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Change graduate training now!

Department of Anesthesiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA

¹Correspondence: Department of Anesthesiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Suite 434D, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. E-mail: andresen{at}bcm.tmc.edu

DESPITE THAT FACT that postdocs carry out most of the research conducted in U.S. academic institutions, most will find jobs outside of academia. Contrary to prevailing wisdom, those that leave research for another career did not fail. Instead, the system failed them. Academic science, not other careers should be regarded as the alternate career path.

Implicit in postdoctoral training is the expectation that at some point a tenure track position will present itself. The probability of finding a position, however, has fallen as the ranks of graduate students and postdocs have swelled without a corresponding increase in faculty positions. Part of the problem is that NIH has a poor track record of supporting young investigators as evidenced by the average age for a first RO1/R29 which stands at 42 (1) . Current and projected reductions in the NIH budget will only worsen the job situation. Another problem area is the overemphasis of academic science in graduate school that only serves to mislead students by giving them the unrealistic expectation of future employment as tenured faculty.

The situation, however, can be improved. First, graduate schools should slash the numbers of incoming students. Second, science education should be geared more towards "alternate careers" than to academic science. For example, business courses in management and finance could be included in the graduate curriculum to give students the tools they need to survive the modern marketplace. Third, postdocs should be compensated at a level commensurate with their level of education and experience. Given that postdocs essentially function as research faculty, it is simply not acceptable for postdocs to earn far less than the average college graduate let alone the average Ph.D. Finally, everyone should work to reverse the recent downturn in NIH funding. Our most educated professionals deserve better.

REFERENCES

1. Kaiser, J. (2004) National Institutes of Health. Panel weighs starter R01 grants. Science 304,1891

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Andreson, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Andreson, J.