Fast‑Facts Dashboard
| Metric (U.S.) |
2024 snapshot* |
| Employment (2023) |
O*NET OnLine |
| Projected 2033 employment |
O*NET OnLine |
| Median annual pay (2024) |
O*NET OnLine |
| Mean annual pay (May 2023) |
Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Annual openings (growth + replacements) |
≈ 18,000 (BLS extrapolation) |
| Top‑paying state (2023) |
MDES |
| Typical credential |
Terminal clinical doctorate (MD, PharmD, DPT, DNP) or PhD in biomedical science plus teaching certificate |
*BLS OEWS May 2023 & O*NET Employment Trends (updated July 2025).
A Day in the Life: Sim Lab, Lecture Hall & Lab Bench
| Time |
Reality |
Why It Matters |
| 6 a.m. |
Review overnight ICU‑sim manikin log; debrief scenarios to adjust sepsis‑alert thresholds. |
Simulation fidelity boosts clinical judgment. |
| 8 a.m. |
Teach “Advanced Pathophysiology” to 110 graduate nurse‑anesthesia students; live‑stream to remote cohort via HyFlex cameras. |
Demand for hybrid healthcare programs exploded post‑COVID. |
| 10 a.m. |
Office hours: PA student needs crystal‑exam interpretation; PhD candidate discusses CRISPR bioethics IRB edits. |
Balanced mentorship across professional & research tracks. |
| 11 a.m. |
Faculty meeting, debate adding AI‑radiology curriculum; approve cluster‑hire ad in genomic data science. |
Curriculum agility keeps accreditation and recruitment strong. |
| 12 p.m. |
Power‑lunch while drafting NIH T32 training‑grant renewal; Slack RA re: missing cytokine ELISA plate. |
Grants fund stipends, equipment, and your own summer salary. |
| 1 p.m. |
Simulation center: supervise inter‑professional code‑blue exercise with med, nursing, and pharmacy students; capture chest‑compression metrics. |
Team‑based learning mirrors real hospitals and hits accreditation KPIs. |
| 3 p.m. |
Record a TikTok micro‑lecture on interpreting ABG results; auto‑caption for accessibility. |
Public‑scholarship and digital recruitment go hand‑in‑hand. |
| 4 p.m. |
Lab block: analyze qPCR data on antibiotic‑resistance genes; push results to shared GitHub repo. |
Translational research bolsters tenure case. |
| 6 p.m. |
Grade SOAP notes via Gradescope AI rubric; leave voice feedback. |
Rapid, personalized critique ups clinical‑reasoning scores. |
| 8 p.m. |
Webinar for rural preceptors on new DEA buprenorphine guidelines. |
Extension work fulfills land‑grant and service expectations. |
Tool‑Kit & Tech Stack (2025)
| Category |
Must‑Have Tools |
| Sim & VR/AR |
Laerdal SimMan 3G+, CAE Vimedix, HoloLens surgical‑anatomy overlays |
| Learning Platforms |
HyFlex lecture capture, Canvas LMS, ExamSoft secure testing, Aquifer clinical cases |
| Assessment |
NBME customized exams, CAT adaptive quizzing, Gradescope AI clinical‑note grading |
| Research & Data |
R tidyverse, Python SciPy & Biopython, REDCap, CRISPResso analysis, Prism GraphPad |
| Compliance |
IRB e‑protocols, HIPAA‑compliant cloud storage, ACGME & ACEN accreditation dashboards |
| Outreach & PD |
TikTok med‑ed explainers, podcast hosting (Spotify), NIH eRA Commons, NIH Data‑Sharing Plan templates |
Emerging: AI co‑pilots auto‑generating patient cases, digital‑twin organ models for pharmacology dosing, and blockchain credential badges for micro‑skills.
Core Competencies & Personality DNA
- Clinical Expertise + Pedagogy – translate evidence‑based guidelines into active‑learning modules.
- Tech Fluency – tweak VR intubation scenarios and troubleshoot LMS quizzes.
- Grant‑Writing Resilience – convert 12 % NIH success rates into R‑series wins.
- Accreditation Savvy – align every SLO with ACEN, LCME or ARC‑PA standards.
- Inter‑professional Collaboration – run team‑based drills with pharmacy, PT, and social‑work students.
- Public Communication – distill P‑values & policy updates into 60‑second reels.
