Firstname Lastname, Degree(S)

FirstName LastName, Degree(s)

Date

Page 1 of 6

DATE

NAME, DEGREE(s)
ADDRESS

Dear Dr. XXXXX:

We are delighted by your interest in a position on the faculty of the Department of XXXXXin theNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (FSM)and employment with Northwestern Medical Group (NMG). This letter sets forth the terms that will govern your appointment atNorthwestern University. Nothing in this letter is intended to override the terms established by the existing Northwestern University Faculty Handbook

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Faculty Appointment

You will be proposed for appointment to the full-time faculty as aXXXXXProfessor of XXXXX for an initial term of three (3) years, effectiveXXXXX (date).[OR You will be proposed for appointment to the full-time faculty as an XXXX Professor of XXXX for an initial term of three (3) years, effective on or around (date). Your specific start date will be established based on when you are able to obtain the necessary prerequisites to carry out your role, most specifically an Illinois medical license and hospital privileges.]Your appointment will be on the investigator track, physician-scientist pathway. The tenure status of the proposed appointment will be tenure-eligible and a decision on tenure will need to be made within XXX[9 is customary for new assistant professors] years of your initial appointment. Your faculty appointment, including your title and the term of appointment,is subject to approval by the medical school’sAppointment, Promotions, and Tenure Committee [if being hired as a tenure-eligible associate professor], the Dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine, and the Provost of the University. [I amORWe are (if more than one individual signs this letter)]excited at the prospect of your acceptance of this role and anticipate no problems obtaining the necessary approvals.

Your faculty appointment is renewable at the discretion of the Chair of XXXX and the Dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine. As noted, there is a mandatory review for tenure in or before the XXXXX year of your appointment. Procedures for renewal of your faculty appointment and the conditions governing appointment and promotion on the tenure track are set forth in the Feinberg School of Medicine’s Information Guide for Appointments, Promotion and Tenure; you should review this carefully. Your position in the Department of XXXXX is contingent upon your maintaining this appointment in good standing at all times.

During the term of your appointment, you will be subject to the terms of the Northwestern University Faculty Handbook as well as all other Feinberg School of Medicine and University policies. As a Feinberg School of Medicine faculty member, you will also be expected to abide by Northwestern University’s Policy on Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment, as well as Feinberg’s Disclosure and Professional Integrity Policy, both of which are located on the FSM Office for Regulatory Affairs website (

Prior to commencement of your appointment, you will be required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship, permanent resident status, or documentation of a valid visa that permits your employment at Northwestern, and this position is contingent upon compliance with Form I-9 completion timelines and confirmation of employment authorization by E-Verify. Maintenance of appropriate work authorization is required as a condition of your continued appointment at Northwestern.Appointment to the faculty is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check. You may be required to complete forms in order for the University to conduct this check.

[Use this paragraph if employed by NMG]Finalization of your University appointment is also contingent upon completion of the necessary paperwork with Northwestern Medical Group. In order to maintain your faculty appointment, you must remain in good standing at NMG, unless an exception is requested of and approved by the medical school. The terms and conditions of employment at NMG will be set forth in a separate agreement. This will include evidence of a current, valid license to practice medicine in Illinois and completion of third party enrollment packets and credentialing forms. Delay in completion of these forms may delay your start date. XXXXX in the administrative office of the department [or division as relevant]can assist you in completing these applications. Employment at NMG is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check, drug test, and fulfillment of credentialing requirements. You may be required to execute various consent forms in order for NMG to conduct checks and tests.

Research Responsibilities and Support

[OPTIONAL] You will be responsible to develop and carry out an acceptable program of research in the area of XXXXX. To assist in launching your research program, the department will provide the following resources. Start-up funding to purchase the equipment you have requested will amount to $XXXXX. You will also be provided with salary support for a XXX which will be guaranteed for three (3) years in addition to the support for laboratory equipment. You will be provided $XXXX per year for XXX (X) years for lab supplies and other needs.

You will be expected to obtain and maintain grant or other sponsored research support sufficient to cover the direct and indirect costs of your research program within three (3) years [or specify other time frame].Your reappointment, mix of professional activities, and compensation level will be subject to your ability to meet the department’s requirements to obtain and maintain grant/sponsored research support to cover your research program costs.

