Health System Clinicians are not employees of the university and receive no salary from NU, so there are no recruitment procedures that must be followed at NU or FSM. Departments do not enter business plans in the business plan database for HSC recruitment, and NU does not require evidence of a national search in order to appoint an HSC. Please follow the recruitment procedures established by the organization employing the HSC, and when a candidate is identified, use the appropriate appointment checklist on this webpage to request an appointment at FSM.
NMG-Employed HSCs
If you intend to hire an HSC who will be employed by Northwestern Medical Group, please consult with NMG (mdgrowth@nm.org) on their position approval process prior to beginning a search. NMG has a "pre-search" process for HSCs, but it is not the same as the pre-search process that NU uses for regular faculty positions.
This process applies to new HSC appointments, including those designated at HSC/NMH and HSC/LCH.
To propose an HSC appointment, complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page) and attach these documents:
This process applies to new HSC appointments, including those designated at HSC/NMH and HSC/LCH.
Physicians on the medical staff of Northwestern Medicine (NM) regional hospitals (e.g., Northwestern Lake Forest, Northwestern Delnor, Northwestern Central Dupage) may be appointed as HSCs if recommended by their regional NM Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and approved by the FSM Department Chair and Dean. HSC appointment requests initiated by the CMO will be coordinated locally by the Medical Staff Office Coordinator (MSO Coordinator). The MSO Coordinator will work with the candidate and the CMO to assemble the necessary paperwork and then send it to the appropriate Department Administrator for consideration by the Department Chair. If the Chair approves the appointment, the Department Administrator will finalize the packet and send it to the Faculty Affairs Office.
Phase 1: Materials Prepared by MSO Coordinator (in Collaboration with CMO and Candidate) for Submission to FSM Department
Note: You may refer the MSO Coordinator to the For Northwestern Medicine Regional Hospitals page for information on this process that is written specifically for them.
The MSO Coordinator will send the following materials to the appropriate FSM Department Administrator:
Phase 2: Materials Prepared by FSM Department for Submission to FAO
The materials received from the MSO Coordinator should be reviewed by the Department Chair. If the Department Chair approves the appointment, then the Department Administrator should submit the request for HSC appointment via OnBase.
Complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page) and attach these documents:
- Upload the completed Personal Data Form separately to its respective button
- If an existing faculty member is changing to HSC status, the personal data form isn't necessary unless the faculty member needs to update information on it
- Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:
- Health System Clinician Cover Sheet: Initial Appointment (proposed by NM Region CMO)
- This was received from the MSO Specialist in step 1 and should be signed by the FSM Department Chair
- Position Data/Appointment Forms
- FSM department administrator needs to prepare these forms
- Prior correspondence with FAO regarding special circumstances, if applicable
- Candidate's CV
This process is used to appoint a new HSC/Academic titled as Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, or Clinical Professor.
Chief medical officers (CMOs) at Feinberg-affiliated hospitals may recommend physicians at their hospital for appointment to the Feinberg faculty as a Health System Clinician/Academic. Recommendations must be approved by the relevant Feinberg department chair and the Feinberg dean's office before an appointment is granted. Feinberg departments who receive inquiries about HSC/Academic appointments from NM regional hospital administrators may refer them to the page For Northwestern Medicine Regional Hospitals.
The process below assumes that the HSC/Academic request originates with the CMO; if it instead originates with the Feinberg department chair, the chair's office may opt to follow the process in the order outlined below, or the chair's office can take the lead on assembling the documentation and send the cover sheet and CV to the relevant CMO for sign-off. HSC/Academic appointments can only be made with the relevant CMO's endorsement, as well as that of the Feinberg department chair.
Phase 1: CMO Workflow
You may refer the CMO's office to the For Northwestern Medicine Regional Hospitals page for information on this process that is written specifically for them.
- CMO collects the following documents from the candidate:
- CMO completes remaining relevant sections of the HSC/Academic Cover Sheet for New Appointment.
- CMO sends all the documents from steps 1 and 2 above to the relevant Department Chair's Office.
Phase 2: Feinberg Department Workflow
- Because HSC/Academic appointments are rare, the department chair should discuss the case with the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs before an OnBase transaction is prepared to ensure the case aligns with HSC/Academic appointment criteria
- Solicit reference letters based on the referee list collected above. You may solicit reference letters using one of the following methods:
- Option 1: Feinberg Faculty Portal
Follow the steps on the reference letter solicitation page to collect reference letters using the Feinberg Faculty Portal.
- Option 2: Email
You may contact referees by email to request letters. Referees can provide their letter either as an attachment or typed into the text of the email itself. The letters must remain confidential and not be shared with the candidate or any individuals outside those who are involved in evaluating the candidate for appointment.
- Complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page). Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:
- HSC/Academic Cover Sheet for New Appointment, received from CMO
- Position Data/Appointment Forms
- Candidate's CV, received from CMO
- Reference letters, collected above
- Personal Data Form, received from CMO (upload separately to its respective button in OnBase)
Health System Clinicians are eligible for reappointment in 1-year terms. HSC appointment terms always end on August 31 of a given year, with reappointments taking effect on September 1. Faculty whose appointment terms end on August 31 are reappointed together as part of an annual batch process.
View our Annual Reappointment Process page for details.
HSCs who are eligible for privileges at NMH or LCH (as determined by the department chair) are designated as such with a corresponding suffix--HSC/NMH or HSC/LCH, respectively. (HSCs eligible to be on the medical staff of both hospitals are designated HSC/NMH/LCH.) To add or remove eligibility for NMH or LCH privileges for a currently appointed Health System Clinician, please email the Faculty Affairs Office to request the change. No additional paperwork is required.
Other changes in Health System Clinician appointments are unusual, so please contact the Faculty Affairs Office to discuss your case.
Faculty appointed to the HSC/Academic track are eligible for promotion as part of the
annual promotion and tenure process. They are evaluated for promotion using the criteria for the Clinician-Educator career track.
Faculty must obtain approval from their Department Chair and the Dean’s Office before accepting an appointment at an another institution.
Request approval to obtain an outside appointment.