If your MAPP Assessment highlights Investigative (research), Social (mentorship), and Enterprising (leadership) drives, health‑specialties academia may be your ideal practice environment.
Working Environment & Lifestyle
| Factor |
Snapshot |
| Schedule |
Lectures, labs, sim‑center shifts; clinics for MD/DNP faculty; 50‑60 hrs/week near grant deadlines. |
| Contract |
Nine‑month base; summer salary from grants or clinical shifts. |
| Clinical Credentialing |
Hospital privileges for MD/DNP/PA faculty can add income but consume calendar slots. |
| Union Presence |
Growing in public systems, especially for non‑clinical PhD faculty. |
| Burnout Risk |
Balancing patient care, research, and teaching requires boundary setting and departmental support. |
Education & Credential Pathway
| Stage |
Typical Timeline |
Milestones |
| Clinical or Biomedical Doctorate (MD, PharmD, DPT, DNP, PhD) |
4–8 yrs |
Board licensure (if clinical), dissertation defense (PhD). |
| Residency/Fellowship (clinical) |
1–5 yrs |
Sub‑specialty board cert, clinical teaching rotations. |
| Postdoc (PhD) |
1–3 yrs |
Publications, grant applications, teaching certificate. |
| Assistant Professor (Tenure/Clinical Track) |
6‑yr clock |
Secure R/K‑award or HRSA grant; positive teaching evals; clinical productivity (if applicable). |
| Tenure & Promotion |
Year 6–7 |
National reputation, sustained funding, curriculum leadership. |
| Full Professor / Program Director |
Year 12+ |
Run departments, chairs, or simulation centers. |
Certifications such as CHSE (Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator) or ACLS Instructor add teaching credibility.
Career Ladder & Earnings
| Position |
Base 9‑mo Salary* |
Common Extras |
| Clinical Instructor |
$70k – $100k |
Practice shifts, CME talks |
| Assistant Professor |
$95k – $160k (public) • $120k – $200k (med schools) |
Summer salary, clinical RVUs |
| Associate Professor |
$150k – $220k |
Center leadership, NIH R‑series grants |
| Full Professor / Division Chief |
$220k – $300k + stipend |
Budget & faculty supervision |
| Endowed Chair / Dean |
$300k – $500k + discretionary fund |
Strategic planning, national policy influence |
*Clinical practice, consulting for pharma/Med‑Ed companies, and textbook royalties can add $25k – $300k annually.
Wage Percentiles (OEWS May 2023)**
| 10 % |
25 % |
50 % (median) |
75 % |
90 % |
| $65,960 |
$87,760 |
$105,620 |
$147,680 |
$239,200+ |
Trends Driving Demand
- Healthcare Workforce Shortages – AAMC predicts 124k physician shortfall by 2034; schools add faculty to expand cohorts.
- Simulation & XR Boom – Accreditation bodies mandate high‑fidelity hours; sim‑experienced faculty hot tickets.
- Inter‑professional Education – HRSA funding ties to team‑based learning metrics; faculty comfortable across disciplines preferred.
- AI & Precision Medicine – Departments carve cluster hires for genomic data science & AI diagnostics.
- Rural & Telehealth Expansion – Grants incentivize faculty leading rural rotations and tele‑sim pedagogy.
- DEI & Cultural Humility – LCME & CCNE standards add requirements; faculty with community‑engaged research stand out.
- Retirement Wave – 30 % of current health‑professions faculty hit 65+ by 2032, opening tenure and clinical tracks.
Pros & Cons
| Why Professors Stay |
What Challenges Them |
| Influence future clinicians & patient outcomes. |
Balancing clinical load, grant deadlines, and course prep. |
| Access to cutting‑edge tech—VR ORs, CRISPR labs. |
Funding competition; simulation gear pricey. |
| Sabbaticals in WHO fellowships or NIH intramural labs. |
Evening/weekend grading & on‑call shifts. |
| Patent & start‑up potential in med‑tech. |
Salary gap with private practice (for MD/DNP faculty). |
Ready to Mentor Tomorrow’s Clinicians? Find out Free.
- Take the MAPP Career Assessment (100% free).
- See your top career matches, including five free custom matches showing whether health‑specialties teaching aligns with your strengths.
- Get a personalized compatibility score and roadmap toward academic medicine, simulation leadership, or translational‑research roles.
Start the FREE MAPP Career Assessment today, because the next breakthrough in patient care could begin in your classroom.