Office space, secretarial support, and necessary office equipment will be provided by the department [or where appropriate: from resources assigned to the Division of XXXXX]. Your initial laboratory space will amount to ~XXXX square feet and be located on the XXXXX.Your office will be adjacent to the laboratory[or indicate alternative location]. Other facilities available include access to[specify relevant cores, etc.].

[FOR JUNIOR FACULTY WITHOUT INDEPENDENT SUPPORT] All physician-scientists are expected to apply for grant support before joining the faculty or shortly thereafter. Given the nature of your research program, it is anticipated that you will obtain additional extramural funding from federal and foundation sponsors. We also encourage you to apply for intramural funding set aside for junior faculty members, including Dixon Translational Research Young Investigator Awards. Eventually, however, we expect that you will successfully compete for continuous extramural, peer-reviewed funding such as that available from the National Institutes of Health. Once you successfully compete for continuous extramural, peer-reviewed funding such as that available from the National Institutes of Health, administrative support personnel will work with you to ensure optimal utilization of these resources.

To further assist you in your career development, a mentoring committee will be formed upon your arrival to provide advice and guidance in the initial phases of your academic career. The advisory committee will be chaired by Dr. XXXXX and will meet with you on a regular basis to review your academic progress. Proposed committee members include Drs. XXXXX. These senior faculty will serve as a sounding board for your research ideas and plans and will assist you in the development of grant proposals. This mentoring is done for all new physician-scientists in an effort to ensure a successful transition to research independence. The committee will continue to meet with you to ensure your continued success in maintaining appropriate grant funding.

As a tenure-eligible physician-scientist, you will have the opportunity to be a member of the graduate faculty which will give you the opportunity to train graduate students in your laboratory. In addition to graduate students, there are other opportunities for you to incorporate trainees in your laboratory, including fellows or post-doctoral trainees supported by training grants [where relevant].

Please note that there are also many Northwestern Core Support Services and personnel available to assist you in developing and maintaining your research program. These include the various core facilities [list relevant cores] as well as the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS) Institute.

Clinical Responsibilities

Your clinical responsibilities in the Department of XXXXXX will be through Northwestern Medical Group and will be tailored to ensure your success in the laboratory. [I/We] will work with you to maximize the benefit of your clinical experience for your career development. All physician-scientist faculty members are expected to perform some clinical work. In general, physician-scientists attend XXXXXX months each academic year on an inpatient or consulting service. This activity may include attending on the XXXXX service at Northwestern Memorial Hospital or at the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Hospital [list relevant sites]and is subject to change, pending the needs of the department. However, we do not anticipate such changes in the foreseeable future. In addition, it is our plan for you to conduct oneoutpatient clinic per week at the XXXXX. [revise as appropriate for your department]

[OPTIONAL] Per our discussions, we would also like to appoint you as the Medical Director for XXXXX at Northwestern.

[OPTIONAL: for senior administrative positions only] Subject to approval of your faculty appointment as described above, you will be appointed to serve as [specify administrative role, medical director (state facility), etc.]. You will serve in this role at the discretion of the Department Chair, the Dean, and/or hospital CEO (depending upon the position), who may remove you from this position at any time with or without cause.

Education and Teaching Responsibilities

All faculty members of the Department of XXXX participate in the educational programs of the department and medical school, which may include teaching service, training, preceptorship, mentoring, etc. It is an important principle of the department that we are all committed to participate in teaching programs for our students, housestaff, and fellows. You will be expected to contribute to the educational mission of the department and school by [insert specific teaching duties and educational roles for this candidate]. All members of the full-time faculty must also accumulate at least XX hours of continuing medical education credit each year for reappointment, of which XX hours must be at XXXXX [include relevant departmental conference(s)].

