Chair’s Column April 2025: Continuing Faculty Appointment Review
Dear Colleagues,
For faculty who have recently been hired and those who mentor them, questions often arise about Continuing Faculty Appointment Review (CFAR) - how it works and why it is needed. It is a university policy that all initial full-time faculty appointments are probationary until a continuing appointment review has taken place. CFAR must occur after the end of the third year and not later than the end of the fifth year on faculty, unless there are extensions due to parental or other leave. The CFAR committee reviews each candidate’s academic work since the time of initial appointment. There are four possible outcomes: (1) transfer to continuing annual renewal (i.e. the end of the probationary period); (2) extension of the probationary period; (3) revision of the academic position description; or (4) termination of the appointment.
Framed this way, it is not surprising that preparing for CFAR can be stressful. What do we know about CFAR outcomes? A review of applications from 2013 to 2018 by former chair Dr. Gillian Hawker found that 89% of faculty “passed” their initial review and 11% required an extension; on re-review the majority were approved, for an overall success rate of 98%. During this time period, however, the initial success rates were significantly lower for clinician investigators and clinician scientists compared to other position descriptions. Reasons cited included having insufficient time for scholarship, insufficient publications, failure to complete graduate training as agreed to on initial appointment, inadequate demonstration of teaching effectiveness, and, less commonly, unprofessional behaviour. The department subsequently instituted a variety of changes to support the success of early career faculty, including pre-CFAR meetings with the relevant vice chairs, greater attention to annual faculty reviews, and workshops on writing CPA statements.
I’m pleased to share updated metrics on CFAR. While results from 2025 are not yet available, from 2020 to 2024, 184 faculty underwent CFAR, 48% of whom were clinician teachers, 1% clinician educators, 27% clinician investigators, 14% clinician scientists, and 15% clinicians in quality and innovation. Reassuringly, the overall success rate was 99%, with similar rates across all position descriptions.
So what are the messages for early career faculty? First, try not to worry too much about CFAR because the vast majority of candidates will be successful. Second, continue to take advantage of annual reviews with your division directors, physicians-in-chief and mentors, as well as pre-CFAR meetings with your vice chairs, so that any challenges can be identified and addressed early. In the lead-up to CFAR, have at least one of these people review your application in detail. Ensure that your work is aligned with your academic position description or explain why you have changed your focus. Third, remember that the CFAR committee evaluates professionalism, citizenship and engagement, with an expectation of at least 5% of time spent in administrative service to the hospital or university. Finally, keep your CV up-to-date and learn how to describe your area(s) of focus clearly. Not only will this be helpful at CFAR and for subsequent promotions, but it is also a useful strategy for determining which activities to prioritize.
The first CFAR meeting of 2025 occurred earlier this month, and I was impressed by the thoughtfulness and dedication of the committee, led by co-chairs Drs. Shiphra Ginsburg and Michael McDonald. We are in need of a few additional committee members, so please consider joining; it is an excellent opportunity for those who are mentoring early career faculty or who anticipate holding leadership positions that involve faculty mentorship. If you are interested in serving on the committee, please email dom.cfar@utoronto.ca.
Sincerely,
Moira
Dr. Moira Kapral Sir John and Lady Eaton Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
