Faculty recruitment to academic health systems in difficult times: defining current challenges and best practices

Authors

David N. Bailey, MD

Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Pharmacy Emeritus

Deputy Dean, Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences

Vice Chair for Education and Academic Affairs, Department of Pathology

Co-Medical Director, Respiratory Care Blood Gas Laboratory

University of California, San Diego

Shelli A. Herman

President and Founder

Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc.

Jan D. Hirsch, PhD

Founding Dean, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Professor of Clinical Pharmacy

University of California, Irvine

Abstract

Faculty recruitment to academic health systems (AHS) is difficult even in the best of times due to the inherently complex interfaces between health sciences schools, medical centers, affiliated institutions, faculty, and administration as well as the limited availability of top talent. However, with diminishing research and healthcare funding, coupled with proliferating regulations, recruitment has become even more challenging. These factors make it more important than ever to define best practices in AHS recruitment and may prompt the recruitment of internal candidates rather than external ones, the pursuit of philanthropic support for capacity building and start-up packages, the consolidation of academic units, and the combination of leadership positions. The specific needs will vary considerably depending on the type of position sought (e.g. “rank-and-file” faculty member, department chair, dean, academic medical center chief executive officer) as well as the specific responsibilities expected of them. Leadership roles may be particularly difficult to recruit for at this time and may appear too daunting for some potential candidates to consider. These challenges may lead to a reevaluation of roles and responsibilities, reporting relationships, and, perhaps, the redefinition of the positions themselves. The authors draw on their collective experience to define best practices in recruitment to AHS during these turbulent times.

Read here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2374289526000060