Student education is an important mission of the medical school, and it is an expectation that all faculty will contribute to Feinberg’s educational mission.The medical school is committed to the principle that educational relationships should be one of mutual respect between teacher and learner.To that end, it is expected that faculty members will abide by the principles outlined in the guide to a Safe and Healthy Learning Environment (

Compensation and Benefits

Annual Base Salary

In your role as a physician-scientist in the department, you will have a guaranteed minimum salary of $XXXXX per year for the first three (3) years you are on the faculty, assuming satisfactory research and clinical performance and satisfactory discharge of the administrative duties you assume.Compensation will initially be provided as follows: $XXX from Northwestern Medical Group and $XXX from Northwestern University. In addition, you will be eligible for supplemental income based upon your performance, in accordance with a methodology determined by the Department of XXXX’s compensation plan. Among other criteria, this methodology will be determined in accordance with all applicable regulatory requirements. In no event shall compensation include any payment of accounts receivable upon or following the departure of an employee from NMG or from Northwestern. Your compensation will be paid in accordance with standard Northwestern University payroll procedures and will be subject to all applicable withholdings.As a physician-scientist, you will be expected to generate sufficient grant funding to cover your research effort, the method of which is negotiated yearly with theChair[or designee].

[OPTIONAL]In addition, you will receive $XXXXX as Medical Director of… Your compensation for this position may be reduced or eliminated if, at the discretion of the Department Chair, the Dean, and/or hospital CEO, your services are reduced or no longer needed for this position.

The Department of XXX has an incentive and bonus plan for all faculty members in the department. You will be eligible to receive incentive compensation in addition to your base salary depending on your ability to reach the benchmark outlined in the plan and the financial performance of the department and NMG[if appropriate]. Any bonus paid will not increase your base salary. Faculty in the Department of XXXX will be notified in writing of any future incentive opportunities or changes to the plan.

[OPTIONAL] In addition to the base compensation and incentive compensation detailed above, you will receive a signing bonus of $XXXXX payable to you in the form of a loan during your first month of employment. This loan will be forgiven over the course of your first X years at Northwestern. Forgiveness of the principal and interest will be reported as taxable income in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code and will be factored into the evaluation of your total compensation (i.e., excluding the impact of imputed interest, the amortization of this forgivable loan will add $XXXXX per year to your compensation). If you leave Northwestern prior to completing X years, you will be required to pay back a prorated amount of the principal and interest of this loan.

Moving Expenses

Moving expenses up to one month’s gross salary ($XXXX) [or specific dollar amount] will be provided to assist in your relocation to Chicago. You are expected to obtain estimates from movers, and accept the lowest reasonable bid. Copies of estimates and reasonably detailed invoices must be submitted to the department to obtain reimbursement. [OPTIONAL: We expect that you will need to return to Chicago to find a home, and we, of course, will cover those travel costs.] Some or all of the reimbursed moving expenses may be considered taxable income to you in accordance with applicable law.

Benefits

[Use this paragraph if NOT employed by NMG]:As a full-timeXXXXX Professor, you will be eligible to participate in the generous benefits package offered by Northwestern University, which includes health and dental insurance, group plus optional term life insurance, employer two-for-one matching retirement, long-term disability, and accidental death and disability insurance. Northwestern also has an attractive educational assistance and tuition benefit program. Should you be interested in the details of the benefits, more can be found on Northwestern University’s website at The University must retain the right to modify or rescind any portion of its benefits packages at any time. You will be eligible for benefits according to the terms of applicable plans as they may exist from time to time.

[Use this paragraph if employed by NMG]: As a full-time XXXXX Professor, you will be eligible to receive benefits through Northwestern University, which include a retirement plan and an attractive educational assistance and tuition benefit program. Should you be interested in details of the benefits, more can be found on Northwestern University’s website at As an employee of NMG, you can also participate in the benefits programs of Northwestern Medical Group. The University and NMG must retain the right to modify or rescind any portion of their benefits packages at any time. You will be eligible for benefits according to the terms of applicable plans as they may exist from time to time.

The proposal described in this letter is subject to and made in reliance on the accuracy and completeness of information you have provided regarding your prior education, training, employment history, and medical staff history.

We are extremely enthusiastic about your joining the faculty at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and believe that you have all the skills and attributes to have a highly successful and enjoyable career with us.

Sincerely,