Mission statement
The Office of Faculty Development’s logo reflects the four components of the Boston Children’s Hospital’s mission and the juggling of clinical, teaching, research, and work/life balance.
The Office of Faculty Development (OFD) is dedicated to facilitating the career advancement and satisfaction of Boston Children's Hospital faculty, fostering careers particularly of early-stage faculty, and increasing leadership opportunities for women and faculty underrepresented in medicine (UiM).
New leadership announcement
Following Dr. Jean Emans’ retirement, the Boston Children's Hospital Office of Faculty Development welcomes new leadership with Hans Oettgen, MD, PhD, Academic Dean for BCH and OFD Director; and Nicole Ullrich, MD, PhD, MMSci, OFD Associate Director and Director of the new Office for Women’s Careers
Kevin B. Churchwell, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer and Peter Laussen, MBBS, FANZCA, FCICM, Executive Vice President, Health Affairs, welcomed the two leaders in an announcement on February 16, 2023 to the Boston Children's Hospital community:
“For nearly 30 years, Dr. Oettgen has demonstrated his deep commitment to the development and success of faculty at all career stages. In the Division of Immunology, he has overseen and provided one-to-one mentorship, guidance and evaluation to numerous trainees and faculty, many of whom have gone on to successful careers and leadership roles. He also serves as HMS Faculty Dean for Academic Programs at Boston Children’s, and Chair of the Senior Appointments Committee — both roles that position him well to lead the OFD’s work around faculty career development, medical education, mentoring and developmental networks.”
“Her commitment to the development of rising faculty has been undeniable since her own training when, as a junior resident, she conducted a survey of pediatric residents to identify barriers to research, which resulted in a program to provide stipends and protected time to conduct clinical and laboratory research during residency training. As Professor of Neurology at HMS, Dr. Ullrich has demonstrated a tireless dedication to teaching and mentoring medical students, residents, clinical fellows and research fellows as well as her own peers.For more than two decades, she has served in leadership roles on HMS’s Joint Committee on the Status of Women, representing a voice for change through advocacy, action, education, networking and visibility.”
OFD Resources
The Office of Faculty Development’s Mentoring Guidebooks, Guidelines for Junior Faculty, and Guidelines for Mentors have been updated for 2023-24 and are now available with other materials on our Community of Mentors webpage and below.
- Successful Mentoring for Early Career Faculty: 2023-24
- Strategies for Mentors: 2023-24
- Developmental networks
The Office of Faculty Development is on Twitter! Look for announcements, links, updates, reminders, and reflections at https://twitter.com/BCHFacultyDev.
Office of Faculty Development recognition
The OFD is recognized nationally and internationally for contributions to faculty development, career resources, promotion, work life balance, and funded research fellowships.
Funded in 2001 by Boston Children’s Hospital, the OFD summarized the critical components of a hospital-based office in the February 2008 Pediatrics article (first author, S. Jean Emans, MD): Creating a Faculty Development Office in an Academic Pediatric Hospital: Challenges and Successes.
The Office of Faculty Development received the 2017 Program Award for a Culture of Excellence in Mentoring (PACEM) from the HMS Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership.
The PACEM was established to recognize efforts to foster innovation and sustainability in mentoring. The OFD was recognized for its Developmental Networks initiative, based on the work of Kathy Kram, PhD (Boston University Questrom School of Business). For more information on Developmental Networks, visit the Community of Mentors page.
Dr. Emans has been recognized by HMS with two awards: the 2009 William Silen Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award and the 2020 Diversity Lifetime Achievement Award.
Orientation for new faculty
Please note that we now have a Dropbox with orientation resources that you can download and print. Items include mentoring booklets (both for mentors and for junior faculty), an overview of Faculty Development Resources booklet, and other informational items.
Resources from the HMS Office for Faculty Affairs
Read the new guidance from the HMS Office of Faculty Affairs related to cancellations due to COVID-19.
Fall 2023 events - our schedule is in development; please check for updates
To register for any event, please email ofd@childrens.harvard.edu.
Making History: The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science by Kate Zernike
Tuesday, September 12, 4-6 PM
Zoom or Folkman Auditorium
Moderated by Eman Ansari, Division of Emergency Medicine, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School.
