AAMC Survey
Tenure Does Not Guarantee Salary in U.S. Medical Schools
By News Staff
Family physicians considering academic appointments should be aware that gaining tenure does not necessarily mean medical school faculty members are guaranteed a particular salary. In fact, an increasing number of medical schools do not provide financial guarantees with tenure among either clinical or basic science faculty members, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, or AAMC.
In its April Analysis in Brief, (2-page PDF; About PDFs) the AAMC says the link between tenure and a financial guarantee has become tenuous in the past 10 years and is expected to become even more so in the future.
Instead, some institutions have been incorporating the term "tenure of title" into their institutional policies. Faculty members at these institutions hold that designation as an honorific and cannot expect any accompanying compensation.
"These trends of limiting financial liability by either not offering or restricting the financial guarantee association with tenure for faculty are likely to continue to evolve in the future in order to align better with the uncertain and tenuous economic realities that medical schools continue to face," the report says.
According to the report, in summer 2008, the AAMC surveyed faculty personnel policies of all U.S. medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which numbered 126 at the time. The policies involved appointments, tenure and compensation structures.
The results from the 111 medical schools that offered tenure for their clinical faculty were:
Instead, some institutions have been incorporating the term "tenure of title" into their institutional policies. Faculty members at these institutions hold that designation as an honorific and cannot expect any accompanying compensation.
"These trends of limiting financial liability by either not offering or restricting the financial guarantee association with tenure for faculty are likely to continue to evolve in the future in order to align better with the uncertain and tenuous economic realities that medical schools continue to face," the report says.
According to the report, in summer 2008, the AAMC surveyed faculty personnel policies of all U.S. medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which numbered 126 at the time. The policies involved appointments, tenure and compensation structures.
The results from the 111 medical schools that offered tenure for their clinical faculty were:
- 46 schools, or 41 percent, had no financial guarantee associated with tenure.
- Of the 49 schools, or 44 percent, that did offer some type of guarantee, only three schools, or 6 percent, offered total institutional salary. Most often, the schools offered a base salary.
The results from the 119 schools that offered tenure for their basic science faculty were:
- 45 schools, or 38 percent, had no specific financial guarantee associated with tenure.
- Of the 59 schools, or 50 percent, that did offer a specific financial guarantee, only seven, or 12 percent, offered total institutional salary. Like the clinical faculty, basic science faculty members were offered some type of base salary.
According to the report, "more schools have redefined and limited the financial guarantee associated with tenure for their faculty. Now 4 in 10 medical schools offer no financial guarantee."
Additional Resource
Association of American Medical Colleges Analysis in Brief: "The Relationship between Tenure and Guaranteed Salary for U.S. Medical School Faculty" (2-page PDF; About PDFs)
(April 2010)
Association of American Medical Colleges Analysis in Brief: "The Relationship between Tenure and Guaranteed Salary for U.S. Medical School Faculty" (2-page PDF; About PDFs)
(April 2010)
