Welcome from the Associate and Assistant Deans

Welcome 

On behalf of Dean Gladwin and the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development (OFAPD), we welcome you to the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). What an exiting time to join a new institution! We genuinely hope that you are settling into your new role without difficulties.

The Dean’s Office and the OFAPD are committed to serving you throughout your UMSOM career. We serve as the central location for faculty seeking various professional development opportunities - within our school, on campus, and nationwide. We aspire to be an integral part of fostering professional development to help our faculty become the scientists, physicians, researchers, teachers, or innovators they hope to be.

Working in a highly demanding field can increase stress in our daily lives. The OFAPD not only supports your professional development but also exists to support you through any setbacks that may arise. Faculty and their spouses have access to free counseling services via the Employee Assistance Program. Please also feel free to reach out to us directly with any concerns at any time. We love to hear from you!

At the UMSOM, we are committed to creating a safe, respectful, diverse, and inclusive work environment. We expect all new faculty to join our efforts by holding yourselves and others to the highest standards of professionalism. To that end, please familiarize yourself with the values and expectations set forth in the Principles of Professionalism and Social Justice Compact. Lack of adherence to these standards will adversely affect both your reputation and that of the School of Medicine.

UMSOM sponsors CME (Continuing Medical Education) and other Faculty Development programs. In addition, the office Director, Robertha Simpson, and the Executive Director, Chanise Reese-Queen, are available to help you gain new expertise through a variety of CME courses. OFAPD can also help you develop new CME courses to share your knowledge with fellow UMSOM faculty.

We also assist faculty in preparing for promotion, specifically in preparing Teaching and Clinical Portfolios. Even though promotion may sound far off, we strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with the process now. Useful advice for preparing and maintaining these portfolios is attached. We have also attached an information sheet with links to valuable resources within the School of Medicine.

Again, we kindly welcome you to the UMSOM faculty. Please let us know if we can help you in any way.

Sincerely,