2024 Year in Review: Department of Medicine’s Office of Faculty Development

 

From the desk of Sushma K. Cribbs, Vice Chair of Faculty Development

As we reflect on 2024, I am delighted to share the significant accomplishments and initiatives that have marked 2024 as one of exceptional progress and collaboration within our department. Our commitment to excellence has been evident through innovative thinking and approaches, and a dedicated focus on our most valuable resource, our people.

Here are some of the highlights:

Faculty Development Initiatives

• Appointments and Promotion & Tenure Packets:
  • This year marked a significant milestone in recognizing faculty achievements, with 75 appointment, promotion, and tenure packets meticulously reviewed. Each packet represented a journey of academic and professional excellence, carefully evaluated to ensure that our faculty receive the recognition they deserve.

• Clinical Distinctions Program:
  • 66 clinical distinctions packet submissions highlighted the exceptional clinical contributions of our faculty. These submissions underscored the remarkable clinical expertise and dedication that define our department’s medical professionals

• Performance and Professional Development:
  • Our department achieved an outstanding 95% completion rate for the Career Conference Performance Review (CCPR). This remarkable statistic reflects the deep commitment of every division to continuous professional development and faculty excellence.

• Outreach and Engagement
  • Our office demonstrated exceptional reach through 15 division and site roadshow meetings, fostering connections and sharing insights across various Emory sites. These meetings were crucial in maintaining our department’s collaborative spirit and ensuring consistent communication.

• New Early Career Mentoring Matching Program
  • This past year, with much help from the DOM Mentoring Committee, our office launched a new Early Career Faculty Mentoring Matching Program. This inaugural initiative aims to support the professional growth and development of our early career faculty members by pairing them with experienced mentors. We are delighted to share that we had 23 new early career faculty members sign up to participate in this program. Through this initiative, we hope to foster meaningful connections, provide valuable guidance, and enhance the overall academic experience for our new early career faculty. 

Targeted Development Programs

• Mentoring Workshop
  • The comprehensive mentoring workshop attended by 20 senior and junior faculty members provided an informative platform for experienced faculty to guide and support their junior colleagues. Interactive sessions and discussions on best practices created a robust support system for professional growth.

• CV Review Sessions
  • 49 faculty members benefited from personalized CV review sessions, receiving targeted feedback, improvement strategies, and guidance on effectively highlighting their professional achievements.

• Faculty Education, Enrichment, and Development (FEED) Conference
  • Our Faculty Education, Enrichment, and Development (FEED) conference, a half-day virtual event. It was attended by over 100 faculty members. Our biggest conference yet! 2024 FEED focused on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in medicine. The conference featured keynote speakers, diverse breakout sessions, and valuable networking opportunities, equipping our faculty with cutting-edge knowledge.

Celebration of Excellence

The Kathy Griendling Honors & Awards Ceremony was a highlight of our year, celebrating faculty members’ outstanding contributions in research, teaching, service, and clinical care! This in-person and virtual event attended by over 270 people recognized individuals who have significantly impacted our department and the broader medical community. The 2024 program celebrated the following: 93 faculty nominations, 58 staff nominations, 31 newly promoted senior faculty, and 59 clinical distinction recipients. 

New Faculty Orientation

For our annual New Faculty Orientation event, our office extended invitations to 85 new faculty members and warmly welcomed 30 new faculty members on the day of the orientation. This half-day session provides essential information, resources, and networking opportunities to ensure a smooth and successful integration into our department.

Committee Work: The Pillars of Our Success

• Promotion & Tenure (P&T) Committee
  • This committee played a critical role in reviewing faculty for promotion, tenure, and new appointments, maintaining our rigorous standards of academic excellence. Thank you to Drs. Colleen Kraft, Abeer Moanna, Ugochi Ohuabunwa, and Peter Thule for their hard work in reviewing packets and assisting our DOM faculty with their senior promotions during their tenure on P&T!

• Mentoring Committee
  • Focused on creating a supportive environment, this committee implemented the New Early Career Faculty Mentoring Matching program, organized the pivotal February mentoring workshop, created new mentoring videos, and has continued to expand and grow our peer mentoring groups across Emory. A big thank you to Drs. Venkatagiri Krishnamurthy, Noble Maleque, and Nikrad Shahnavaz who recently rotated off the committee!

• Faculty Development Council (FDC)
  • Spearheading professional development initiatives, including the FEED conference, the FDC was instrumental in supporting comprehensive faculty growth and development strategies. Thank you to Dr. Christopher Hillhouse for your time, effort, and the positive impact you made during your time on FDC!

• Clinical Distinctions Committee
  • Responsible for reviewing clinical distinctions packets, this committee was crucial in recognizing the exceptional clinical contributions of our faculty members. Many thanks to Drs. Larry Busse, Arezou Khosroshahi, Amy Miller, and Preeti Reshamwala for their dedicated efforts in reviewing packets during their tenure on the committee!

As we look back on 2024, we are proud of the collaborative efforts, innovative programs, and unwavering commitment to excellence that have characterized our department. I want to personally thank my entire team and all of you for your dedication and hard work to make our department one of the best in the country. I am confident that our department will continue to thrive and excel in 2025!

Warm regards,

 

 

Sushma K. Cribbs, MD, MSc
Professor of Medicine
Vice Chair of Faculty Development, Department of Medicine