Faculty Evaluation Policies

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Policy and procedures for evaluation of clinical teaching faculty

Preamble

The highest and best interests of each of the participants in the training of residents is advanced through the professional growth and development of the clinical teaching faculty members. The Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University, the residents within its programs, and the individual teaching faculty members shall be beneficiaries of teaching excellence.

Periodic evaluation of each clinical faculty member is accepted and expected to be regarded as a prime instrument of faculty development. Through evaluation and feedback greater individual insight will be attained toward regularly advancing the better professional growth of each clinical teaching faculty member. Evaluation and feedback is expected to reflect the four broad domains of influence which the clinical teaching faculty have with residents: the domains of supervision; teaching; evaluation; and professional behaviour (outlined in Clinical Teacher’s Role).

This policy is to provide a protocol for:

Obtaining information in reliable and consistent format;
Evaluation of and presentation of the information to clinical teaching faculty members;
Providing advice and remedial assistance
Where necessary, establishing sanctions

Obtaining information

Residents to complete clinical faculty teaching evaluation report

At the end of each rotation each resident shall complete a faculty evaluation report in respect of each member of the clinical teaching faculty with responsibility for the resident. Such forms shall be completed by

Residents in the training program; and
Residents rotating from other training programs where the residents have reasonable opportunity to evaluate the clinical teaching faculty member.

The faculty evaluation report shall be in substantial accordance with the generic Faculty Evaluation form, which may be adapted by Program Directors to the particular circumstances.

All faculty evaluation reports shall be delivered to the responsible Program Director who shall retain the forms. At the request of either a resident or a group of residents or at the request of the Program Director a meeting shall be held between a resident and/or residents and a Program Director to review any faculty evaluation.
A group of residents may request the approval of their Program Director to complete a faculty evaluation report as a group where a group has clinical exposure to a clinical teaching faculty member, supported by a written explanation for the request. Where the residents’ Program Director is satisfied that the circumstances are sufficiently exceptional to permit an evaluation report by a group of residents a group evaluation may be approved. The Program Director shall notify the clinical teaching faculty member and the residents. Each of the residents shall be obliged to sign the report expressing any individual comments. Attached to the group report shall be individual faculty evaluation reports by each resident in accordance with the faculty form evaluation sample attached.
Within the Program Director’s department and/or division of responsibility each Program Director is responsible for an annual evaluation of each clinical teaching faculty member who interacts with residents in training.
The annual evaluation shall include a written Program Director’s evaluation report. The format of the Program Director’s annual evaluation report shall be in substantial accordance with the generic Faculty Evaluation form which may be adapted by the Program Director to meet particular circumstances.
An interim evaluation report may be completed by a Program Director where
1. In the opinion of the Program Director an interim report is requisite and necessary; e.g., if there are problems; or
2. Upon a written request of the Departmental Chair, the Dean, or an Associate Dean to the Program Director, supported by an explanation for the request.
The Program Director to Investigate and Evaluate
In preparing each Program Director’s evaluation report the Program Director shall be entitled to consider:

The individual faculty evaluation reports completed by the residents during the period under review
Any individual faculty evaluation reports completed by residents in prior periods which the Program Director considers useful and relevant.
Any prior annual evaluation report completed by a Program Director regarding the clinical faculty teacher.
Reliable information which has been received by the Program Director from time to time.
Information received from or provided by the clinical faculty teacher.

