Being a faculty member is about more than teaching, practicing medicine and conducting research — it’s also about connecting with your peers, building community and engaging in life at VCU School of Medicine. We encourage you to take advantage of the myriad opportunities across the medical school, the health system and the university at large to participate in committees, groups and events that will expand your network and horizons both professionally and personally.
Committees
Faculty members can get involved with the School of Medicine community by lending their time and expertise to committees that serve our school.
The Admissions Committee's charge is to review, interview and recruit the most talented students for the medical school class each year utilizing a holistic review process.
The School of Medicine utilizes the Multiple-Mini-Interview (MMI) process for interviewing medical school applicants. Instead of a single 60 minute interview yielding one perspective, applicants will meet one-on-one with multiple interviewers for just eight minutes each, focusing on a single issue, ethical dilemma or development in medicine. Multiple perspectives are necessary to properly judge a candidate's potential to become a great physician.
VCU School of Medicine Office of Admissions is seeking to enroll and graduate a class representing the many dimensions of diversity. We need you to get involved by selecting the most capable students to contribute to VCU SOM learning environment and the medical profession as a future physician. As a volunteer, you will work with the medical school's admissions office to identify the most promising applicants.
All committee members are required to attend training.
Procedures for Nomination
The chair of the admissions committee and the associate dean of admissions nominate candidates who have the personal and professional qualifications to represent the school. Faculty are welcome to self-identify to the associate dean if they have a high level of interest in participating in the committee. Retired and practicing alumni are also considered.
Procedures for Appointment
The dean approves nominations from the chair and senior associate dean of admissions and an appointment letter is then sent from the admissions office.
Membership and Term
Membership is at the discretion of the dean and the terms are not limited. Most faculty request replacement after several years because of the time commitment necessary for service on this committee. Currently, most members are senior faculty because of the time intensive nature of the committee.
View the Admissions Committee and Student Selection Policy.
Committee Assignments
Selection committee member: Selection committee members are nominated by the chair and senior associate dean for admissions. Members are required to attend meetings on Mondays from 12-3 p.m., late August through mid-March. Training is required.
File reviewer: File reviewers are selected by the chair and senior associate dean for admissions. File reviewers are expected to complete a minimum of four files per week using the File Review Guidelines. Training is required.
Interviewer: Interviewers are selected by the chair and senior associate dean for admissions. Multiple Mini Interview(s) will be held on Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday. Training is required.
Contact Information
Virginia Commonwealth University School Medicine Admissions Office Box 980565
McGlothlin Medical Education Center
1st Floor, Suite 200 Richmond, VA 23298
Phone: 804-828-9629
(No direct contact is allowed with committee members.)
Purpose
The purpose of the executive committee is to guide and advise the dean in all matters related to the function of the School of Medicine and to participate in the formulation of policy.
Assignments
Each member is to attend monthly meetings and to advise the dean in matters relating to the functioning of the medical school. Some specific assignments may be made by the dean.
Procedures for Nomination
The dean appoints a nominating committee which develops a slate of potential candidates by canvassing the faculty. The nominating committee is responsible for the two at-large members. Other membership is by virtue of appointment or position. See membership.
Procedures for Appointment
Appointment is by virtue of position within the School of Medicine. See membership.
Membership and Term
- The dean of the School of Medicine
- Chairs of the departments of the School of Medicine
- Administrators of the departments of the School of Medicine
- Secretary of the faculty (one-year term), elected by faculty
- The CEO of MCV Hospitals
- Two elected representatives to University Graduate Council
- Two at-large members, one representing the clinical departments and one representing the basic health sciences departments (two-year terms)
Senior associate, associate and assistant deans are requested by the dean to attend but serve as non-voting members.
Contact
Karen Lovelien Olinger
Executive Assistant to the Dean
Phone: (804) 828-5100
Email: karen.olinger@vcuhealth.org
Founded in 2023, the Faculty Advisory Council (FAC) is an elected committee representing the interests of basic science and clinical faculty. The charge of the FAC is to guide and advise the dean in matters related to the function of the School of Medicine (SOM) and to participate in the formulation of operational policies.
The FAC bridges the gap between SOM leadership and SOM faculty through bidirectional communication, faculty engagement in school-wide policy decisions and raised recognition of SOM faculty successes.
