Full time faculty commit 100% of their work to their academic position, which equals a Full Time Equivalent (FTE) of 1.00. While the nature of academia does not easily allow a precise definition of workload in terms of hours, for example a 40-hour work week, the hour equivalent has been chosen for the definition of the Faculty FTE, allocating 1600-hour equivalents for a one year (including annual vacation time), fulltime, ten-month teaching faculty positions (Lecturers, Assistant, Associate and Full Professors). Clinical instructors, Demonstrators and research fellows are under a 20-day vacation annual appointment, and their workload is adjusted accordingly.
It is understood that this time allocation does not define a 40-hour work week by the clock but serves as a rough estimate for the average minimum time needed to fulfil the requirements of the position. Some faculty members may spend more time for the tasks assigned, and others less. The key requirement is a successful, high-quality delivery of the program.
While an hour-based FTE, such as the one currently in use at SGUSOM, does not necessarily mirror the actual time spent for certain activities, it is a useful instrument to compare the workload of different individuals within a similar setting such as within a department, and between the various SOM departments.