Postdoctoral Training – Postdoctoral Training – Research Careers Research Careers

DevelopmentDevelopment

Gail P. TaylorGail P. Taylor

Spring 2006Spring 2006

08/2006

► Beyond the Beakers: SMART Advice for Entering Graduate Programs in the Sciences and Engineering. Gayle R. Slaughter, Ph.D. Baylor College of Medicine/National Science Foundation. 2005

► Survival Skills and Ethics Program:Survival Skills and Ethics Program: Beth Fischer Michael Zigmond www.pitt.edu/~survival

► The Leadership Alliance –The Leadership Alliance – Graduate School Guidehttp://www.theleadershipalliance.org/pdf/grad_guide.pdf

Tips on Preparing for and Applying to Graduate Schoolhttp://www.theleadershipalliance.org/pdf/tips.pdf

► Careers in Science and Engineering: A Student Planning Guide to Grad School and Beyond (1996). Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (COSEPUP) http://books.nap.edu/books/0309053935/html/11.html

Acknowledgements:Acknowledgements:

Additional Class ExpectationsAdditional Class Expectations

►We are adult professionalsWe are adult professionals►Please arrive on timePlease arrive on time►Please turn off cell phones (minimal, Please turn off cell phones (minimal,

vibrate)vibrate)

Standard Ph.D. Training PathStandard Ph.D. Training Path

UndergradStudies

M.S. Degree

Post BaccResearch

DoctoralStudies

Academic Postdoc

Industry Postdoc

Government Postdoc

ContinueEducation

Other Career

Academics

Government

Industry

Other

The Postdoc YearsThe Postdoc Years

What is a Postdoc?What is a Postdoc?

► Following earning Ph.D. degreeFollowing earning Ph.D. degree► Full time period of Apprenticeship or trainingFull time period of Apprenticeship or training

ScientificScientific ProfessionalProfessional Technical skillsTechnical skills

►Much greater autonomyMuch greater autonomy► Arranged directly with facultyArranged directly with faculty

►http://recruit.sciencemag.org/feature/advice/foc_22803.shl

Purpose of Post-docPurpose of Post-doc

►Must deepen you as a scientistMust deepen you as a scientist►Must broaden your backgroundMust broaden your background

? New field? Might be risky, if all new…? New field? Might be risky, if all new… Make sure you’re –master- of something!Make sure you’re –master- of something!

►Time for pure benchworkTime for pure benchwork►Build your own reputationBuild your own reputation►Supervise/teach studentsSupervise/teach students►Experiences will carry on to faculty Experiences will carry on to faculty

positionposition

Positions Post-docs holdPositions Post-docs hold

►Postdoctoral FellowPostdoctoral Fellow►Research AssociatesResearch Associates►Clinical FellowsClinical Fellows►Misc. Fellows.Misc. Fellows.

►Warning! Benefits, stipends, Warning! Benefits, stipends, responsibilities may vary!responsibilities may vary!

Must Continue to Educate Must Continue to Educate Yourself!Yourself!

►LecturesLectures►DiscussionDiscussion► Independent readingIndependent reading►Attending conferencesAttending conferences►Mentored experiencesMentored experiences

Reviewing papersReviewing papers Writing papersWriting papers Writing grantsWriting grants

Peculiarities of PostdocsPeculiarities of Postdocs

► Independently in lab, not in a programIndependently in lab, not in a program► Few standards of pay, treatmentFew standards of pay, treatment► Little oversight from institution or communityLittle oversight from institution or community► Conditions vary greatly!Conditions vary greatly!

Self-fundedSelf-funded Mentor-fundedMentor-funded VacationVacation MedicalMedical Family medicalFamily medical Rights within organizationRights within organization

► National Organization!National Organization! http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/

Value of support groupValue of support group

typetype► lab & dept lab & dept

colleaguescolleagues► outside individualsoutside individuals

other departmentsother departments other institutionsother institutions other professionsother professions

activitiesactivities► discussion of discussion of

researchresearch publishedpublished each otherseach others

► general intellectualgeneral intellectual► socialsocial

The Postdoc YearsThe Postdoc Years

► Biosciences/Physical SciencesBiosciences/Physical Sciences 1-2 postdocs1-2 postdocs 2-3 years each2-3 years each Gain expertiseGain expertise Can be “Holding pattern” for academic positionsCan be “Holding pattern” for academic positions Pursue next position ~1 year prior to end!Pursue next position ~1 year prior to end!

