Every faculty member should be knowledgeable about the appointment, promotion, and tenure (APT) criteria and processes at their institution. These insights will help guide your short- and long-term goals and plans for your career advancement. APT practices can vary significantly among academic health centers/academic medical centers (AHCs/AMCs). Most medical schools now have multiple pathways (tracks) to which faculty may be appointed with different requirements based on expectations of productivity in research, education, service, and clinical work as applicable. Generally, only a few of the faculty tracks provide the potential for tenure. You should fully understand the various tracks used at your institution and the expectations for faculty in each of them to ensure that you are appointed in the track which best reflects your skills, abilities, and career aspirations.