University of California San Francisco
UCSF School of Medicine UCSF Medical Center

Medical Student Education Policy for Volunteer Clinical Professor Roles and Responsibilities

Purpose

To outline the roles and responsibilities of Volunteer Clinical Professors participating in the undergraduate medical education program.

Overview

The UCSF School of Medicine endeavors to expose students to the practice of medicine in many different settings and in many different types of care delivery systems. In addition, it is desirable to ensure that we have sufficient faculty preceptors so that students have a sufficient amount of individualized attention to achieve their learning goals in the clinical arena. To accomplish these goals, the Office of Medical Education endeavors to recruit, train and support community based physicians to participate in the education of our medical students.

Definitions:

Volunteer Clinical Professor:  Community based professor who is not paid by UCSF and participate in the education of medical students and residents.

APM 279:  The University of California section of the Academic Personnel Manual that refers to the policies and procedures for faculty appointments for Volunteer Clinical Professor.

Volunteer Clinical Professor Series: The academic appointment series appropriate for Volunteer Clinical Professors.

Related LCME Standards

9.2: Faculty Appointments

Principles

 

  1. Students working with and learning from Volunteer Clinical Professors are expected to have an educational experience equivalent to those students who are working with regular series faculty in the same clerkship or educational experience. This is monitored through the program evaluation process.
  2. Volunteer Clinical Professors perform a valuable service for the University and as such should be supported in and recognized for the work that they do to educate our students.
  3. All faculty, volunteer or regular, are required to teach and assess students in accordance with the School of Medicine graduation objectives, course or clerkship specific learning objectives and institutional assessment strategies.
  4. All faculty, volunteer or regular, should periodically participate in formal faculty development to optimize their teaching.
  5. Satisfactory performance of faculty is measured by course/clerkship director assessment, informed by student evaluations of faculty and evidence of compliance with required faculty responsibilities.

Policy

 

  1. Volunteer Clinical Professors are recruited and evaluated by the course and clerkship directors overseeing their work with students. They are recruited to participate in specific activities each year.
  2. Volunteer Clinical Professors must comply with the APM 279 and submit information about licensure, malpractice coverage and other clinical information in order to request a faculty appointment. Failure to submit required information will result in a delay or denial of faculty appointment.
  3. In addition to meeting the requirements of APM 279, a VCP of UCSF must attest via signature that they have done the following, for each year they are participating:
    1. Review and agree to use the UCSF School of Medicine graduation competencies, course/clerkship objectives and School of Medicine assessment strategies to teach and assess student performance.
    2. Review and agree to act in a manner compatible with the UCSF Principles of Community (https://diversity.ucsf.edu/about/principles-of-community)
    3. Review and understand the procedures for reporting medical student mistreatment 
    4. Review and agree to adhere to UCSF SoM policy on duality of interest.
    5. Agree to complete assessment forms and other assignments in a timely fashion, in accordance to ‘Foundations 1 and Foundations 2 Assessment and Grading Policy’.
    6. Agree to notify the Associate Dean for Students or other university official with concerns about student wellbeing or performance.
  4. Volunteer Clinical Professors will be proposed by the Office of Medical Education for faculty appointment as soon as is practical after recruitment. Faculty appointments will be processed by the Department aligned with the individual’s board certification.
  5. To maintain an appointment as a VCP, the clinician must remain in good standing, as indicated by the following criteria:
    1. expected to teach approximately 50 hours of teaching per year;
    2. is rated as satisfactory or better by the relevant clerkship or course director; and
    3. must not have received complaints about medical student mistreatment.
  6. If personal or professional circumstances prevent a VCP in good standing from accepting assigned teaching responsibilities they may request a waiver of teaching assignments for no more than one year and still maintain their VCF appointment. This waiver may be granted once in each five-year period of appointment.
  7. Volunteer Clinical Professors are encouraged to participate in all UCSF Faculty development activities, certificate programs and recognition events.
  8. In accordance with APM 279, Volunteer Clinical Professors teaching in the clinical environment are required to notify UCSF SoM immediately if they voluntarily or involuntarily relinquish their license, DEA registration, clinical privileges or malpractice insurance.
  9. Volunteer Clinical Professors are appointed for up to five years and may request promotion after five years.
  10. In accordance with APM 279, VCP appointments may be terminated before the end date of the appointment for cause or when the Dean or designee no longer has activities in which the VCP participation is required. In these circumstances, the VCP will be notified in writing 30 calendar days prior to the effective date.

Associated Policies:

University of California APM 279

UCSF School of Medicine:

            Duality of Interest Policy

            Student Mistreatment Policy

            Foundations 1 and Foundations 2 Assessment and Grading Policy

Procedures:

  1. Volunteer Clinical Professors will be recruited by directors of the relevant curricular element, course or clerkship
  2. Appointment requests will be overseen by the Center for Faculty Educators and will then be processed by the relevant Department.
  3. Records of faculty attestation of assent and compliance with required responsibilities will be managed by the Center for Faculty Educators.

Accountable Dean or Director: Vice Dean for Medical Education

Approval Date and Governing Body: January 9, 2018, CCEP