Changes to Honorary Appointments to the Melbourne Medical School

Following a comprehensive revision, changes have been implemented to the processes of appointment and review of honorary staff at Melbourne Medical School.

The MMS Executive Committee approved in the last quarter of 2016, a comprehensive revision of the processes for the appointment and review of honorary staff. These new processes have been designed to acknowledge the critical role of honorary staff and the mutual benefit of this partnership between the MMS and honorary staff. We wish in this new process to more formally recognise the benefits the MMS derives from the knowledge, skills and influence of our honorary staff and at the same time acknowledge the benefit that our honorary staff gain from the opportunities, resources and reputation of the MMS and University of Melbourne.

The essential principles that underpin our honorary appointments remain unchanged but have been strengthened by these new processes for the benefit of all stakeholders. The new website presence also provides clarity, improved documentation, and a repository of information for existing honorary appointments and those wishing to apply for an appointment.

The Melbourne Medical School will continue to make honorary appointments in recognition of significant, sustained contributions to our work in the areas of learning and teaching; research and research training; engagement; and professional practice and leadership. Our honorary staff will be expected to enact the MMS values of commitment, integrity, compassion, respect and service; to perform at the highest standard; and to acknowledge their affiliation with the University of Melbourne in relevant publications and presentations.

Both existing honorary staff members and those applying for initial honorary appointments have been asked to identify a home Department for their affiliation (General Practice, Medical Education, Medicine and Radiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Rural Health, or Surgery). Another change to the system, is that all honorary appointments will have a specific period of tenure, with a review process for all appointments being phased in over coming years, as tenures fall due, beginning with Level E appointments.

Key changes made to the Honorary Appointment process are:

  • Expressions of Interest (EOI) from potential applicants for new appointments or from existing  Honorary staff seeking appointment to a different academic level will be considered three times each year.

The EOI dates are: 1 March; 1 July; 1 November;

  • Improved documentation to streamline the process and assist you in making your applications to the Melbourne Medical School;
  • The Head of Department has the authority to approve Honorary Appointments for Levels A through to C (under delegated authority from Head of School);
  • All Honorary Appointments will have limited tenure of a maximum of five years (from date of appointment);

For more information about the Honorary Appointments process, please click here.