The Program Director’s annual report shall include all information considered and the sources of such information.
A copy of the Program Director’s annual report shall be provided to the clinical teaching faculty member and to the Departmental Chair forthwith upon its completion. This report should be discussed at regular performance reviews by the Departmental Chair or designate.
The evaluation, feedback and any subsequent discussion is intended and expected to provide to the clinical faculty teacher greater insight in one or more of the broad instructional domains: supervision, teaching; evaluation; and professional behaviour. The interests of the University Faculty, of the residents, and of the clinical faculty teachers are acknowledged to be fostered through the enhancement of professional growth of each clinical faculty member.
After the Program Director has met with the clinical teaching faculty member (or has provided the clinical teaching faculty member with a reasonable opportunity to meet) to review the Program Director’s evaluation report, then the Program Director shall make a final evaluation in writing
The final evaluation shall be one of
- (i) Satisfactory – in all four domains;
- (ii) Satisfactory with areas of weakness of one or more of the four domains. In which case the Program Director shall effect one of the following resolutions:
  - A. Settle upon a remedial course with the faculty member
  - B. In conjunction with the faculty member obtain advice from the available resources including one or more of
    - The postgraduate Evaluation Review Board or a member thereof;
    - Departmental Chair;
    - Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Education;
    - Members of the program;
    - Residents
  - C. Refer the matter to the Evaluation Review Board (ERB).
  - D. Where the Program Director’s final evaluation of the clinical faculty teacher is satisfactory with areas of weakness in one or more of the four domains, and where either
    - (a) the clinical teaching faculty member is in substantial disagreement with the conclusions of the Program Director; or
    - (b) after consultation the clinical teaching faculty member is unable to agree with the remedial program directed by the Program Director.
    Then the clinical teaching faculty member may appeal in writing the Program Director’s evaluation to the Evaluation Review Board. The clinical teaching faculty member shall notify and provide a copy of the written notice of appeal to the Program Director. The ERB shall follow the same procedure as in the case of an unsatisfactory (see below).
- (iii) Unsatisfactory – where in the opinion of the Program Director substantial areas of weakness in one or more of the four domains are present. In such cases the Program Director shall
  - A. Meet with the clinical teacher, Departmental Chair and other appropriate individuals;
  - B. Refer the matter to the Evaluation Review Board
  - C. Provide Program Director’s evaluation report and notice of the referral to the ERB to
    - The faculty member;
    - The Departmental Chair;
    - Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Education.
Where the clinical teacher is a Program Director all evaluations must be forwarded to the chair of the department. Any unsatisfactory evaluation of a Program Director must be sent to the Assistant Dean of Postgraduate Education who will then follow standard policy discussed in 12(iii).

Emergency Situation
Where the Program Director receives information which causes the Program Director to be concerned that an interaction by a clinical teaching faculty member with a resident resulted in either a serious breach within one or more of the four domains; supervision; teaching; evaluation; professional behaviour, then the Program Director may request the Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Education to suspend the clinical teaching faculty member from clinical teaching. The Program Director and Chair will consult with the Departmental Chair. In making such request the Program Director shall provide to the Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Education a written evaluation report adapted to the particular and extraordinary circumstances.
The Program Director and the Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Education will notify and consult with the Departmental Chair with respect to the circumstances and the information available.
The Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Education may in writing notify the clinical teaching faculty member that the member is forthwith suspended from supervision and teaching of residents, pending an inquiry and determination by the Evaluation Review Board.

The Evaluation Review Board
The Evaluation Review Board shall
- Review the Program Director’s evaluation report;
- Review any written comments from the Departmental Chair and/or from the Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Education;
- Review the past performance of the faculty member;
- Direct one or more members of the ERB to investigate the matter and report in writing to the ERB with copies to
  - faculty member;
  - Program Director
  - Departmental Chair
  - Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Education
Upon receipt of an appeal by a clinical teaching faculty member, or upon receipt of notice from a Program Director or Departmental Chair, the chair of the Evaluation Review Board shall convene the Evaluation Review Board .
At the outset of the proceedings the chair of the Evaluation Review Board shall invite brief submissions, written and/or oral, from the Program Director, from the Departmental Chair (if present) and from the clinical teaching faculty member as to the scope and nature of the issues and the dispute, for the purpose of determining the nature and scope of the inquiry and of the sanctions sought by the Program Director or the Departmental Chair.
The parties shall make reasonable efforts to agree as to the nature and scope of the inquiry required and the sanctions sought. Following the preliminary submissions the ERB shall make a determination and notify the parties as to whether the ERB will conduct an informal inquiry followed by a ruling or a formal inquiry followed by a ruling.
In making its determination
1. (a) the ERB may investigate and give directions as to the scope and nature of a remedial program, including a determination as to whether any such remedial program is appropriate in the circumstances;
2. (b) the ERB may investigate and hear witnesses and then decide
  - (i) the clinical teaching faculty member may continue in the member’s normal teaching capacity;
  - (ii) the clinical teaching faculty member may continue in a modified supervisory and teaching role with residents as determined by the Program Director and approved by the ERB;
  - (iii) the clinical teaching faculty member may be suspended from supervising or teaching residents. Such suspension may be absolute or may be on terms as determined by the ERB.
3. (c) Where the determination of the ERB arises from an emergency situation the ERB may, in addition to the foregoing rules, direct that the clinical teaching faculty member may continue in the members normal teaching capacity without having the episode recorded in the member’s file.
Upon reaching its decision the ERB by its chair shall make recommendations, rulings and determinations in writing and shall provide a copy to
- The clinical teaching faculty member,
- The Program Director, Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Education.