► EngineeringEngineering Postdoc optionalPostdoc optional

► Prospects?Prospects?► http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/for_postdocs/postdo

c_trends/

Decide how Many Postdocs…Decide how Many Postdocs…and how long!and how long!

►Many people do twoMany people do two►Second (final) sets you up for Second (final) sets you up for

professional jobprofessional job►Duration: 2 to 3 years, usuallyDuration: 2 to 3 years, usually► If 2, are almost immediately looking If 2, are almost immediately looking

for nextfor next

Developing a planDeveloping a plan

►make a list of what you must make a list of what you must accomplishaccomplish

►add other things you would add other things you would likelike to to accomplishaccomplish

►determine how long you should staydetermine how long you should stay►make up a realistic time tablemake up a realistic time table►consult regularly, revise as necessaryconsult regularly, revise as necessary

►discuss well in advancediscuss well in advance What projects will you takeWhat projects will you take What to do with dataWhat to do with data Who will write up unfinished manuscriptsWho will write up unfinished manuscripts

►Ask for advice (even if you don’t need it)Ask for advice (even if you don’t need it)► Imagine advisor’s perspective (multi-Imagine advisor’s perspective (multi-

hats)hats)►Remember: maintaining positive Remember: maintaining positive

relationship very helpfulrelationship very helpful

Separating from your advisorSeparating from your advisor

How much does a Postdoc How much does a Postdoc Make?Make?

► Generally set by how much NIH will allow on NRSA Generally set by how much NIH will allow on NRSA grantsgrants

► 1995 – 20K1995 – 20K► Now:Now:

Starting: $ 35,5681Starting: $ 35,5681 1 year- $ 37,47621 year- $ 37,4762 2 years- $ 41,79632 years- $ 41,7963 3 years- $ 43,42843 years- $ 43,4284 4 years- $ 45,04854 years- $ 45,0485 5 years- $ 46,99265 years- $ 46,9926 6 years- $ 48,85276 years- $ 48,8527 more $ 51,036more $ 51,036

► http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-032.html

Where are Positions Where are Positions Advertised?Advertised?

► Commonly Word of MouthCommonly Word of Mouth

► Individual Web Sites:Individual Web Sites: http://www.postdocs.org/ http://www.findapostdoc.com/firstmain.asp

► Journals: Journals: Chronicle of Higher EducationChronicle of Higher Education

►http://chronicle.com/ Science MagazineScience Magazine

►http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/ NatureNature

►http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/index.html

Postdoc BreakdownPostdoc Breakdown~52,000 total 72% in academics

Where are the Postdocs?Where are the Postdocs?

Charting your CourseCharting your Course

►Fast Track: charting the course of Fast Track: charting the course of your postdocyour postdoc http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/jourhttp://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v431/n7012/full/nj7012-1126a_fs.htmlnal/v431/n7012/full/nj7012-1126a_fs.html

► Individual Development Plan - FASEB has helped to come up Individual Development Plan - FASEB has helped to come up with individual development plans for Post-docswith individual development plans for Post-docs

► http://www.faseb.org/opa/ppp/educ/idp.htmlhttp://www.faseb.org/opa/ppp/educ/idp.html

► Annual review for Post-doc:Annual review for Post-doc:► http://www.faseb.org/opa/ppp/educ/idp_annrev.htmlhttp://www.faseb.org/opa/ppp/educ/idp_annrev.html

Additional Types of Postdoc Additional Types of Postdoc ExperiencesExperiences

►Teaching PostdocsTeaching Postdocs►http://recruit.sciencemag.org/feature/http://recruit.sciencemag.org/feature/

advice/nw0102.shl ...advice/nw0102.shl ...

Postdoc ResourcesPostdoc Resources

►Science Nextwave Postdoc NetworkScience Nextwave Postdoc Network California Comes Through: California Comes Through:

http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2005/01/06/9http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2005/01/06/9

NSF Workshop on the Postdoc Experience NSF Workshop on the Postdoc Experience Calls for "Culture Change"Calls for "Culture Change"http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2004/12/02/7http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2004/12/02/7

Charting the course of your Postdoc: Charting the course of your Postdoc: http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v431/n7012/full/nj7012-http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v431/n7012/full/nj7012-1126a_fs.html1126a_fs.html