Panelists: Nancy Hopkins, Amgen Professor Emerita of Biology (MIT); Kate Zernike, Author and National Correspondent for New York Times; Marcia McNutt, President, National Academy of Sciences; Robert Birgeneau, Chancellor Emeritus, UC Berkeley; and Nancy Andrews, BCH Executive VP and Chief Scientific Officer.
Registration required, see follow-up email/website announcement for details.
Faculty Peer Support Hybrid Kick-off Meeting
Friday, September 22, 12-1 PM
Zoom or 6th floor Adolescent Medicine Conference Room, 333 Longwood Avenue
Attend this introductory session to learn about the OFD sponsored faculty peer support groups and to chat with new and current participants. The peer support groups offer a comfortable environment to discuss challenges and solutions in areas of career, family, and personal development.
To register, email ofd@childrens.harvard.edu.
Women in Medicine and Science Month Grand Rounds
Wednesday, September 27, 12-1 PM
Speaker: Tina Young Poussaint, MD, FACR, Chief, Department of Radiology; Lionel W. Young Chair in Radiology at BCH; Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School
Co-sponsored with the Office of Health Equity and Inclusion.
No registration required.
Apple-Picking Expedition at Westward Orchards
Sunday, October 1, 1–4 PM
178 Mass Ave., Harvard, Massachusetts
Directions
Host: Alicia Casey, MD
Come spend a few hours apple-picking with colleagues and families in the Orchards and enjoy toddler/kid-antics, fresh air, and a countryside setting. We will meet by the playground at 1:00 PM - look for the pop-up tent.
To register, please email ofd@childrens.harvard.edu with approximate number of adults and kids. There is no admission fee; each family is responsible for their own apple purchases.
The DISC Personality Profile: Depersonalizing behaviors and minimizing unnecessary conflicts
Friday, October 13, 12-1:30 PM
Zoom
Speaker: Lisa Neale, MA, Harvard Ombuds
When working with others, we can become frustrated when they don’t do things the “right” way. This interactive and insightful training assesses your basic behavioral strengths as well as those of your team members. When you know how to approach someone of a different style, you will minimize the potential for unnecessary conflict.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
Join via Zoom link
Password: 133940
Digital Imaging Essentials
Thursday, October 19, 12-1 PM
Speaker: Beth Beighlie, HMS Research Computing, Senior Client Services Representative
Learn the basics of digital image preparation. Understand how to prepare images in one application for use in other applications. Learn the proper resolution and file format for images to be inserted in presentations, publications, and grant submissions.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development and the Office of Fellowship Training.
Giving and Receiving Feedback
Friday, October 27, 12-1 PM
Speaker: Judy Zola, MBA, Director, Learning and Development, HR
We will spend time talking about the challenges with receiving feedback, and how we can better prepare ourselves to receive feedback openly. We will also walk through some different models of giving feedback, and identify how having a framework can help with getting your ideas across, and having the person hear you in your feedback.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development and the Office of Fellowship Training.
Communication in a Multi-Cultural Environment
Tuesday, October 31, 12-1 PM
Speakers: Jenn Mahony, JD, Ombuds Office Director; and Lu-Ann Pozzi, PhD, Office of Fellowship Training Administrative Director.
In a multicultural organization, communication sets the foundation for supporting a learning culture. Cultural nuances exist within every nation, ethnicity, and organization, presenting multicultural teams with significant challenges. This interactive workshop will discuss different definitions of culture and communication styles. Jenn and Lu-Ann will also provide participants with tools to promote a diverse and inclusive culture consistent with BCH's core values.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development and the Office of Fellowship Training.
Cultivating Connections: A Harvard Networking Event in Support of Women
In-person: HMS Armenise Amphitheater
Thursday, November 2, 4-6 PM
Speakers: Kate Zernike, MA, author, The Exceptions; Diane Darling, author, coach, networking expert; and Carole Simpson, civil rights activist, TV journalist.
Learn more about the program, speakers and registration information.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development and the Office of Fellowship Training.
