What's the difference between an associate dean and an assistant dean?

[8mile]

So for medical schools, I know the deans obviously have a big role in the decision making process. So I was wondering what the procedure normally is for selecting applicants? Does the head dean go through each applicant file and gives the nay or yah? Are there committees instead?

Also, what is the difference between an associate dean and an assistant dean? Which one is higher up?

thanks!

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[SDN2013]

in professorship, an assistant professor is not tenured, where as an associate professor has acquired tenure. I'm not sure if the same holds true for the Dean, but I would have to guess that an associate Dean is higher up than an assistant Dean.

 

[8mile]

thanks for the response, anyone else know anything about this topic?

For those who have interviewed, were you able to distinguish which one (associate or assistant) has more clout persay?

 

[supergirl87]

yeah, i'd like to know the diff too seeing as how my interviewer was one of the two. i tried googling it, but no luck...

 

[geenelln]

I think that apps go through the screening process first, given to several people to read (not necessary people on committee, but people trained read apps). That app is given an initial score. If the score is high enough, as in this student is amazing, the student receives an interview. If the score is in the middle ground, the app may get moved to a regional director/committee member to be reviewed and possibly presented to committee. If the score is low, they may get put on hold for re-review or rejected depending on how fast the school rejects people. Since several people are cut at the interview stage, people are most likely given acceptances/rejections at committee since it is a smaller pool to sort through. The dean will read some apps (maybe assigned to a certain region or directors will give him/her "special" apps to read), but most likely not all. And contrary to popular belief, knowing someone on admissions isn't going to help someone that much because due to ethical concerns, they can't read the application of someone they know.

 

[Doodledog]

Also, what is the difference between an associate dean and an assistant dean? Which one is higher up?

Although it could be school specific, in general, deans follow the academic sequence like professors. That is, a newly appointed dean in any particular area (e.g. Dean for Student Affairs) will have the rank of "Assistant Dean" and then will eventually become an "Associate Dean" and finally a "Dean".

From an admissions perspective however, an "Assistant Dean" may be the highest ranking "Dean" in admissions and may be the final decision-maker. Even if there is a higher ranking "Dean", it is likely that anyone at the "Dean" level has authority to make admissions decisions or at least strong recommendations. In other words, don't worry about the issue of "associate" vs "assistant" dean - this is an internal issue in the med school related to time in the job, not a practical matter for applicants to consider.

 

[PremedIowa]

I agree with Tildy on this one. It is really dependent on the school. In academia, the standard progression is assistant<associate<full professor. However, at one school the head of admissions may be called Dean of Admissions whereas at another the same person may be the Associate Dean of Admissions and so on.

I would not worry about it as much. Anyone in the school with the title of dean will have some say over applications and it is best to be respectful and gracious to everyone in the admissions office. If you really want to know, look at the school's website or admissions materials and see who the highest ranking person on that scale is.