Addressing disparities in promotion: Best practices for optimizing your curriculum vitae and preparing for promotion

Abstract

The process of academic promotion is often a challenging barrier to advancement. Although academic institutions frequently provide a template for promotion requirements, many early career or midcareer faculty find themselves stalled on their path. Women in academic emergency medicine continue to experience inequities in promotion with persistent underrepresentation at the associate professor and professor rank^{1, 2} and represent only 11% of EM chairs.³ Addressing this disparity requires a range of institutional and systemic approaches.⁴ However, one individual-level strategy is to help women faculty optimize their chances for promotion. Given the importance of this topic, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's (SAEM) Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) and the Academy for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine (ADIEM) sponsored a didactic session that was presented by the authors at SAEM24. The key learning points from the didactic and the related discussion are outlined below and summarized in the conceptual model (Figure 1).

A comprehensive curriculum vitae (CV) is critical not only for promotion but also for award applications and negotiation purposes. The first step is to utilize the departmental or institutional CV suggested format. Developing and maintaining a high-quality CV requires a strategic approach, attention to detail, and a commitment to effectively showcasing your professional journey. By clearly communicating your achievements, demonstrating your impact, and preparing thoroughly for promotion discussions, you can navigate the promotion process with confidence and strengthen your candidacy. Requirements for promotion vary by institution so it is important to first identify your institutional requirements and potential tracks.

If possible, attend an early career faculty development workshop that may provide insight on expectations and timelines. This can help guide decisions about involvement on committees and clarify what qualifies as academic “scholarship.” Identify the resources within your institution and the academic leaders who can provide guidance. The SAEM Academic Promotion Toolkit can help get you started.⁵

Your CV is more than just a document; it is a testament to your professional journey, expertise, and commitment to advancing your field. If there is no template, consider the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) guide.⁶ In addition to fundamental details (name, position including academic rank and any directorship or program leadership position, education, licenses, board certification), highlight contributions and related awards in each category. The positions and activities considered for promotion can be classified into the broad categories of service, research, education, and scholarship. Organize your CV chronologically and, within each major category, use a parallel structure from local to regional, national, and international levels (e.g., residency program, department, hospital system, medical school or university, state). Structure your CV to enhance readability and highlight your accomplishments (Table 1). Be mindful of the pearls and pitfalls for an effective CV (Table 2). For more details on preparation with a sample CV, please reference “A guide to creating a high-quality curriculum vitae.”⁷

Ensure that all your academic work is recognized. While everyone includes their publications, many overlook the opportunity to highlight related achievements (e.g., awarded best abstract at “national meeting,” top 10% of downloaded articles for the journal, featured in “x” news programs or media attention, associated podcasts, or blogs highlighting the work). Within the category of service, include local or institutional committees that serve your residency or division/department such as the clinical competency committee or operations committee in addition to national committees and roles, such as journal peer review or editor, grant review committee positions, and leadership within national organizations such as SAEM committees or academies. Since your CV will oftentimes be reviewed outside of the realm of emergency medicine, provide brief descriptions of unique committees or key accomplishments achieved in that committee or role. Remember to include nonmedical volunteer services, such as Scout Leader, PTA chair of X, Youth Sports Coach, etc., as well as media highlights (e.g., interview by a local television station or highlighted in a news article). Mentorship is a cornerstone of an academic career and a crucial aspect of academic productivity that should be included as a subheading under the service or education category. Report mentorship details including the mentee's name, title/role, type of mentorship (e.g., resident advisee, student-mentored research project, early career faculty mentorship), and time frame. With respect to awards, include nominations as well as awards received, as nominations often indicate excellence or expertise. If your institution does not consider nominations, continue to track these in case requirements change or you change institutions. If unsure where an accomplishment or activity should be listed or how to represent it, use a placeholder on the CV and discuss it with a mentor.

Maintain an updated CV to monitor progress (by you and by your mentor/coach/sponsor/advisor), ensure continual readiness for grant submissions, facilitate award nominations, and apply for leadership positions. The easiest way to accomplish this is to keep your CV on your computer desktop or cloud platform so it is readily available. Treat it as a living document, adding new achievements as they occur. Consider creating a dedicated calendar or email folder to track CV activities including lecture confirmations, publications, award notifications, etc., to ensure you take credit for all your contributions.

