Exposing postdocs to multiple institutional types: a PROMISE-ing intervention to prepare biomedical faculty

Biomedical faculty positions require experience as a postdoctoral scholar (or “postdoc”). However, there is a current misalignment with postdoctoral training and workforce needs within higher education. The majority of postdocs are trained to be research faculty while completing fellowships at resea...

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Main Authors: Robin H. Cresiski, Fadel Ugarte, LaKeisha Harris, Jessica K. Clark
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1477538/full
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author Robin H. Cresiski
Fadel Ugarte
LaKeisha Harris
Jessica K. Clark
author_facet Robin H. Cresiski
Fadel Ugarte
LaKeisha Harris
Jessica K. Clark
author_sort Robin H. Cresiski
collection DOAJ
description Biomedical faculty positions require experience as a postdoctoral scholar (or “postdoc”). However, there is a current misalignment with postdoctoral training and workforce needs within higher education. The majority of postdocs are trained to be research faculty while completing fellowships at research-intensive universities, despite the fact that the majority of US higher educational institutions (where these postdocs may be employed) focus on undergraduate education. This leads to postdoctoral scholars not having the opportunity to gain exposure to different institutional types where they could be employed. Importantly, they also lack the opportunity to build a network or receive mentorship from faculty at non-R1 institutions. This may be particularly true of underrepresented scholars. In this brief report, we describe the practice of the NSF-funded PROMISE Academy Alliance to bridge this training gap and support greater preparation for faculty careers at an array of institutional types by leveraging collaboration within a state university system. A survey of PROMISE Academy Fellows about their structured experiences engaging with other campuses (e.g., campus tours, workshops, speaking opportunities) reveals that visits to other campuses within the state system are informative and impactful, both on their research and their employment interests. The positive findings can hopefully inspire easy-to-implement changes in postdoctoral support across other university systems or regional consortia.
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spelling doaj-art-28c92c3d18924c7a806581d34ca5d1352025-08-20T01:47:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2024-10-01910.3389/feduc.2024.14775381477538Exposing postdocs to multiple institutional types: a PROMISE-ing intervention to prepare biomedical facultyRobin H. Cresiski0Fadel Ugarte1LaKeisha Harris2Jessica K. Clark3The Graduate School, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, United StatesThe Graduate School, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, United StatesSchool of Graduate Studies, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD, United StatesAcademic Affairs, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD, United StatesBiomedical faculty positions require experience as a postdoctoral scholar (or “postdoc”). However, there is a current misalignment with postdoctoral training and workforce needs within higher education. The majority of postdocs are trained to be research faculty while completing fellowships at research-intensive universities, despite the fact that the majority of US higher educational institutions (where these postdocs may be employed) focus on undergraduate education. This leads to postdoctoral scholars not having the opportunity to gain exposure to different institutional types where they could be employed. Importantly, they also lack the opportunity to build a network or receive mentorship from faculty at non-R1 institutions. This may be particularly true of underrepresented scholars. In this brief report, we describe the practice of the NSF-funded PROMISE Academy Alliance to bridge this training gap and support greater preparation for faculty careers at an array of institutional types by leveraging collaboration within a state university system. A survey of PROMISE Academy Fellows about their structured experiences engaging with other campuses (e.g., campus tours, workshops, speaking opportunities) reveals that visits to other campuses within the state system are informative and impactful, both on their research and their employment interests. The positive findings can hopefully inspire easy-to-implement changes in postdoctoral support across other university systems or regional consortia.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1477538/fullpostdoctoralfacultydiversityAGEPuniversity system
spellingShingle Robin H. Cresiski
Fadel Ugarte
LaKeisha Harris
Jessica K. Clark
Exposing postdocs to multiple institutional types: a PROMISE-ing intervention to prepare biomedical faculty
Frontiers in Education
postdoctoral
faculty
diversity
AGEP
university system
title Exposing postdocs to multiple institutional types: a PROMISE-ing intervention to prepare biomedical faculty
title_full Exposing postdocs to multiple institutional types: a PROMISE-ing intervention to prepare biomedical faculty
title_fullStr Exposing postdocs to multiple institutional types: a PROMISE-ing intervention to prepare biomedical faculty
title_full_unstemmed Exposing postdocs to multiple institutional types: a PROMISE-ing intervention to prepare biomedical faculty
title_short Exposing postdocs to multiple institutional types: a PROMISE-ing intervention to prepare biomedical faculty
title_sort exposing postdocs to multiple institutional types a promise ing intervention to prepare biomedical faculty
topic postdoctoral
faculty
diversity
AGEP
university system
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1477538/full
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AT lakeishaharris exposingpostdocstomultipleinstitutionaltypesapromiseinginterventiontopreparebiomedicalfaculty
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