Membership Criteria

Nomination to the Academy

  1. A letter of nomination may be submitted by any University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM) regular faculty member. A letter of nomination also may be submitted by a student, resident, or fellow as long as it is cosponsored by an UPSOM regular faculty member. Department chairs and division chiefs are encouraged to nominate candidates. Self-nominations also are accepted.

  2. The letter of nomination should include substantive evidence of educational accomplishment and excellence in two or more of the following five categories of educational activity:
    • Direct teaching
    • Instructional development and curricular design
    • Advising and mentoring
    • Educational administration and leadership
    • Educational research

  3. If the nominee is a member of the UPSOM faculty, they must have at least five years of experience in education at this institution.
     
  4. If the nominee is volunteer and clinical faculty, they must have been involved in education for at least 10 years at this institution and have demonstrated substantive evidence in at least 2 or more of the following categories of educational activity: direct teaching, instructional development and/or curricular design, advising and mentoring, educational administration and leadership, and educational research. Please also note that volunteer and clinical prefix faculty will not be eligible to receive a stipend.

  5. The nominee must be involved currently with the education of medical students, graduate students, and/or residents.

  6. Nomination letters should be addressed, "Dear Academy Membership Committee" and should be e-mailed as a PDF file to: adme@medschool.pitt.edu

Application to the Academy

  1. An eligible nominee will receive a letter indicating that he or she may pursue application to the academy.

  2. Applicants shall submit an educational portfolio that includes:
    • A statement of the applicant's educational philosophy (limit 500 words)
    • The applicant's current curriculum vitae in UPSOM format (see cv-format) emphasizing the applicant's educational activities and achievements
    • Evidence of the applicant's efforts in education (not to exceed five pages) which addresses:
      • career goals and objectives (including but not limited to plans for teaching and other education-related activities for next five years)
      • teaching (including but not limited to: lecturing, facilitating small groups, conducting bedside rounds, precepting in the clinic)
      • curriculum development (including but not limited to: course/clerkship design, case writing, authoring multimedia instructional programs, development of innovative teaching tools or methods, leadership of curricular task forces or committees)
      • educational administration and leadership (including but not limited to roles as: course director, clerkship director, coordinator of a part of a course or clerkship, program leader, chair of local/regional/national education committees)
      • advising and mentoring (including but not limited to: students, trainees, and junior colleagues)
      • educational scholarship (including but not limited to: peer-reviewed publications in education, book chapters, grants, presentations at regional or national meeting. As relevant, please include evidence of quality, effectiveness, innovation and originality, intellectual leadership, and the likelihood of continued productivity and creativity.
    • A synopsis of the applicant's teaching evaluations with examples of both quantitative and qualitative data
    • A list of awards which the applicant received for teaching and other education-related activities; and a separate list of awards for which the applicant was nominated

  3. Applications should be submitted electronically as a PDF file to: adme@medschool.pitt.edu

  4. Applications shall be reviewed by the Academy Membership Committee. No one shall be admitted to the academy without undergoing review by the Academy Membership Committee.

  5. The Academy Membership Committee shall submit its recommendations to the vice dean, who will review the candidate's credentials. The vice dean will make a recommendation to the dean who shall make the final decision regarding admission to the academy.

Appointment to the Academy

Individuals will be appointed to the academy for a five-year term. The appointee must be involved with the education of medical students, graduate students, and/or residents for the duration of appointment to the academy. If there is a significant change in the appointee's educational efforts, the appointee must notify in writing the Academy Membership Committee and the appointee's eligibility for academy membership will be re-assessed.

  1. The appointee may be eligible for additional compensation in the form of a supplemental incentive payment from the Office of The Dean.
    • If eligible, the academy member will receive a supplemental payment in October of each year in which they are a member.
    • Supplemental payments will be prepared centrally by the Office of Planning and Management.

  2. If membership in the academy ends, the supplemental incentive payment will be discontinued.

  3. An appointment to the academy may be renewed based on productivity and excellence in medical education (appointments may be renewed, not renewed, or reinstated after a lapse in membership).

Distinguished Members

This appointment is based on the recommendation of the ADME Steering Committee and recognizes a sustained record of excellence and achievement in medical education.