Women often make valuable contributions that may not fit traditional CV categories. It is important to include these contributions but it may require creative thinking to determine where and how to describe them in a scholarly way. For instance, becoming a nonprofit organization's founder requires many skills. This could be placed under service or community volunteer work with inclusion of the mission, key metrics, and skills utilized to ensure success. Others may volunteer to plan departmental events. This can be listed under volunteer service and described as team building. Transform unique, atypical activities into lectures, didactics, abstracts, and presentations or description of skill acquisition to ensure proper credit on your CV. Seek advice and CV examples from near-peers and mentors, even if they are from other fields. Emphasize innovative projects and initiatives in your personal statement and/or other written components of your packet. Gaps in time can be addressed with a brief one- to two-sentence explanation with limited details, if necessary. Be honest, concise, and professional. Frame it constructively, whether by showing resilience and the ability to manage personal challenges or by including lessons learned. Highlight any skills you developed and further education, consulting, or volunteer work performed during that time. This can demonstrate that you remained active and continued to develop professionally.

Self-assessment is a critical skill for both trainees and faculty. At the beginning of every academic year, take inventory of your work and personal goals. Are you ready to give up a committee or leadership appointment, which will free up time and allow someone else to have an opportunity to contribute? Are you ready for a new leadership role? Are you spending your time performing a lot of “nonpromotable” activities? Identify any CV gaps in education, service, or scholarship and develop a targeted plan for the upcoming year. For example, if you need more invited or national lectures, consider joining a speaker's bureau (e.g., SAEM Speakers Bureaus).⁸ Engaging in networking opportunities, professional conferences, and collaborations can expand your professional network and visibility. Often, this is how opportunities for (inter)national academic productivity arise. Cultivate relationships with peers, mentors, and collaborators to advance your career and create meaningful collaborations. Recognize and document your achievements as understanding your value can aid in negotiations for new positions, adjustments in pay, or clinical hours, etc.

Conduct a yearly review with your department leadership to ensure they are aware of your goals and can help you achieve them. This review helps you understand their values, identify any gaps that may be perceived by the promotion committee, and secure their support and sponsorship for promotional activities such as award nominations, speaking engagements, or project collaborations. If you lack a department sponsor, seek support from your institution or professional associations.

Successful promotion often hinges on aligning your accomplishments with your institution's specific criteria and tracks. The three traditional paths are clinical care, research, and education. The promotion criteria and track vary by institution, so it is important to understand and familiarize yourself with the requirements at your site.

Early in your career, starting in the clinical track may make sense. As you establish your area of expertise and scholarship, you may decide to switch tracks when applying for promotion. Understanding the potential implications of different tracks is crucial. For example, at some institutions, a research track may qualify you for a sabbatical, while at others, specific tracks might lead to acceptance into the academic senate. Leadership opportunities and stipend amounts can also vary by track. Note that women are often not encouraged to pursue more prestigious or traditional tenured tracks.^{9, 10}

Your promotion packet may include additional components besides your CV, such as letters of evaluation (both internal and external), a teaching dossier, and a personal statement. This aids in providing comprehensive documentation of your contributions and evidence to support your promotion application (Figure 2).

Carefully consider who will write your letters of recommendation based on your institution's rules, which may vary depending on the promotion level and track. Determine if letters need to be from external reviewers (outside your department or institution) and whether you will be informed of their identities. Some institutions allow you to choose or propose letter writers, while others may restrict your involvement in the selection process, including any direct contact with the reviewers. Seek recommendations from colleagues, supervisors, or collaborators who can attest to your professional contributions and impact. The AWAEM offers a letter writer's bureau as a resource for AWAEM members.¹¹ Ideally, your letter writers should address the key elements required for promotion and ensure their letters align with the promotion criteria. Given the importance of these letters of recommendation, when applicable, consider seeking advice from your chair, mentor, or promotion committee/faculty development chair on who to choose.

Include teaching evaluations along with feedback from students or trainees and evidence of your teaching effectiveness if applicable. Highlight innovations and improvements in educational methods or curriculum development. Feedback from medical student rotations can be obtained from the clerkship director whereas the residency program manager should be able to provide your teaching evaluations from any residents rotating in the ED or from your residency. If continuing medical education is provided to faculty for didactics given at the institutional level (for example, a faculty development workshop sponsored by the medical school), the program facilitator can provide written feedback. Quotes that demonstrate teaching excellence from any level of learner can oftentimes be included in your promotional dossier.

Teaching dossiers may be required for the education track, and the SAEM medical education portfolio can provide guidance on format and content.¹² Your educator's philosophy serves as the anchor of your education portfolio. Further strategies as to approach and content are available but generally include teaching and scholarship, metrics of impact, mentorship and advising, curriculum development, assessments, and formal recognition of excellence, which would include awards, positive feedback, and leadership positions.^{13, 14} Regardless of track, do not be afraid to ask advice from peers on portfolio content or what achievements qualified for their promotion. If included in your institutional template, a diversity statement can describe your contributions to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion within your professional community.

