Academic Scientists at Work. Navigating the Biomedical Research Career

This work takes the young scientist on the journey from the end of a postdoctoral career to the point of promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor. The journey is broken down into three stages. Part I begins with a discussion of how to get and choose the right academic job, discussing and presenting a path to follow for the major obstacles that face every Assistant Professor, including setting up his/her lab, hiring staff and obtaining funds. Part II focuses on how to achieve excellence in the three major criteria used for academic promotions: scholarship, teaching, and service. Also included in this section is a chapter on mentoring students and fellows. Part III presents information about the promotion process and how to prepare for it. The results of a national survey about the promotion and tenure process are also included in this section. Part IV introduces a plethora of worksheets to guide the young scientist in the decision-making processes that are discussed in the book's chapters.