E D I T O R I A L F E AT U R E
Not Your Father’s Postdoc
www.sciencemag.org
SCIENCE
VOL 308
Published by AAAS
29 APRIL 2005
717
POSTDOCTORAL OPPORTUNITIES
of biomedical researchers.” Between 1993 and
2000, the number of U.S. life science Ph.D.s
under age 35 holding coveted tenure-track jobs
in major research universities declined by
On 18 March, 100 years and a day after Funding patterns and holding patterns
12.1%, to 543; meanwhile, the number of U.S.
26-year-old Albert Einstein sent off the NIH funding is itself largely responsible for the biomedical Ph.D.s in that age range increased
first of his 1905 papers that were destined slowdown, explains the report. Over the past by 59%, to nearly 20,000, and tens of thousands
to revolutionize physics, National Institutes several decades, NIH has financed a swift rise more scientists with foreign Ph.D.s came to fill
of Health (NIH) Director Elias Zerhouni in the number of life science Ph.D.s and then postdoc positions in U.S. labs.
invoked the name of another Nobelist, supported them—mostly by means of extraThe traditional “linear progression” from
biochemist Marshall Nirenberg, at a meeting mural research grants made to universities—in “graduate school to postdoctoral positions to
held to unveil a new report on the plight of postdoctoral appointments that have become, assistant professorships, then obtaining fundyoung researchers today. Nirenberg won his in the report’s words, “a ‘holding pattern’ for ing and tenure” now works for only a small
Nobel Prize at 41—even younger than thousands of young scientists” who find them- minority of young scientists, the report
Einstein. “In today’s world,” Zerhouni noted, selves unable to move on to traditional faculty explains. Instead of this simple progression,
“Marshall Nirenberg would get
young scientists confront “a comhis Nobel Prize before he got
plex network of current career
his first NIH grant.”
pathways” to a variety of occuToday’s young biomedpations using scientific trainical researchers, notes the
ing, many of them outside
National Research Counacademe. In addition, increascil (NRC) report Bridges
ing numbers of scientists hold
to Independence, don’t win
non–tenure-track university
their first independent faculty
posts, a type of appointment that
appointment until a median
increased 55% between 1990
age of 36, and they don’t
and 2001, a rate approxireach the milestone that
mately seven times faster
marks their real
than that of tenure-track
debut as independent
posts. The great majorinvestigators—their
ity of postdocs seeking
Marshall Nirenberg
Thomas Cech
Albert Einstein
first competitive NIH
stable career employb. 1927
b. 1947
b.1879
research grant—until
ment must therefore
Age
Age
Age
a median age of 42.
take what the academic
21
Received
B.S.
in
19
Entered
Grinnell
College
23
Began work at Patent Office
zoology from University of
23
Started grad school at UC
26
Annus mirabilus
This late start doesn’t
world has long regarded
Florida, Gainesville
Berkeley
32
1st permanent post
just stunt individual
as “alternative” jobs
25
M.Sc. in zoology from
28
Earned Ph.D. from UC
42
Won Nobel Prize
University of Florida
Berkeley
careers, warns the
with unfamiliar profes30
Ph.D. in biochemistry from
Started postdoc at MIT
report. It also threatsional cultures and skill
University of Michigan,
31
1st faculty position
Ann Arbor
(University of Colorado,
ens the vitality of the
requirements that scien32
Postdoc at NIH
Boulder)
Researchers today
nation’s scientif ic
tists generally do not
33
Appointed research
41
Appointed Howard Hughes
win their first
biochemist at NIH
Medical Institute Investigator
enterprise.
encounter in graduate
35
Made section head,
Albert Lasker Award in
competitive NIH
M o r e ove r, f o r
school or a mentor’s lab.
Biomedical Genetics, NIH
Basic Medical Research
grant at a median
38
Won National Medal of
42
1989 Nobel Prize in
most aspiring bioage of 42. These
Science
chemistry
medical scientists,
Building bridges to
three scientists
41
Won Nobel Prize
won Nobel Prizes
there won’t be an
opportunity
at that age.
academic job at
In light of these
t h e end of that long
changes, what can postposts. The postdoc—a de facto docs do to prepare themselves to move beyond
apprenticeship: There
requirement for an academic research the training phase, wherever that move might
are simply f a r m o r e
people in the pipeline than there are career—now averages just under 5 years. For take them? A first step is to jettison the notion
available academic positions. Given that many life science postdocs, especially among of jobs outside academe as “alternative” work,
inescapable arithmetic, experts advise the 80% paid out of NIH grants to principal advises Chow. “The word ‘alternative’ gives a
today’s budding biomedical Einsteins investigators, “ ‘postdoctoral training’ … bad connotation of second class,” she says.
and Nirenbergs to think more broadly has turned into ‘postdoctoral employment’— A far better term, she believes, is “career
about their future scientif ic careers. with the postdoc remaining at the same choices,” specif ically “the many career
“The number-one thing that every postdoc professional position with little advancement choices that science graduates—from the
needs to think about is what they want to of professional training,” the report says.
bachelors to the doctorate—have today
“Simply put,” notes the report in a model of compared to a generation ago.”
do when they grow up,” says Ida Chow,
executive officer of the Society of Devel- understatement, “there are not enough tenureOpportunities include industry—which in
track academic positions for the available pool 2001 employed some 35% of life science
opmental Biology.
Downloaded from www.sciencemag.org on August 4, 2009
CREDITS: (TOP) JIM ARBOGAST/PHOTODISC RED; (CENTER, LEFT TO RIGHT) HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES; KEYSTONE/GETTY IMAGES; AAAS
In today’s scientific labor market, just doing good science is no longer enough.
