The Pathway to Independence Awards: Early Returns
These days, biomedical scientists are taking longer to score their first major research grants than they used to. According to a widely disseminated statistic from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ph.D. biomedical researchers are, on average, 38 years old when they get a permanent faculty post and 42 when they get their first major research grant. That's why, 2 years ago, NIH introduced the Pathway to Independence award. Modeled after a successful program run by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, which has since refocused its awards on physician-scientists, the Pathway program provides up to 2 years of funding for postdoctoral trainees--the K99 portion--followed by 3 years of R00 funding for continuing research once the awardee lands a faculty position. NIH aims to award between 150 and 200 Pathway grants each year. Click to view
Tooling Up: Enhance Your Job Search Online
There is no getting around the fact that networking is the single most important activity for any job seeker. Done right, networking means the difference between a job search lasting 10 to15 months (or more) and one that produces job offers in half that time. Someone you'd love to meet--who could prove very important to your job hunt--could be one or two degrees away from you, connected to people you already know. Click to view
Mind Matters: Get Moving
Like many high achievers, science trainees (and their mentors) walk a tightrope, deftly balancing too much work, too few resources, and too few hours in the day. This sets the stage for chronic stress, which may cause a number of health problems, including muscle aches, digestive problems, and heart disease. Excessive stress on the job also has psychological costs; in the long term, it may lead to anxiety and depression, and on a day-to-day basis, it negatively affects thinking, emotions, and judgment, impairing an individual's ability to work at his or her personal best. If your supervisor expects everyone to be on deck all day, make the case that a brief respite to recharge your batteries will benefit both you and the laboratory. Click to view
Additional articles relevant to postdoctoral issues:
H. Sun - Nature: "Excessive Trust in Authorities and It's Influence on Experimental Design"
Science Magazine: "Young Scientists Need a Firm Plan to Make Up for a Late Start"
