Probation is the period of the appointment of a new member of staff during which the probationer will demonstrate that s/he has the capability to undertake the duties of the role to which s/he has been appointed. The Head of Department/Unit/ Institution will provide guidance and support to enable the individual to become an effective member of the University. All probation meetings should be recorded and documented.
If there are any concerns about aspects of the performance with the probationer, the Clinical School HR Team should be made aware immediately.
Probation periods
| Position | Established or Unestablished | Probation Period |
| Clinical Lecturer | Established | 12 months |
| Clinical Research Associate/Clinical Research Fellow if employment is more than 3m but less than 1 year | Unestablished | 3 months |
| Clinical Research Associate/Clinical Research Fellow if employment is 1 year or more | Unestablished | 6 months |
| Assistant Professor (Previously University Lecturer) | Established | 5 years |
| Associate Professor (Previously University Senior Lecturer) | Established | 5 years |
Probation process
The full probation process can be viewed here.
Clinical Lecturers
Clinical Lecturers are an established office and are appointed to the office by the Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee for a maximum of four years (or until CCT is obtained.)
Established Assistant Professors and Associate Professors
Established Assistant Professors and Associate Professors are appointed to the office by the Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee to retirement age, subject to the satisfactory completion of a 5 year probationary period.
Probation guidance for all Established Academic Staff
Full guidance can be reviewed in the document below.
Mentors
The Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee appoint the new member of staff a mentor and this is documented in the Selection Committee Minutes. The probation reviewer will normally be the Head of Department or Line Manager.
Role of probationary reviewer
- Responsibility for conducting probation meetings, and setting goals and objectives with the Head of Department / Unit / Institute (if Head is not the reviewer).
- Provide support and training where required.
Role of Mentor
- The mentor (who is outside of the directly line management) is to assist in the development of the new starters professional expertise and as well as providing a valuable source of advice and information.
- Discussions are confidential.
Probation timeline for Clinical Lecturers
| Month 1 Onwards | The Head of Department (and probation reviewer) will hold a 1:1 meeting to discuss, duties of the post, mutual expectations and developmental needs, referring to the ARCP process. Any other relevant requirements should be discussed and recorded. |
| The probationer and mentor should have their first meeting and schedule regular meetings. | |
| The probation reviewer and probationer should have their first meeting and schedule regular meetings. | |
| Month 6 | A probation review will be held at the end of the first 6 months to ensure induction and all mandatory training has been completed. A record will be kept of the meeting and signed by the probationr reviewer and probationer. |
| Month 10 | The Recruitment Adviser, School of Clinical Medicine, will write to the Head of Department, requesting that the final probation assessment for Clinical Lecturers is completed and returned with the interim probation assessments for consideration by the Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee. |
| Approval by the Director of Postgraduate Education and Clinical Academic Training | The interim and final probation assessments will be circulated the Director of Postgraduate Education and Clinical Academic Training for approval. |
| Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee | Following approval by the Director of Postgraduate Education and Clinical Academic Training, the interim and final probation assessments will be circulated to the Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee for consideration. If the probation is confirmed, the Recruitment Adviser will formally write to the probationer. |
Probation timeline for Assistant Professors and Associate Professors
| Month 1 | The Head of Department (and probation reviewer) will hold a 1:1 meeting to discuss duties of the post, mutual expectations and developmental needs. Any other relevant requirements should be discussed and recorded. |
| The probation reviewer and probationer should have their first meeting and schedule regular meetings. | |
| The probationer and mentor should have their first meeting and schedule regular meetings. | |
| Month 6 | A probation review will be held at the end of the first 6 months to ensure induction and all mandatory training has been completed. A record will be kept of the meeting and signed by the probationer and probation reviewer. |
| Month 6 onwards | During the probation period, the probation reviewer can seek feedback from senior colleagues on teaching, research, and general contribution. Feedback from students may also be sought. For clinical academics feedback will be sought from the individual’s NHS Clinical Director |
| Year 3 | A formal review and assessment will take place in the third year of the probation period. (The Recruitment Adviser will write to HoD at year 3). A minimum of three references are sought, at least one to be external (usually the individual’s NHS Clinical Director). The probationer will nominate two referees. The Head of Department may seek additional references if these are required. |
| All probation documents and references should be reviewed and the final probation form should be completed by the probation reviewer in conjunction with the Head of Department. | |
| If the probationer is performing to the expected standard, the Head of Department will make a positive recommendation to confirm appointment to the Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee. All performance records and supporting documentation are made available to the Committee. If the probationer recommends that further assessments are needed, these can take place in years 4 or 5. The probation reviewer will need to draw the probationer’s attention to areas for improvement and set clear standards for what is required for the probation to be confirmed. At this stage, the Clinical School HR team should be informed of the probation issues raised. Reviews should take place every 6 months and a record kept. | |
| See Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee notes | |
| Years 4 & 5 | The final assessment and recommendation to the Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee can take place in years 4 or 5. The Head of Department shall have discretion as to when the final review should take place. All probation documents and references should be reviewed and the final probation form should be completed by the probation reviewer in conjunction with the Head of Department. New references should be sought if required. |
| Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee | The Recruitment Adviser will receive from the Head of Department, the interim probation assessments and the final probation assessment with the probationer’s current CV and publication list and references. The Head of Department (or nominated deputy) will be invited to a Faculty of Clinical Medicine Selection Committee to present the case for probation. If there are concerns regarding probation, please contact the HR Adviser to discuss next steps. There is a separate process to request an extension or to not confirm probation. |
Probation assessment forms
Criteria for Academic probation
The criteria for the assessment of Academic Probation can be found below:
Should you have any questions about the probation process, contact cshrclinical@admin.cam.ac.uk.
Should you have any questions or concerns regarding individual probation, contact the HR Adviser for your department in the Clinical School HR Team.
