Areas of Distinction

UMass Chan Medical School faculty members are expected to demonstrate excellence in one or more Areas of Distinction that provide a unifying theme for their academic activities, achievements and scholarship.

A candidate for appointment or promotion selects their Area or Areas of Distinction in consultation with their department chair before initiating the procedure for appointment or promotion.

• Download a Guide to Selecting Areas of Distinction

The four Areas of Distinction are:

Health Care Delivery. The delivery of high quality health care in a hospital, ambulatory or community setting, which includes the development of diagnostic approaches, therapeutic methods and clinical services; innovations in clinical practice; and the development of programs or approaches that improve the safety, quality or efficacy of healthcare delivery.

Education. The facilitation of learning and the acquisition of knowledge, skills and behaviors in learners such as students, trainees, faculty, staff, patients and/or external groups and communities, through educational activities as defined here.

Investigation. The systematic generation of new knowledge in laboratory, clinical, community and other settings. Investigation includes basic, translational and clinical research, epidemiology, outcomes and health services research, and biostatistics, as well as research in social sciences, education, ethics, bioinformatics, public health, health policy and health economics. Investigation includes research conducted by individuals who bring a unique or critical expertise to research within teams (“team science”) or within multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary collaborations.

Population Health and Public Policy. The development, analysis, implementation and evaluation of health policy, population health relevant tools, and health interventions for local, national and/or international communities and populations.