Some institutions may require a separate document that highlights your contributions for promotion. This may seem redundant. However, it is oftentimes used as a quick reference for the institutional promotions committee to understand what you have achieved since the time of your last promotion, without having to undertake an exhaustive review of your CV. In fact, some may not review the CV at all and rely solely on this document to summarize your accomplishments. As a result, it is important to include all the elements requested and not dismiss it as unimportant busy work.

The content of your personal statement will vary based on your track and institutional guidelines. A sample personal statement is included here as Appendix S1. Ensure that you address the specific requirements for promotion in your track while maintaining authenticity and highlighting key achievements. For example, if evidence of clinical excellence is required, consider including a statement that reflects your metrics, awards, or leadership in that realm. (“I am committed to providing high quality, patient centered care, following evidence-based medicine guidelines, and have patient satisfaction scores in the top quartile of national comparisons. I have been awarded the ‘Rising Star’ award by the University Hospital for my leadership in informatics and improving the bedside clinician's experience with the electronic medical record.”) Examples of administration and leadership may include statements like, “I serve as Chair of the departmental Quality committee and have been a member of the hospital Sepsis and Medical Executive Committee for the past five years. In that time, we have driven our sepsis core measures to meet or exceed national benchmarks.”

Your personal statement should eloquently articulate your career narrative, professional goals, and future contributions. Rather than merely reiterating the items on your CV, it should underscore the impact and significance of your work, your unique contributions, and your national recognition and expertise. If you are uncertain about what to include, consider reflecting on your career as if you were explaining it to a stranger. Describe your professional responsibilities, what brings you fulfillment at work, and the key highlights of your career. This exercise can serve as a foundation for your personal statement, which can be further refined with input from your supervisor, mentor, or peers.

Additionally, your personal statement is an opportunity to address contributions that may not fit within traditional CV categories and to explain any gaps in your CV that may benefit from clarification. For example, “I took time off to care for my dying parent, which was a deeply personal and transformative experience. This time away reinforced my commitment to compassionate care and the importance of work–life balance.”

It is also appropriate to include your future aspirations, outlining how you intend to continue contributing to your field. (“I aim to pursue a leadership role that allows me to influence healthcare delivery and policy at an institutional level.”) Many institutions provide specific guidelines regarding word count limits, but a general rule of thumb is to keep your personal statement clear and concise, typically one to two pages in length. Seek feedback from mentors, colleagues, or peers before finalizing your personal statement. They can provide valuable insights and help refine your statement. Remember, this is your chance to present your professional journey in a compelling and authentic manner, showcasing not just what you have accomplished but why it matters and how it has shaped your career trajectory.

Discussions regarding the promotion process should ideally begin at the time of hire. Regularly review your progress with your mentor, promotions committee chair, and/or vice chair. Seek their support for your promotion and address any areas of perceived deficiency.

By the time you meet with your chair, they should already be aware of your intentions, as you have discussed it annually during performance reviews and have consulted with key individuals (such as promotion committee chair, vice chairs, and your mentor). Given the importance and timing of this discussion, identify your department's internal promotion timeline and schedule the meeting early enough in the promotion cycle to meet submission deadlines.

In any crucial conversation, emotional intelligence is essential. Have situational awareness and communicate in the manner preferred by your chair. For example, data-driven individuals may prefer a detailed, evidence-based case, whereas others might appreciate a broader vision followed by relevant details. Be ready to clearly articulate your accomplishments, impact, and contributions to your department, institution, and field of expertise while maintaining humility. Use quantifiable metrics or specific examples to demonstrate the scope and significance of your work. Include endorsements from your mentor, promotions chair, or vice chair as appropriate. Engage your chair by asking if there is anything else needed to strengthen your application and, if applicable, seek their advice on selecting letter writers. Make sure to submit your required dossier on time, if not early. Finally, remember to celebrate your success when your promotion is achieved!

Given the ongoing gender disparities in rank,² it is essential to pursue both institutional and systemic solutions to support women in academic promotion and advancement. In addition, it is crucial for individual women to learn how to craft an effective curriculum vitae for promotion and award nominations. Emphasize innovative projects and initiatives in your personal statement and other written components of your promotion packet. By utilizing the techniques provided in this article—such as developing and maintaining a high-quality curriculum vitae, highlighting all accomplishments (including nontraditional ones), demonstrating your impact, and aligning with institutional criteria—you will enhance your ability to communicate your achievements and prepare effectively for promotion. This approach ensures that your unique contributions are recognized and valued, further supporting your advancement.

Elizabeth Leenellett: Conception and design of the work, drafting the work and revising the manuscript. Amy Zeidan: Contributed to the conception of the work, drafting the work and revising the manuscript. Margaret Samuels-Kalow: Contributed to the conception of the work, drafting the work and revising the manuscript. Richelle J. Cooper: Contributed to the conception of the work, drafting the work and revising the manuscript. All authors attest to the final approval of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.