The mission will be accomplished through the following goals and strategies:
- Narrow the gap between leadership and faculty
- Disseminate information from FAC meetings to the faculty
- Encourage greater faculty engagement in SOM culture and leadership
- Enable feedback between faculty and Dean’s Office, SOM Executive Committee and Faculty Senate
- Create a forum for bidirectional communication
- Increase transparency and alignment
- Gather faculty input to be shared with the Dean’s Office
- Steward process for requesting action, review and sharing feedback on matters related to SOM function
- Create a culture of success and collaboration
- Identify accomplishments and successes
- Develop a process for sharing achievements and celebrations
- Identify increased opportunities for collaboration
Procedures for Nomination
Members of the FAC are nominated by their departments and elected during the usual School of Medicine committee election cycle.
Membership and Term
Members of the FAC serve a three-year term.
For most members, participation includes attending the six to 10 scheduled meetings per year, reviewing materials shared before the meetings and providing bidirectional communication between the council and the members’ department faculty.
Contact
Rebecca Etz, Ph.D.
Email: rebecca.etz@vcuhealth.org
Ramana Feeser, M.D.
Email: venkata.feeser@vcuhealth.org
Inaugural members:
Rebecca Etz, Ph.D.
Family Medicine and Population Health (Co-chair)
Ramana Feeser, M.D.
Emergency Medicine (Co-chair)
Jonathan Boyd, Ph.D.
Orthopaedic Surgery
Laura Carucci, M.D.
Radiology
M Imad Damaj, Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Mohammad Dany, M.D.
Dermatology
Nikki Miller Ferguson, M.D.
Pediatrics
Andrea Ferreira-Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Pathology
Babette Fuss, Ph.D.
Anatomy and Neurobiology
Rajan Gogna, Ph.D.
Human and Molecular Genetics
Myla Goldman, M.D.
Neurology
Javier González-Maeso, Ph.D.
Physiology and Biophysics
Rachelle Hayes, Ph.D.
Psychiatry
Christine Isaacs, M.D.
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Joseph Khoury, M.D.
Pediatrics (SOM Faculty Secretary)
Christin Kim, M.D.
Anesthesia
Paul Koch, M.D.
Neurosurgery
Tomasz Kordula, Ph.D.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Richard Kunz, M.D.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Patricia Lange, M.D.
Surgery
Christopher Leffler, M.D.
Ophthalmology
Daniel Miller, Ph.D.
Microbiology and Immunology
Rajanya Petersson, M.D.
Otolaryngology
Georgia Thomas, M.D., Ph.D.
Internal Medicine
Alfredo Urdaneta, M.D.
Radiation Oncology
Purpose
The promotion and tenure committee’s charge is to review all tenure and promotion recommendations for the School of Medicine, including all of the data submitted by each peer review committee, and make an independent recommendation to the dean regarding tenure and promotion for each faculty member it reviews.
Goals
To ensure the process of promotion and tenure of the faculty is fair and equitable and adheres to the policy and procedures of the university.
Assignments
Each committee member is required to attend scheduled meetings of the committee during the review process (usually November and December) and on an ad hoc basis throughout the year. Committee members are assigned files to review all candidates under consideration for promotion and tenure. Members present or discuss the file at committee meetings and participate in the vote on qualifications for promotion. The chairperson of the committee records the votes and sends a letter on each candidate to the dean with the committee’s assessment and recommendation.
Procedures for Nomination
The members of the committee are elected by the faculty from a slate of candidates prepared by a nominating committee appointed by the dean. Eligible candidates must be tenured and may not hold an administrative title at the level of departmental chair or higher. Elected committee members are ineligible to serve on any other promotion and tenure committee.
Membership and Term
Members of the committee serve staggered three-year terms. Those who have served three consecutive years are ineligible to serve again for one year. The chairperson is appointed from the committee by the dean.
Contacts
Heather Brickley
Executive Assistant
Phone: (804) 828-9794
Email: heather.brickley@vcuhealth.org
In addition to the School of Medicine specific committees listed above, the university also convenes a number of standing committees on which faculty members can serve.
- VCU Faculty Senate
- Academic Affairs committees (including University Graduate Council, Academic Regulations Committee, and Academic Program Review Committee)
- University Council
- VCU Honor Council
Career Communities
VCU offers a broad range of career communities for university faculty members, which foster collaboration and engagement across schools and departments. Whether you’re looking for a mentor, networking opportunities or a social outlet, faculty-led career communities strive to meet the development and engagement needs of their members.
Current career communities focus on areas including health sciences, leadership, research and career development.
Faculty Wellness
A career in academic medicine is both challenging and rewarding, and we don’t want you to just survive — we want you to flourish. Faculty wellness is at the heart of everything we do in the Office of Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development, and a broad spectrum of health and well-being resources are available to the entire VCU community.