The Faculty Promotions Committee at the School of Medicine advises candidates against using journal-based metrics in their promotion or tenure dossiers, as these metrics do not accurately capture the significance of specific research contributions. Instead, the emphasis is on writing a narrative statement that clearly conveys the significance of the work. While metrics like the H index or total citation counts can be used to help evaluate the impact, they cannot serve as a replacement for a clear description of the work’s value. In addition, the committee recognizes value from all outputs and outcomes generated by research.
From the FAQs:
My career focuses on scientific research. How should I document my research accomplishments in my promotion or tenure dossier?
The Faculty Promotions Committee discourages the use of journal-based metrics (i.e., journal impact factors), since it is the quality and importance of the research contribution itself that is the key. Research importance can also be measured by its impact on policy, practice or the scientific discipline. Other outputs from scientific research, such as intellectual property, databases, software or others, may also be highlighted.