1. Why Choose a Career in Academic Research?
Fellow to Faculty Transition
Many fellows fear the various aspects that an academic career entails, such as:
- The reality of “publishing or perishing”
- The uncertainties of a salary based on grant funding
- The relatively lower salaries compared to private practice or industry
- The possibility of additional training (Masters, PhD)
- Balancing time between work and personal/family
While most successful investigators will not deny the realities of such a career path, most would also concur that the academic track is an exciting opportunity to uniquely contribute to our chosen profession. With so many recent breakthroughs in basic and clinical research, it is indeed a dynamic time to enter the research field. Such a career allows for the potential to improve the lives of whole populations of people by developing better understandings of disease mechanisms and new treatments. The research path also offers the thrill of new discoveries, opportunities for networking with research colleagues, and the intellectual freedom and stimulation of a job that is never the same from one day to the next.
Flexible work hours may help manage various personal/family commitments. In addition, the NIH Loan Repayment Program (http://www.lrp.nih.gov/) targets potential investigators that may be hesitant to enter academics due to mounting pressures to pay back educational debt.
