I arrived in the US ten years ago as an immigrant postdoc with a fresh PhD in hand and lofty aspirations in my heart. There was certainty of unsurpassed opportunity of conducting state-of-the-art research at the most prestigious US institutions but I had little practical knowledge regarding prospects after postdoctoral training.
As it turned out - one could actually breeze through four or five years of postdoctoral training without having any plans for the future, and without any institutional guidance regarding the transition. I had joined a University that had neither a PDA nor a PDO and I remained blissfully clueless about my future for the better part of four years.
Things changed once I moved to the University of Chicago. I became aware of the BSD PDA through their career related seminars and postdoc only Socials. I was happy to find out for the first time that there was a group just for us! I began to get clear and directed information for career development at the seminars. It was the most helpful wakeup call I got during my postdoc years but sooner than I expected, the five-year rule of up or out was upon me, and a decision had to be made.
My PI, who had recently been awarded an R01 based on the work that I had done, offered me the staff scientist position of Research Professional Associate (RPA) but declined to consider me for a Research Associate (Assistant Professor) position. It was the most viable option for me at the time and I gladly took it. But I did feel I got caught unprepared at the time of transition. The RPA position is a highly coveted permanent staff position (as long as the PI is funded) and it offers good benefits, plenty of autonomy. What it lacks is two crucial elements, no promotions over years of service and, no opportunity to apply for grants as PI or even as co-PI, the only sure path to becoming an independent scientist. The RPA position can lose its charm when you turn 45 and everyone around you has either moved up or gone into something else, and you start to feel like a glorified super postdoc, reliably chugging along in the lab of your PI.
So after five years as postdoc and two years as staff scientist, I decided, after many conversations with friends, colleagues, mentors, fellow postdocs and career development counselors, to explore my options.
I took classes. I got diplomas. I consulted for a Biotech company. I attended professional development workshops and visited career fairs. There are many avenues open to PhDs – Faculty in academia, staff scientist in Biotech companies, medical writer, consultant, patents specialists and in management – seemingly numerous choices. What I most wanted to do was be a scientist in an academic setting. I preferred not to move outside Chicago because of family ties.
To remain in academia, one of the best options available to me was to apply for a faculty position in a supportive role, such as the RA (Assistant Professor) position. I had published two significant papers during the previous two years, but my PI had not allowed me the option to apply for grants. This lack of independent funding made me less competitive for a tenure-track faculty position. I believe that if I had been a citizen or even a resident alien during the previous years, some of these barriers would not have existed or even been more smoothly overcome.
All the networking advice I’d gotten from the workshops was put to the test. I contacted my professional colleagues and collaborators and requested them to network on my behalf. Fortunately, one of these very people was actually searching for a candidate with background similar to mine to take over the management of his expanding laboratory in addition to conducting leading research. He confirmed the position of the Research Associate (Assistant Professor) would be a faculty position with some limitations. My role would be to support his research interests as well as develop my own goals and projects, essentially splitting my time to meet individual and the group’s interest. I would apply for grants as PI or co-PI and after 3-5 years would be eligible to be promoted to Associate Professor depending on performance and productivity. As the co-director of the lab, I would have additional responsibilities of managing the lab and all employees. Benefits included college tuition, retirement contribution and time off, in addition to health and dental insurance.
I felt this was an excellent opportunity for me to transition into a position with greater responsibility, career building and research opportunities and a sense of personal fulfillment. After 18 months as an RA (Assistant Professor), I am now preparing to apply for NIH funding based on the work I have been doing.
Showing posts with label 5 year rule. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5 year rule. Show all posts
Monday, January 25, 2010
Thursday, November 19, 2009
5 year rule - Judy Cannon's experience
My experience of the postdoctoral fellow/scholar to research associate/assistant professor transition. Judy Cannon, Research Associate/Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
After 5 years as a postdoctoral fellow, I became a Research Associate/Assistant professor. To stay at the University of Chicago, there are several options available to postdocs after the 5 years of “postdoctoral” status ends. If there is a tenure-track position open, a postdoc could apply, go through the process of being selected for an interview, interview, then receive a job offer and become an assistant professor on the tenure track at the University of Chicago. Very few postdocs I know who stay on go through this process.
