Career Fair, Feb 9, 2006
James J. Tomasek, Ph.DDean, Graduate College
Presidential Professor of Cell Biology
Pathway to an Independent Academic Research Career
In an Era of Scientific Opportunity, Are There Opportunities for Biomedical Scientists?
Howard H. Garrison, Susan A. Gerbi and Paul W. KincadeFASEB Journal, 17:2169, 2003
Careers in Immunology: The New RealityHoward H. Garrison and Paul W. Kincade
Nature Immunology, 2:5, 2001
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Dr. Paul W. Kincade, Ph.D. Member and Program Head,
Immunobiology and Cancer Research ProgramOklahoma Medical Research Foundation
B.S. Postdoc.M.S. P.I.
M.D.
Ph.D.
Teacher
Industry
Staff ScientistP.M.S.
Administrator
Training Pipelines
Government
Source: Bridges to Independence, 2005
Some Career Paths
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001
Continued Low Unemployment for Ph.D.sIn Biomedical Sciences
(US citizens/perm. residents only)
Source: Survey of Earned Doctorates
Un
emp
loym
ent
Rat
e (%
)
25,000
34,800
10,100
Academic50%
Gov.14% Industry
36%
Employed Biomedical Scientists(with doctorates)
Source: NSF, SESTAT 1999
Rising Percentage of U.S. Biomedical Science Ph.D.s Employed in Industry
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Pe
rce
nt
Academe
Industry
Government
Other Sectors
Source: National Science Foundation, Survey of Doctorate Recipients
Americans Support Medical Research
U.S. should be world leader in medical and health research. 60%
Medical and health research is important to the economy. 90%
Believe government pays for most of the medical research. 59%
In favor of doubling national spending on science and engineering. 64%
Basic science research is necessary. 80%
Congress should encourage industry to conduct more medical research. 73%
Source: Research America Poll, 2004
Congressional Appropriations to NIHM
illi
on
s o
f C
on
stan
t 20
02 D
oll
ars
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Average Annual Growth: 7.2% for last 20 years 7.3% for last 10 years 10.8% for last 5 years
27.528.028.529.029.530.030.531.031.532.0
1970
1973
1976
1979
1982
1985
1988
1991
1994
1997
Age of Ph.D. Recipients
Note: The average age of postdocs is now 35
Med
ian
Ag
e
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
Time to Biomedical Ph.D.(graduate school)
Non-US
Citizen or Perm. Resident
Source: Survey of Earned Doctorates
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
Biomedical Science Ph.D.s Awarded to Non-US Citizens and Non-Permanent
Residents
Total
Non-US
Source: Survey of Earned Doctorates
What about a postdoc?
•The appointee was recently awarded a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate (e.g.,Sc.D., M.D.) in an appropriate field; and
•the appointment is temporary; and
•the appointment involves substantially full-time research or scholarship; and
•the appointment is viewed as preparatory for a full-time academic and/or research career; and
•the appointment is not part of a clinical training program, unless research training under the supervision of a senior mentor is a primary purpose of the appointment; and
•the appointee works under the supervision of a senior scholar or a department in a university or similar research institution (e.g., national laboratory, NIH, etc.); and
•the appointee has the freedom, and is expected, to publish the results of his or her research or scholarship during the period of the appointment.
FASEB Postdoc Definition
Some Important Features of theTraining Environment
Stipends & benefits.
Reasonable training period.
Independent fellowship support.
Respect from mentors and faculty.
Freedom to innovate and grow.
Chance at an “academic” position.
STABILITY.
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
1977
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
Numbers of US Postdocs in Biological ScienceHave Been Stable for Some Time
Citizens & Perm. Residents
Temporary Residents
SOURCE: NSF WebCASPAR
Sources of Support for Postdocs
Source: Bridges to Independence, 2005
Individual NRSA Application Individual NRSA Application TrendsTrends
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
F32s
F31s
2419
2153*
1558
442
1131*
Fiscal YearFiscal Year
729
1949
972
*As of March 1, 2004*As of March 1, 2004
21461984
19101691
508 503 551698
Nu
mb
er o
f A
pp
licat
ion
s R
evie
wed
Nu
mb
er o
f A
pp
licat
ion
s R
evie
wed
F31s are predoctoral & F32s are postdoctoral.
NRSA Minimum Stipend Levels for Postdoctoral Research Fellows
(0 Years if Experience)
1998 $ 21,0001999 $ 26,2562000 $ 26,9162001 $ 28,2602002 $ 31,0922003 $ 34,2002004 $ 35,5682005 $ 35,5682006 $ 35,996
How To Find and Select a Post-Doc
• Start early in your doctoral program thinking about a post-doc
• Present research at scientific meetings• Network!!• Do not be afraid to ask if interested in having a
post-doc• Large versus small lab• Go to posters at meetings of post-docs/graduate
students• Publications of lab
Individual Development Plan for Postdoctoral Fellows
Individual Development Plans (IDPs) provide a planning process that identifies both professional development needs and career objectives. Furthermore, IDPs serve as a communication tool between individuals and their mentors. While IDPs have been incorporated into performance review processes in many organizations, they have been used much less frequently in the mentoring of postdoctoral fellows. An IDP can be considered one component of a broader mentoring program that needs to be instituted by all types of research institutions.
Source: FASEB.org web site.
NIH Pathway to Independence Award
• An award program that provides 2 years of mentored research support (post-doc)
• An additional 3 years of transition support from the mentored phase to the independent phase as part of "an ongoing NIH effort to support new scientists as they transition to research independence"
• NIH plans to issue between 150-200 awards for this program in its initial year
Finding a Tenure-track Academic Research Position
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999
Full & Associate Professors
Assist. Professors & Instructors
Other Full TimePostdocs
Ph.D. Academic Appointments
Science & Engineering Indicators - 2002
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Nu
mb
er
Tenured
Other Academic Positions
Academic Postdoc
Tenure-Track
Source: National Science Foundation, Survey of Doctorate Recipients
No Growth in Tenured or Tenure-track PositionsHeld by U.S. Biomedical Science Ph.D.s
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999
Age Distribution of Full Time Academic Faculty
< 35
35-44
45-54
55-64 + 65
Science & Engineering Indicators - 2002
Cu
mu
lati
ve %
Biomedical Science Ph.D.s in Tenured or Tenure-Track Faculty Positions
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1981 1985 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001
Pe
rce
nta
ge
5-6 Year Cohort - US Citizens/Perm Res. SOURCE: Survey of Doctorate Recipients
A function of: competition from foreign trainees? no growth in tenured faculty? changing employment practices?
What are the prospects of funding for new investigators?
Young Investigators Have the Best Success Rates
Source: Bridges to Independence, 2005
Norka Ruiz Bravo, Ph.D., Deputy Director for Extramural Research, NIH
At the Helm. A Laboratory NavigatorK. Barker. Cold Spring Harbor Press, 2002.
Academic Scientists at Work. Navigating the Biomedical Research Career.
J.M. Boss and S.H. Eckert, Plenum Publishers, 2003.
Making the Right Moves. A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New
Facultyhttp://www.hhmi.org
Resources for trainees and new investigators