Consortium of Harvard Affiliated Offices for Faculty Development and Diversity (CHADD) Annual Mentoring Course
Friday, November 3, 1-4 PM
Zoom
Mentoring: Beyond the Dyad
Keynote speaker: Joanne Kamens, PhD, Founder, Boston Chapter of the Association of Women in Science, Effective Mentoring Across the Career Continuum: The Value Add of Group and Peer Mentoring.
Learn more about the program, speakers and registration information.
The Office of Faculty Development Invites You to a Special Celebration
Tuesday, November 7, 11-12 PM
Folkman Auditorium and via Zoom
To honor the recipients of the 2023 Boston Children’s Hospital fellowships, research, health professions education, and program awards.
Co-sponsored by Kevin Churchwell, MD, President and CEO; Nancy Andrews, MD, PhD, EVP and Chief Scientific Officer; Hans Oettgen, MD, PhD, Director, Office of Faculty Development; Nicole Ullrich, MD, PhD, Associate Director, Office of Faculty Development and Director of the BCH Office for Women’s Careers; Carla Kim, PhD, Basic Science Career Development Director, Office of Faculty Development; and Alan Leichtner, MD, MSHPEd, Chief Education Officer.
Getting Your Basic Research Funded Workshop
Tuesday, November 28, 12-1 PM
Zoom
Speaker: Joseph Italiano, PhD, James and Thea Stoneman Associate Professor of Surgery in the Field of Vascular Biology.
This workshop is designed to present strategies, tips, and practical guidance for fellows and junior faculty to obtain funding for basic science research.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development and the Office of Fellowship Training.
How to Write a Specific Aims Page
Tuesday, December 5, 12 – 1 PM
In-person, Karp 10 Conference Room, lunch provided
Speaker: Peter Nigrovic, MD, Chief, Division of Immunology, Professor of Pediatrics, HMS
The specific aims page is the single most important page in any grant, conveying not just the urgency and rigor of the proposed science but also the suitability of the investigator and the availability of key resources. Here we will discuss how to right a compelling aims page and how to use this document as a tool to optimize the grant as a whole, including for review by others.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
Creating your NIH Biosketch
Thursday, December 7, 12 – 1 PM
Zoom
Speaker: Theresa Applegate, MPA, Senior Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
The NIH Biosketch is an important tool for all grant applications and many other academic activities for researchers. In this workshop, instructions and advice for creating a Biosketch that complies with NIH’s requirements will be reviewed.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
Zoom: https://bostonchildrens.zoom.us/j/94903984327?pwd=SjdhVi80bkZnU0djYjBVeXJrNW1PUT09&from=addon
Password: 616380
Getting Your K Award Funded
Tuesday, December 12, 12-1 PM
Zoom presentation
Speaker: Maria Kontaridis, PhD, Executive Director of Research, Masonic Medical Research Institute and Associate Professor Medicine, HMS.
This workshop is designed to help junior faculty and fellows better navigate the K award application process with an emphasis on the Career Development Plan and the Mentor’s Statement.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development and the Office of Fellowship Training.
Faculty Peer Support Group Meeting
Friday, December 15, 12 – 1 PM
Hybrid: Zoom or 3rd floor ORL Conference Room, 333 Longwood
Hosts: Marisa Brett-Fleegler, MD; Sara Forman, MD; Maxine Milstein, MBA.
The BCH faculty peer support group meetings offer a safe, comfortable environment to discuss challenges and solutions in areas of career, family and personal development. Participants are a mix of various specialties, different career stages, and differing career focus. This meeting will provide an opportunity to share how we are all doing and to brainstorm how BCH can support faculty.
To register, email ofd@childrens.harvard.edu.
Zoom meeting information: https://bostonchildrens.zoom.us/j/91797327516?pwd=dzFWWU51ajRhZHh4Z1ZRMVEvVi9OZz09
Password: 955417
Boston Children’s Hospital joins New England HERC (Higher Education Recruitment Consortium)
HERC provides a free job-seeking database for faculty, staff, and medical positions from a consortium of New England educational and medical institutions. It is a family-friendly tool as dual-career couples may enter their profiles to find matching positions, conduct searches on relocation resources, and explore schools for children. For further information, visit HERC’s website.