The Role of Postdoctoral Experience in Academic Careers

Postdoctoral training is often a tough and stressful time for many who have just finished their PhDs. During this period, many bright individuals see their academic aspirations fade due to various factors outside their control. We took a unique look at data on academic Careers and publishing to see what paths postdocs take and how these paths affect their futures.

One big finding is that the postdoctoral experience might actually matter more for career success than the PhD itself. This is interesting because many studies have focused only on PhD programs when looking at hiring practices in academia. Additionally, we saw that while it can be good to change research directions during the postdoc, making too drastic a change could backfire.

The postdoc stage is the first real step into academia. It’s the first time when leaving this world might be seen as a setback. However, many find it hard to secure Faculty positions after their postdoc. Those in postdoc roles have a lot of time to produce research, but this can also add pressure. Many describe postdoc life with words like "overwhelmed" and "frustrated." Yet, not everyone leaves academia. Some go on to achieve great things. So, what do these successful individuals have in common?

As we look at the overlap between data science and the study of academic knowledge, it becomes clear that there are biases present in the system that need addressing. Studies have shown that the reputation of the institution where one earns a PhD has a strong impact on hiring practices in academia. In fact, several well-known universities train faculty members for many institutions, creating an uneven playing field. Later studies have suggested that the hiring dynamics maintain these biases.

Most research on the job market for academics includes data on where someone earned their PhD, but only a few studies consider the postdoc experience. A couple of studies found that having a postdoc fellowship is just as crucial for career success as having a top publication. They also noted that postdoc experiences help establish valuable international connections. One reason for the lack of focus on postdocs might be the perception that this phase is merely a waiting period-where individuals are seen as just biding their time.

With this study, we want to provide solid, data-driven advice for new PhDs. By shedding light on the challenges during postdoctoral training, we collected a special dataset that includes publication records and career paths from various fields over 25 years. We focused on those who had a postdoc between their PhD and either a faculty or non-academic position.

#The Postdoc-to-Faculty Bottleneck

In our research, we found that a significant number of postdocs leave academia. This dropout rate is a systemic issue, not a reflection of personal worth. Many postdocs are set up to exit academia regardless of qualifications. We’ve heard plenty of stories about promising PhDs being assigned projects that never pan out. This leads us to believe that examining publication rates before and during the postdoc can offer valuable insights. Indeed, we found a strong connection between changes in publication rates and chances of landing a faculty position.

But Productivity isn't everything. The quality of work, measured through citation counts, is crucial for academic success. There’s a common belief that having well-cited Publications early on is essential for securing a faculty job. This has led to various studies that investigate the impact of "hit papers"-those that rank highly in citations. We observed that postdoc publications often bear more weight than those produced during PhD studies.

So, who ends up dropping out of academia after their postdoc? Research shows that those whose publication rates decline during the postdoc and those lacking a hit paper during that time are more likely to exit. This challenges the traditional view that PhD-granting institutions hold all the power in academic hiring practices.

It’s often said that the postdoc period is a waiting game, but this actually isn't great advice for those in these roles. Those who stay active and seek new experiences tend to do better in their early faculty careers. Just like diverse teams lead to better outcomes, a varied academic experience can give individuals an edge.

#Paths to Success for Early-Year Faculty

We now turn our attention to what happens to those who do move on to faculty positions. Defining success in academia is tricky because everyone has different goals. Instead of trying to capture everything, we used common academic performance indicators like productivity and citation impact to measure success for early-career faculty.

We focused on scientific output from two to four years after someone lands their first faculty position. This way, we could see the direct impact of postdoctoral training during that time frame. To assess output, we looked at several metrics-from counting number of papers to analyzing citation stats. One popular measure, the h-index, became our go-to for evaluating young faculty members.

Our observations showed that achieving a hit paper during either PhD or postdoc years not only increases the likelihood of staying in academia but also boosts success in those who do remain. Interestingly, it didn’t matter which period produced the hit paper; having them during both phases seemed to provide extra benefits.

The postdoc stage offers new opportunities to gain skills that can enhance career prospects. Learning new techniques or moving to a different environment can be helpful. We discovered that a moderate change in research focus during the postdoc correlates with future success.

Making an international move for a postdoc often leads to even better outcomes. We noticed those who ventured abroad for their postdoc had higher rates of success compared to those who stayed within their country. Interestingly, moving to a prestigious institution for a postdoc didn’t seem to have the same impact unless the individual came from outside Europe, Canada, or the US.

#Discussion and Conclusions

Our research revealed that the postdoctoral period is just as crucial as the PhD in shaping future academic careers. Those who saw a decline in productivity or lacked hit papers during their postdoc were significantly more likely to exit academia. This finding challenges a lot of existing literature that focuses only on the importance of the PhD-granting institution in academic hiring.

While many see the postdoc as just a stepping stone to a faculty job, this view is misleading. Active and mobile postdocs tend to fare better, even when they become young faculty members. The common belief that diverse teams yield better results holds true for individuals as well-having varied experiences enhances one’s profile.

In summary, our study highlights the need for academic job market models to address the significance of the postdoctoral experience. Our findings should encourage new PhDs to broaden their search for postdoc opportunities and consider stepping outside of their immediate academic environments.

#Measuring Success

To assess early success during the PhD program and postdoctoral experience, we looked at whether individuals produced hit papers. This involved ranking publications based on citation counts within their fields. We categorized individuals based on whether they had a hit paper before they landed their first faculty position.

We created a new success metric for young faculty members inspired by existing measures. Our approach focuses on productivity and citation counts from publications within two to four years after the postdoc. We omitted papers published in the first two years to ensure they weren’t just results of the postdoctoral experience.

In essence, the postdoctoral experience can be a valuable chapter in an academic career. While many face challenges, it can also serve as a launching pad for those who seek to develop their skills and expand their networks. By understanding the dynamics at play during this crucial time, we can better support those navigating the academic landscape.