Postdocs need realistic expectations, good information, and an entrepreneurial
attitude toward their careers
718
29 APRIL 2005
VOL 308
SCIENCE
Published by AAAS
www.sciencemag.org
Downloaded from www.sciencemag.org on August 4, 2009
SOURCE: NIH
Number of successful applicants
POSTDOCTORAL OPPORTUNITIES
Ph.D.s, up from 15% in 1981—as well as priorities, strengths, weaknesses, talents, and proposals is likely to have a secondary weaning
government, science policy, writing, and tolerances. “Is the amount of pay important effect: Given current budget constraints, these
nonuniversity teaching. “Even Wall Street to you?” Stith asks. “Is time with family? Is initiatives would most likely take funding
needs people with science backgrounds to independence, as far as determining the away from some current investigators—and
work as analysts,” Chow says. “There are project you’re working on? How much and paychecks from their postdocs.
many more choices than just university jobs.” what are you going to compromise?”
From a postdoc point of view, perhaps the
Setting a personal course for the future is
Next comes the career-assessment stage, most significant recommendation is one that
particularly important at the postdoc stage, when the postdoc identifies and learns about would limit to a total of 5 years the postdoctoral
when young scientists no longer have the occupations that appear to meet his or her support any individual could receive from all
structure and goals automatically supplied by needs. Information gathered should include the NIH sources combined, whether fellowships or
graduate school, says Andrea Stith, science skills, knowledge, and characteristics needed to employment on PI grants. This would eject the
policy analyst at the Federation of American enter and succeed in the fields of interest and longest-serving postdocs from their current
Societies for Experimental Biology how to go about acquiring them. Sources of jobs and could endanger the immigration status
(FASEB): “There your goal is defined for information can include university career of many noncitizens, who account for more
you, and you have the evaluation of grades.”
centers and postdoc offices, professional asso- than half of the postdocs working in U.S. labs.
At one time, most postdocs’ goals were ciations, libraries, the Internet, and networking Bridges urges PIs to promote scientists remainalso clear—a faculty job—and the guidance with people who have firsthand experience.
ing on after their NIH eligibility ends to staff
and help of the PI
positions with pay,
Number of Successful R01, R23, R29, or R37 Applicants by Age Group
played a major role in
benefits, and clearly
7000
getting there. But as
defined institutional
the range of jobs scistatus commensurate
6000
over 55
entists occupy has
with their experience
expanded, the help
and responsibilities.
5000
their advisers can proBut doing so would be
51 to 55
vide has diminished.
expensive, and the
4000
Faculty members
source of money to
46 to 50
who have spent their
support it is unclear.
3000
careers within acadThe weeding out
eme often lack the
that would occur is
2000
41 to 45
knowledge and conconsistent with the
tacts needed to help
goals of the NRC
1000
36 to 40
their protégés f ind
committee. “This is
35 or less
jobs in other sectors.
not a full employment
0
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
So postdocs considersystem for postdocs,”
Fiscal Year
ing opportunities outsaid National Acadside academic science Delayed independence. Researchers under 40 now account for less than 15% of NIH grant awards. emy of Sciences presneed to assume far
ident Bruce Alberts at
greater responsibility for their own futures.
In the third stage, the postdoc composes the the 18 March briefing. “The system will
Key to taking charge, says Stith, is systematic document. “Write down your goals and parse select out those of real ability [so that] the
planning. An effective approach to doing so, out your long-term and short-term goals,” very best have a chance to see what they can
Stith continues, is to create an Individual Stith says. Explicit timelines add specificity. do.” The changes “might be painful to some
Development Plan (IDP), a document that Finally, in stage four, the individual puts the people,” acknowledged the report commitstates specific goals and outlines specific plan into effect, periodically measuring tee’s chair, Thomas Cech, president of the
means of achieving them.
progress toward those goals and revising the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy
plan as needed. “We expect people’s interests Chase, Maryland—who, incidentally, won
Doing science on yourself
to change,” Stith says.
the Nobel Prize in chemistry just as he turned
Widely used in the business world, the IDP is
42—but they “should have a wonderful effect
unfamiliar to most academic scientists, Weaning or weeding?
on encouraging early consideration of career
although some universities and funders now The entrepreneurial spirit symbolized by opportunities.”
use IDPs to help plan the postdoctoral period. FASEB’s IDP could be particularly handy
Whether or not these recommendations
FASEB has developed a 3-hour instructional for postdocs in the next few years if the are adopted—and the report itself points out
IDP seminar, complete with interactive recommendations in Bridges to Independence that earlier recommendations were not—the
exercises, that it piloted at the Experimental are adopted. The recommendations would career picture for most postdocs remains
Biology 2005 meeting in April in San Diego, create opportunities for some postdocs and complex for the foreseeable future. “Each
California, and plans to present at other insecurity for others, allowing—indeed, year, both new and experienced investigators
venues. “An IDP is appropriate for every forcing—many postdocs to “grow up” to compete in a Darwinian-like system,” the
stage of your life,” says Stith, who served as some form of independence more quickly.
Bridges report states. It should therefore
one of the seminar presenters.
On the opportunities side, one prominent come as no surprise to life scientists that
Like doing an experiment, the four-step proposal would reallocate NIH research funds those who adapt strategically to rapidly
process of creating an IDP involves thinking to hundreds of new awards each year to post- changing circumstances have the best
strategically, gathering data, and evaluating docs doing their own research. Another would chance of prospering in the years ahead.
results. It begins with a self-assessment strengthen support for the growing cadre of
–BERYL LIEFF BENDERLY
during which the individual determines his investigators on soft money in non–tenure- Beryl Lieff Benderly is a contributor to Science’s
or her own values, interests, preferences, track positions. Yet even the downside of these Next Wave (www.nextwave.org).