Surprising and Not So Surprising Similarities and Differences 1 Richard E. Klabunde, Ph.D. Department of Biomedical Sciences Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine Athens, Ohio

 Professional Growth  Career Paths for Biomedical Scientists Academic institutions Non-academic institutions  Promotion vs. Tenure 2

Job vs. Career Career Goals Early Career Choices 3

 Most scientists want a professional career, not just a job and paycheck  Scientists by nature possess a natural curiosity and desire for discovery  Scientists work hard and are willing to sacrifice Begins with commitment to many years of education and training Continues throughout career 4

 Career goals need to be: Clearly defined, yet flexible Consistent with who you are and what you value  Do you want freedom to be creative in what you do?  How important is job security?  How important are your interests outside of “work”? Achievable (i.e., realistic) 5

 The choice you make for your “first job” significantly affects your career path e.g., Small liberal arts college vs. medical school vs. drug company Your choice needs to align with your strengths and passions  Your progress and accomplishments during the first several years of your first job generally sets the stage for your long-term career growth 6

Academic institutions Non-academic institutions 7

 Types Colleges and universities (undergraduate vs. graduate) Medical and other professional schools  Faculty vs. administrative tracks Faculty → Tenured Faculty Faculty → Tenured Faculty + Administrators (e.g., department chairs, curriculum directors) Faculty → Tenured Faculty → Administrators 8

 Types Pharmaceutical & medical device Contract research organizations Private research institutes and hospitals Government (e.g., NIH, NSF, FDA, USDA)  Research vs. management tracks Advancement often comes with increased management responsibilities (e.g., team leadership) Scientific management taken from ranks of proven senior scientists 9

What is the difference? Academic vs. non-academic institutions 10

 Promotion is an advancement in rank based on contributions to the institution (and beyond) as well as years of service e.g., assistant professor → associate professor e.g., junior scientist → senior scientist  Tenure A recognition by the academic institution that an individual has achieved a high level of productivity and recognition as a scholar and teacher Tenure provides a high degree of academic freedom and job security by the institution with the expectation that the individual will remain a productive scholar and teacher for life 11

 Typical progression  Teaching, research and service are evaluated Relative weight depends on the institution  e.g., research university vs. liberal arts college  Evidence of accomplishments Teaching evaluations & awards, publications, grants, institutional committees, service to professional societies Internal and external evaluations required  The above will be described in detail by Drs. Walters and Geist 12 Assist Prof (non-tenured) Assoc Prof (tenured) Full Prof (tenured) P&T

 Example of career progression  No tenure!  Based on research and personnel management Research reports/publications, patents  Quality and quantity  Deadlines achieved Collaborative and leadership skills are highly valued Bottom-line: meeting corporate goals  The above will be described in detail by Dr. Alonso-Galicia 13 Scientist Sr. Scientist Research Fellow Sr. Research Fellow Management Tract

 Similarities include: Requirement for research or scholarly activities Promotion based on productivity and recognition Administrative/management tracks  Differences include: Tenure in academic institutions Expectations for research and how research is assessed Expectations for teaching and service Institutional goals 14