Medicine CV template (Word doc)
- A teaching dossier, which includes**:
- a teaching and education report (Word doc)
- LACT scores (collected by the department Administrator)
- Site teaching evaluations
- Formal letter of support from the Anesthetist-in-Chief (requested by the applicant)
- Original Letter of Offer (signed)
- Original Academic Position Description
- Two to three internal letters of reference
- Unsolicited testimonials (if available)
- A declaration of any conflict of interest
Frequently Asked Questions
What's included in the self-assessment cover letter?
The cover letter should include:
- A reflection of your accomplishments since your appointment in the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine and a statement on your future academic goals.
- Indicate any career interruptions (e.g. parental leave, medical leave, etc.) since your appointment. You might consider whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected your performance.
Please keep the following questions in mind in writing your statement:
- Did you accomplish your goals as set out in your 3-year plan?
- What is the impact of your accomplishments?
- Research activities and/or Creative Professional Activities, if applicable
- Teaching/mentoring
Questions to ask:
- Are there opportunities to strengthen, modify, or expand your academic plan? How can the department help you achieve your goals?
- What, if any, departmental committees do you currently belong to? Are there any areas within the university department that you can see yourself contributing as part of a committee?
- Do you see yourself applying for Junior or Senior Promotion in the next two years? Consider what you have done academically to support a promotion to the next rank.
What if I have changed my career trajectory since my initial appointment?
The Department Appointments Committee (DAC) will consider faculty's performance based on their Academic Position Description. Faculty might consider changes in career trajectory since their initial appointment and include them in their cover letter.
What if there are concerning comments in my LACT forms?
If there are concerning comments in your LACT forms or other learner feedback mechanisms, your cover letter should indicate that you have considered this feedback, and in a spirit of striving for excellence in teaching, you have undertaken or will undertake faculty development, which may include entering into a mentorship relationship, formal educational programs, coaching etc.
The letter from your Chief should also acknowledge negative comments and provide information on actions taken to support your growth as a teacher. A letter from your University-appointed site Education Director should be included in your package, and should directly address any scores or comments and describe what specific steps have been made by you, along with evidence of impact of these undertakings, which may include improvements in LACT scores and/or comments from learners in teaching evaluations.
For the current year’s LACT forms, if negative comments are of a personal or retaliatory nature, you have the right to appeal. If you have appealed your LACT form, please indicate so in your letter. If your appeal is granted, the LACT form will be removed from your dossier and the letter from the Chair to the Dean will clarify.
What if I miss the deadline?
Failure to complete the package by the stipulated deadline will move the process to the following year. The maximum yearly probationary appointment ends after 5 years.
Can the outcome be recalled?
The outcome can be recalled if:
- A recommendation is made to the Chair to change to continuing annual appointment.
- A recommendation is made to the Chair to extend probationary period for additional 1 to 2 years.
- A recommendation is made to the Chair and site chief to consider changing the academic position description.
- A recommendation is made to the Chair for termination of appointment.
What is the outcome is negative?
Faculty will be contacted about their options if they have a negative outcome.