Mid-Career Transitions…..or What am I going to do tomorrow? Michael A Sesma PhD Branch Chief for Postdoctoral Training Division of Training, Workforce Development and Diversity National Institute of General Medical Sciences National Institutes of Health

A traditional career Grad school - 5 years Grad school - 5 years Learning the trade Learning the trade Postdocs – 4 years Postdocs – 4 years Learning how to be an independent investigator Learning how to be an independent investigator University Faculty positions - 10 years University Faculty positions - 10 years Establishing a Research program Establishing a Research program Publishing and seeking funding…and seeking funding Publishing and seeking funding…and seeking funding Teaching, advising, mentoring Teaching, advising, mentoring Committees Committees Academic Payback Academic Payback Promotion and Tenure (or not) Promotion and Tenure (or not) Oh!.... And life outside the lab Oh!.... And life outside the lab Choice Points – Research Administration Choice Points – Research Administration

NIH - Health Scientist Administrator Scientific Review Administrator Scientific Review Administrator Program Director Program Director Policy and Programs Policy and Programs Vicarious Science Vicarious Science Review administration - insuring a level playing field Review administration - insuring a level playing field Program management - opportunity to develop an area (portfolio) of important, high impact research Program management - opportunity to develop an area (portfolio) of important, high impact research Policy – strategic planning, determining what is needed, what works or doesn’t, long term priorities, responding to Congress Policy – strategic planning, determining what is needed, what works or doesn’t, long term priorities, responding to Congress Mentoring – identify and develop talent Mentoring – identify and develop talent Bonus – Not writing grant applications Bonus – Not writing grant applications

Skills for research administration Scientific expertise Scientific expertise Problem solving Problem solving Objective Objective Analytic Analytic Collaborative Collaborative Leadership Leadership Communication Communication Mentoring and developing talent Mentoring and developing talent What skills are needed for Academic success? What skills are needed for success in any profession?

Exploring Opportunities with Government Science Enterprise USAJobs: USAJobs: NIH.gov: NIH.gov: NIH Institute websites: NIH Institute websites: NSF: NSF: Intergovernmental Personnel Act: Intergovernmental Personnel Act: The Old Fashioned Way – who do you know, who do you ask? The Old Fashioned Way – who do you know, who do you ask?

WOW! What a great idea The Academic and NIH Investigator initiated research is core to the NIH grant process 6

NIH Offers Funding Programs to Support Scientists at Every Stage of Their Career 7 Predoctoral Individual NRSA (F31) Predoctoral Individual MD/PhD NRSA (F30) Predoctoral Individual NRSA (F31) Predoctoral Individual MD/PhD NRSA (F30) Postdoctoral Institutional Training Grant (T32) Postdoctoral Institutional Training Grant (T32) Postdoctoral Individual NRSA (F32) Postdoctoral Individual NRSA (F32) Small Grant (R03) Research Project Grant (R01) Independent Scientist Award (K02) Independent Scientist Award (K02) Senior Scientist Award (K05 ) Senior Scientist Award (K05 ) Approx. Stage of Research Training and Development Mechanism of Support GRADUATE/MEDICALSTUDENT POSTDOCTORAL EARLY MIDDLE SENIOR CAREER Predoctoral Institutional Training Grant (T32) Predoctoral Institutional Training Grant (T32) Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08) Mentored Patient-Oriented RCDA (K23) Mentored Quantitative RCDA (K25) Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08) Mentored Patient-Oriented RCDA (K23) Mentored Quantitative RCDA (K25) Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24) Patient-Oriented Research (K24) Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24) Patient-Oriented Research (K24) Exploratory/Developm ent Grant (R21) *Graph represents a small sample of NIH funding mechanisms available. NIH Pathway to Independence (PI) Award (K99/R00)

Research Project Grants Applications, Awards, and Success Rates

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Yippee!! Now I only have to worry about getting tenure. 10

PhD Biomedical Research Workforce  Total of ~150,000 Biomedical US-trained PhD’s Postdoctoral Training 2009 Total: 37,000 to 68,000 Median Length: 4 years International Post-Training Workforce College Graduates 8% 8% of graduates leave the US 1,900 to 3,900 in ,000 in 2009 Graduate Education & Training 2009 Total: 83, yrs Time to Degree :5.5-7yrs 2009 Graduates: 9,000 16,000 in ,800 5,800 in % Biomedical US- trained PhD 2008 ~22,500 Industrial Research 43% (23% tenured) Biomedical US- trained PhD 2008 ~55,000 Academic Research or Teaching 6% Biomedical US- trained PhD 2008 ~7,000 Government Research 18% Biomedical US- trained PhD 2008 ~24,000 Science Related Non- Research 13% Biomedical US- trained PhD 2008 ~17,000 Non-Science Related 2% Biomedical US- trained PhD 2008 ~2,500 Unemployed (128,000 Biomedical US-trained PhDs) 11

Biomedical Research Workforce Working Group Advisory Committee to the NIH Director Conclusions: Conclusions: The combination of the large upsurge in US-trained PhDs, increased influx of foreign-trained PhDs, and aging of the academic biomedical research workforce make launching a traditional, independent, academic research career increasingly difficult. The combination of the large upsurge in US-trained PhDs, increased influx of foreign-trained PhDs, and aging of the academic biomedical research workforce make launching a traditional, independent, academic research career increasingly difficult. The long training time and relatively low early-career salaries when compared to other scientific disciplines and professional careers may make the biomedical research career less attractive to the best and brightest of our young people. The long training time and relatively low early-career salaries when compared to other scientific disciplines and professional careers may make the biomedical research career less attractive to the best and brightest of our young people. The current training programs provide little preparation for non- academic research career, despite clear evidence that a declining percentage of graduates find such positions in the future. The current training programs provide little preparation for non- academic research career, despite clear evidence that a declining percentage of graduates find such positions in the future. 12