How to Succeed as a Post-Doc
Anthony Power
Saturday, 10 March 2007 21:31 UTC
Share your post-doc experiences. Tips for those looking for their first post-doc? How to find the right lab? Best place to post-doc? How and when to secure funding? How to approach potential supervisors? How to conduct post-doc research? How to transition to independent scientist? Which post-docs will get you that faculty position?
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Postdoc is the time to polish both technical skills and professional development skills (writing, speaking, networking, team building, etc.). Take advantage of all programs offered at your institution and if your does not offer much watch online videos from places that do (e.g. NIH).
Developing professionally is just as important and often overlooked. The postdocs that reach out beyond the lab and develop ALL skills tend to be more successful.
I write a blog on professional development for those in the sciences and have been an invited speaker at institutions like Stanford University, Harvard University, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Genentech, etc…
Check out the blog at http://www.artofspeakingscience.com
I hope you’ll join the conversation there.
lisa [AT] lisabmarshall [DOT] com -
As someone who left their first post-doc because it just didn’t work for me, my advice is not to be scared to leave if it is not working out.
Sure, I had 6 months of job-hunting whilst still in my first position and 2 months without a job, but now I am in my second post-doc and much much happier.
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Anonymous
Find a good PI (doesn’t really a matter which univ they are) because the lab will determine your career future. I heard a number of stories how a bad PI ruin a young scientist’s career and vice versa.
1. Talk to the current and previous lab members b4 you decide to join the lab, never never never just phone interviewing with the PI (I made this mistake b4 :()
2. Check their publication record carefully
3. I would do researches closely related to human diseases or industry because too basic science researches are hard to get funding and faculty position unless you are able to publish 3 science papers with a few years.
The formula is:
Working reasonably hard + Good Lab/PI + Some luck =
Succeed as a postdoc -
I think it is very important that you find a nice supervisor and you are quite interested in his/her field. Although I am just starting my postdoc work now, I have heard that postdoc work is very tough and tricky. So I think interest is the most important thing. You may need to have some fun in doing research or you will most probably feel terrible and quite frustrated some day.
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In addition to what has been already said:
I think one part of “succeeding” as a post-doc is to have at least some kind of plan for the life after the post-doc term finishes. It might be impossible to know during the first year what it is that you actually want to do afterwards, but at least you should actively think of this. For instance: If you go abroad, do you intent to return? Where do you want to end up?
Two or three years might feel like a very long time when you are starting out, but it will run out quickly and you should seriously be working for the next position at least one year before the current one finishes. And by this I don’t so much mean that you should spend more time in the lab – take every opportunity to meet new people, network, show yourself in the conferences. Keep yourself informed about the funding opportunities from day one.
You might not be able to work on an independent project and feel like all you do is what your PI thinks necessary for the given day. However, you can actively develop independent thoughts and project plans, even if you were never to realize them in your current position.
I know many of these are things I should have done, instead of just concentrating on the long hours in the lab. ;)
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The post doc is a extension of your career without economically growth up. I love science but I have wife a son that need economic support. Is really necessary a post doc? Do you will have a place in a industry or lab with a postdoc? I invite you to read the next:
NATURE|Vol 455|2 October 2008: “Masters of professional science”
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There’s another perspective on The Scientist forum. Someone asks Can you go back to the bench after a one-year absence? and gets a reply.
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Jenny Rohn answers the same question at Nature Network, also!
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Hi all,
Can anyone explain the 7-year (or is it 4-year?) total limit on fixed-term/soft money contracts for postdocs in the UK (or is it Europe)? I’ve been searching all over the internet and cannot find anything.
My understanding is that once you’ve been a postdoc for 7 (4?) years you are not eligible for any more fixed-term postdoctoral positions (and this includes even a continuation of your existing job at your current employer, even if you have funding past the 7 year mark!). This is supposedly to protect postdocs from a lifetime of instability, i.e. a succession of fixed-term employment. Ideally after the 7 years your employer will hire you on a permanent contract – (snort) – the more likely scenario is that your employer doesn’t renew your contract and then you’re out of a job and from now on aren’t eligible for anything fixed-term (e.g. a research council funded project) only permanent positions, which severely restricts your options.
Is this correct? If so, what exactly is the regulation that covers this?
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Hello Karen – I don’t know the answer to your question – if nobody else in this forum knows either, then you might try re-posting it in the Science Policy in the UK forum, as someone there may know. The people who run that forum are the UK Research Information Network, so it seems a reasonable bet that they might know. Good luck!
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