Instead, most postdocs take either a non-tenure track faculty position or a research staff position. Research Associate/Assistant professor is the non-tenure track faculty position. To obtain this position, we started the process approximately 4-5 months before my 5 years were up. My mentor had to write a letter to the chair of the department, and it might have gone to the dean as well. The job needed to have a job description and the job description posted nationally (usually Science Jobs or the like). I obtained 3 letters of reference, one from outside the University of Chicago. I was given the impression by my mentor that the appointment is not just up to her, but had to get approved by both the department chair and the dean. The fact that I had publications from my postdoc and funding as a postdoc definitely helped to get the appointment, but I’m not sure if this is a requirement. The funding for the position is dependent on the mentor, so if the mentor cannot guarantee funding, there will be no appointment. Also, the appointment is a yearly reappointment process, much like the postdoc status. It has to be renewed each year. So, again, if your advisor loses funding, you will not be renewed. I thought I was told that there is also a minimum salary associated with the position, I wasn’t sure what it was. This may provide a disincentive for some mentors as they must pay a certain salary. Above this minimum, the salary is negotiated with the mentor.
The advantages of the research associate position is that it is a faculty position. It is non-tenure track, which means no startup funds, no space allotment, no faculty standing within the department. But, a faculty position, even non-tenure track, means that you can apply for independent funding as the PI of any grant, including young investigator grants and even R01 level grants. I know RA/APs who have received R01s. It’s harder to convince outside reviewers for funding, as those reviewing know that the RA/AP position is not truly independent, but again, it is possible. In the staff position, there is no chance to apply for funding. In addition to this, the benefits as an RA/AP are more or less the same as the faculty benefits, including health insurance, retirement, etc. With lab school enrollment preference and tuition benefits, you are considered a faculty member.
It is also possible to move up through the ranks of the RA track. The RA track, like a standard tenure track system, is up or out. It is limited in time, you can only be 6 years as an RA/Assistant Professor. At the 6 year point, you also have to apply for a promotion to RA/Associate professor. The standards for the promotion, as far as I know are similar, but less stringent, than tenure. You have to demonstrate independence, have your own reputation in the field apart from the mentor, have funding and publications. There are several people I know of in the Dept of Medicine who are RA/Associate Professors and even RA/Professors. I’m not sure how common it is, but they are there. Some still work with a tenured faculty member, one is more or less independent.
After 5 years as a postdoctoral fellow, I became a Research Associate/Assistant professor. To stay at the University of Chicago, there are several options available to postdocs after the 5 years of “postdoctoral” status ends. If there is a tenure-track position open, a postdoc could apply, go through the process of being selected for an interview, interview, then receive a job offer and become an assistant professor on the tenure track at the University of Chicago. Very few postdocs I know who stay on go through this process.
Instead, most postdocs take either a non-tenure track faculty position or a research staff position. Research Associate/Assistant professor is the non-tenure track faculty position. To obtain this position, we started the process approximately 4-5 months before my 5 years were up. My mentor had to write a letter to the chair of the department, and it might have gone to the dean as well. The job needed to have a job description and the job description posted nationally (usually Science Jobs or the like). I obtained 3 letters of reference, one from outside the University of Chicago. I was given the impression by my mentor that the appointment is not just up to her, but had to get approved by both the department chair and the dean. The fact that I had publications from my postdoc and funding as a postdoc definitely helped to get the appointment, but I’m not sure if this is a requirement. The funding for the position is dependent on the mentor, so if the mentor cannot guarantee funding, there will be no appointment. Also, the appointment is a yearly reappointment process, much like the postdoc status. It has to be renewed each year. So, again, if your advisor loses funding, you will not be renewed. I thought I was told that there is also a minimum salary associated with the position, I wasn’t sure what it was. This may provide a disincentive for some mentors as they must pay a certain salary. Above this minimum, the salary is negotiated with the mentor.
The advantages of the research associate position is that it is a faculty position. It is non-tenure track, which means no startup funds, no space allotment, no faculty standing within the department. But, a faculty position, even non-tenure track, means that you can apply for independent funding as the PI of any grant, including young investigator grants and even R01 level grants. I know RA/APs who have received R01s. It’s harder to convince outside reviewers for funding, as those reviewing know that the RA/AP position is not truly independent, but again, it is possible. In the staff position, there is no chance to apply for funding. In addition to this, the benefits as an RA/AP are more or less the same as the faculty benefits, including health insurance, retirement, etc. With lab school enrollment preference and tuition benefits, you are considered a faculty member.
It is also possible to move up through the ranks of the RA track. The RA track, like a standard tenure track system, is up or out. It is limited in time, you can only be 6 years as an RA/Assistant Professor. At the 6 year point, you also have to apply for a promotion to RA/Associate professor. The standards for the promotion, as far as I know are similar, but less stringent, than tenure. You have to demonstrate independence, have your own reputation in the field apart from the mentor, have funding and publications. There are several people I know of in the Dept of Medicine who are RA/Associate Professors and even RA/Professors. I’m not sure how common it is, but they are there. Some still work with a tenured faculty member, one is more or less independent.
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