Core competencies
Paul Smaglik
Monday, 05 May 2008 20:43 UTC
The US National Postdoc Association last week ruffled some feathers by discussing “core competencies”—essential skills that fellows should learn before they leave their postdoc positions. The controversy didn’t arise so much out of the idea of endorsing these skill sets, but of making them mandatory—thus paperwork and regulation.
The good news is most of these skills postdocs pick up anyway—or, at least can—whether from an advisor, colleagues, their own initiative or a combination of them all. The competencies the NPA lists include scientific knowledge, research skills, communication skills, professionalism, leadership & management and responsible research conduct. Let’s take a look at each one, one at a time this week, and discuss their importance and utility—and whether or not these should be formalized into postdoc training. Here’s the first:
Scientific knowledge
This one is a no-brainer—and requires little effort. Advisors tend to focus on this area, sometimes to the detriment of others. But fellows can perhaps negotiate for more, by ensuring that they go to a certain number of conferences during their fellowship, by hosting speakers through their local postdoc organizations and through their own initiative by starting, attending and participating in journal clubs. Postdocs, of course, should make sure their advisors allow them time for these activities, rather than requiring that they be chained to the bench.
Here are some tips on setting goals for conferences, making the most of these meetings, and getting staff—and yourself—up to scientific speed.
-
Replies
-
The skills mentioned in the draft are all important for a successful scientific career—whether in academia or industry.
I don’t believe you can trust PIs to train young scientists in all of those skills—partly because they may be poor mentors who don’t have those skills themselves. However, putting pressure on the departments or institutions to provide some basic training in these skills is important. I believe this can be done more easily and effectively by persuasion than through regulation.
-
Research skills
It’s essential to bring research experience into a postdoc, but its perhaps even more important to leave with new skills. Postdocs should set goals to finish their fellowships with a few new tricks in their bags—from lab techniques to data analysis and beyond. Again, it’s helpful to talk about this with an advisor—ideally before you accept the fellowship, but this conversation is better late than never. Your main goal, as the above post stated—is establishing your independence
As for new technical tricks, short courses are a good bet. Plan ahead, as the hottest classes at places like Woods Hole Marine Biological Lab, Jackson Lab and Cold Springs Harbor, are often over-subscribed). But if you don’t have the time or funding to get away, try trading tricks with technicians and students in your lab. Or, better yet, consider going interdisciplinary
and seek an education from a different lab that has some possible overlap.Please let us know which techniques have worked for you and if you can recommend any short courses that have been particularly helpful—or would like some guidance about what courses to consider over the next year.
-
Communication skills
This is a pretty broad category, encompassing grant- and paper-writing, presentation practice and day-to-day conversations with labmates, both in person and via email. Try attending at least one grantsmanship workshop (many scientific organizations have them at national conferences) and one “how-to-get-published” roundtable (many journals, including Nature) offer these opportunities regularly. Practice helps, but first, familiarity. Carefully read instructions for both grant and journal submission. Many papers and grant applications are rejected simply because the writer doesn’t follow the format or answer all the question the process requires of them. Don’t fall into this trap. Then, consider reading a few successful grant apps or journal articles submitted by people in your lab, or institution. Finally, apply for a grant and submit an article for publication well before you expect to exit your postdoc. The process takes time and success comes only intermittently. When you get feedback, don’t take it personally, but try to incorporate it into your next attempt.As for oral presentations, it’s almost certain that for your first job—whether in academia or industry, you will be asked to give one. So start thinking about it now, put it together, refine it and practice it for your peers. This will make you more familiar with your own material and will make you more confident about your grasp on it going into a prospective job interview.
-
Looking at Paul’s last entry it may be worth mentioning this year’s Source Event, a large science career event organised by Naturejobs.
At the conference we will have a senior NPG Editor talking about how to get published and there will also be a talk by a Senior Programme Manager at the BBSRC on hints and tips on successful grant applications.
The event will take place on 26th September in London and there is a group for the event on Nature Network. -
Leadership and management skills
As a postdoc, you probably already set and follow a budget, set research goals, and recruit and monitor staff.Do those responsibilities leave you overwhelmed? If so, you might want to improve your time management skills and learn how to better juggle responsibilities. Still struggling? Then you might consider checking out a book published by the Howard Hughes Medical Institution, ‘Making the Right Moves, or even taking some management courses.
No matter what your approach, this is an area worth focusing on; whether you go on to academia or industry, you will need to manage people, money and projects. Learning to excel in this area—from holding regular lab meetings and setting clear research goals and timelines to communicating these goals and celebrating their completion, will help you reach your broader scientific and professional goals.
-