Aspiring Scientist And Core Competencies
- 1. The Future Scientist What You Need to Know and Why Aspiring Scientist Summer Program George Mason University June 23, 2008
- 2. Key Questions Why is this person here? I volunteered to pay for food. I wanted lunch. Why are you here? Lunch. Because you’re supposed to be here. Why do we have to sit through this orientation? That’s the point of this brief talk. Aspiring Summer Internship Program
- 3. Don’t you know who I am? Emil Chuck, Ph.D. Health Professions “Premed” Advisor Term Assistant Professor of Biology Assistant Coordinator, Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program Gives $1000 to GMU undergrads doing research AAAS/Science Careers Forum advisor Core Competencies Subcommittee, National Postdoctoral Association Short bio summary
- 4. Please enjoy the pizza. Who wants to go to medical school? MD DO Dental school Veterinary school Pharmacy Optometry Physician assistant You earned it and you will earn it!
- 5. Please enjoy the pizza. Who wants to get a Ph.D.? Tenure-line research professor Only 1 in 5 graduate students become a tenure-track professor. Only 1 in 3 tenure-track professors get tenure. Academic medical center (non-tenure, admin) Government (NIH, NIEHS, DOE, FBI, public health labs) Industry (startups, big pharma, bio/nanotech) Education (K-12, curricular development, museums) Legal (patent law, public or legal policy and outreach) Writing (technical, legal, clinical trials) Business (v-capital, technology transfer, non-profit) Entertainment (movies, TV, theater, art, music, dance) You earned it and you will earn it!
- 6. Shift happens Claim: you will go through around 10-14 jobs By your 38th birthday Other claim: amount of medical information Doubles every 5 years As of June 2007, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U
- 7. What is expected for scientists? AAMC Compacts Residents (January 2006) Postdoctoral Fellows (December 2006) National Postdoctoral Association Core Competencies (late 2008) FASEB Graduate and postgrad training components GMU Prehealth Advising Implemented 2007, publicized June 2008 Core competencies: past and future
- 8. Core competencies Scientific knowledge Research methods Communications skills Professionalism Leadership/Management skills Responsible conduct of research DRAFT: National Postdoctoral Association
- 9. Scientific knowledge Analytical approach to defining scientific questions Design of scientifically testable hypotheses Broad based knowledge acquisition Interpretation and analysis of data DRAFT
- 10. Research methods Laboratory techniques/safety Experimental design Data analysis and interpretation Statistical analysis Effective search strategies and critical evaluation of the scientific literature Principles of the peer review process DRAFT
- 11. Communications skills Develop written skills in English to most effectively communicate knowledge and data Develop speaking and listening skills in English to most effectively communicate information to different audiences DRAFT
- 12. Professionalism Personal: connecting with oneself Social: considering the influence of family and extra- professional relationships to professional decisions Workplace: connecting with the immediate working team Institutional: connecting with the research infrastructure Collegial: connecting with the discipline of expertise Universal: connecting with society in representing our expertise DRAFT
- 13. Management skills Effectively manage research staff, understand principles of project management, develop personal and team priority setting and time management skills, and collaborate effectively. They must also develop skills in budget and financial management, demonstrate an understanding of institutional culture and of institutional compliance and regulatory requirements, and effectively manage laboratory data and resources. Demonstrate self-awareness and an understanding of individual temperament traits and leadership styles, develop skills needed to work with individuals with different traits, and pursue leadership opportunities at the laboratory, institutional, regional and national level through professional committees, organizations, or societies. DRAFT
- 14. Responsible conduct Improve their ability to make ethical and legal choices involving scientific research Develop appreciation for the range of accepted scientific practices for conducting research Be familiar with the regulations, policies, statutes, and guidelines that govern the conduct of government-funded research Be aware of the available tools and resources to which they can turn when ethical questions and concerns arise DRAFT
- 15. Uses of competencies Training future scientists, engineers, etc. Graduate Postdoctoral Faculty Undergraduate You! Evaluating scientific productivity Laboratory Institution Entire nation! DRAFT
- 16. Uses of competencies Evaluation of all applicants Sophomore-entry MD programs George Washington University MD Virginia Commonwealth University (MCV) MD Vet school: most competitive program Dental school Medical school (MD or DO) Pharmacy, Optometry, Podiatry, etc. Allied health Health Professions Advising