Last week NIH announced a Request for Information (RFI) inviting the research community to give input on the state of postdoctoral research training and career progression infrastructure in biomedical science developed by a working group of the NIH Advisory Committee to the Director. The RFI is open through April 14, 2023.
In support of the RFI, NIH is hosting a series of listening sessions to hear from the community about their experiences as postdoctoral trainees and perspectives on the current infrastructure. Additionally, NIH is interested in hearing potential promising solutions to the fundamental challenges faced by the postdoctoral trainee community. Listening sessions will take place throughout March 2023 and each session will focus on a specific theme:
- Wednesday, March 8, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. ET: Role, duration, structure, and value of the academic postdoc, including the effects on underrepresented populations.
- Friday, March 10, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. ET: International trainee concerns.
- Friday, March 17, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. ET: Compensation and benefits, including childcare and dependent care.
- Monday, March 20, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. ET: Job security, career prospects, and quality of life.
Interested participants may register here.
The insights from the listening sessions and RFI will inform the recommendations presented by the working group to the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the NIH Director.
Your participation in the listening sessions and responses to the RFI will be used to help develop recommendations to address this problem which impacts U.S. competitiveness in biomedical research and innovation.