Faculty Appointments

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Appointments and Promotions Committee (BMB APC)

The BMB APC advises the department chair on faculy administrative appointments and promotions, granting of academic rank in the field of biochemistry and molecular biology, graduate school privileges in the BMB track, and requests for joint appointments in the department.

A. Administrative appointment (associate consultant, senior associate consultant, consultant): primary or joint appointment

These board-approved appointments are unique to Mayo Clinic and determine salary. Promotion through the administrative ranks is initiated by the candidate and the chair of the candidate's home or primary department. In the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, this process is initiated by sending a cover letter and CV to the chair of the BMB APC.

Criteria and expectations for administrative appointments and promotions are available on the Research Personnel Subcommittee webpage on the Mayo Clinic intranet (must be logged in to Mayo Clinic network). After approval by the BMB APC and chair, applications are submitted sequentially to the Research Personnel Committee, Research Committee, site Personnel Committee and Board of Governors for approval. The entire process takes several months.

A request for joint administrative appointment in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology reflects the desire of a faculty member from another department to engage actively in the academic, administrative and educational life of the department. Faculty considering joint appointment in the BMB department should be familiar with facets of the academic, administrative and educational aspects of the department. The merit of requests for joint appointment is determined by the department chair, vice chair and APC. Mayo Clinic tradition is that faculty members typically may hold a single joint appointment outside of their home departments.

Requests for joint appointment are made according to guidelines set forth by the institution. After reviewing these guidelines and assembling the needed materials, faculty typically initiate the request by forwarding a cover letter and RE-AIMS CV as email attachments to the chair of the department. The cover letter must state familiarity with departmental activities and explain the applicant's enthusiasm for ongoing participation in these activities. Support letters (as email attachments) from the department chair and the chair of the applicant's administrative home or primary department also are required. The BMB APC will process the request and then forward it to the Personnel Committee of the Mayo Clinic Board of Governors.

Note: Research and Education Academic Information Management System (RE-AIMS) formats Mayo Clinic faculty CVs in a standard manner. Information on the RE-AIMS format can be found on the Mayo Clinic intranet.

B. Academic rank (instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor)

Academic rank represents an endorsement and certification of experience and expertise within a field or discipline of science or medicine. Academic rank is based on criteria that do not imply participation in any particular department or program.

Academic rank in the field of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology does not reflect or imply participation or membership in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology but affirms credentials and experience in these fields of study. Faculty interested in obtaining academic rank in BMB should contact the department chair or APC chair for additional information on the guidelines.

After reviewing guidelines and assembling the required materials, faculty may initiate the request by forwarding a cover letter, CV and required materials as email attachments to the chair of the BMB APC. The BMB APC will then review the request. If the request is granted, the BMB APC will forward the appropriate electronic documentation to the institutional Academic Appointments and Promotions Committee (AAPC) for review. If the request is approved by the institutional AAPC, it passes to the Education Committee and then to the Mayo Clinic Board of Governors. The entire process can take several months.

C. Privileges in the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

The privilege of participating in graduate education (both formal teaching and supervision of graduate students) requires formal documentation of credentials and certification. Requests for Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences privileges initiate through the BMB Education Committee. Contact Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Track director, John R. Hawse, Ph.D., for more information.

Summary flowchart

Administrative (consultant track), primary and joint appointments

BMB APC > Research Personnel Subcommittee > Research Committee > Personnel Committee > Board of Governors

Academic rank

BMB APC > Academic Appointments and Promotions Committee > Education Committee > Board of Governors

Graduate school privileges

BMB Education Committee > Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences