“Should I do a postdoc? My path from an academic postdoc to industry and perspectives on how to answer this question.”

By Jennifer Judge, PhD - Regulatory Scientist at Cook MyoSite

It always seemed obvious to me as a graduate student at URMC that I should followed my passion for teaching and research and pursue a postdoctoral fellowship.  Throughout graduate school, I was constantly pursuing activities that would strengthen my CV for an academic tract: applying for my own NIH fellowship and completing a teaching internship through URBEST.  I figured that my postdoc would help me further decide the next path, whether that be a teaching-focused academic position or if my research goes well, a research-focused position.  Either way, I knew that I wanted a faculty position someday.

Breaking into biotech: Not as Scary as you think

By Eric Schott, PhD – Co-founder, Head of Translational Research and Clinical Development at Solarea Bio

As a young graduate student at the University of Rochester Medical School, I knew that I wanted to move into industry but did not quite know what I wanted to do or how to make that transition.  While my PIs were phenomenal mentors for learning the ins and outs of academic research, they did not have the resources to support my transition to industry. So, I set off on my own path, and learned a lot of valuable lessons along the way.

Find and Align With Your Mission

Career Story by Tim Bassler, Executive Director of West Point Quality at Merck

The best advice I ever got from a mentor was to develop a mission statement, revisit that mission over time, and use it to help make career decisions.  My mission is:  Work to Live, Enjoy Work, and Make a Difference.  I set this mission statement 20 years ago and have not changed it since.  As I reflect on my career this mission has served as a barometer for my actions.  

What is the URBEST Program and Why Should I Join?

News Article By Tracey Baas, URBEST Executive Director

When people ask me to tell them a little bit about the URBEST program, it’s difficult to know where to start. The first attempt is breaking down the acronym: University of Rochester’s Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training. To tell you the truth, I don’t think very many people remember what the acronym stands for, but they do manage to take away the golden nugget. With the help of the National Institute of Health, the program exists to try to train the BEST scientists possible.

Dr. Lawrence Tabak Takes a Shot with UR Biomedical Trainees

News Article By Claire McCarthy, PhD candidate, and Julianne Feola, PhD candidate

As part of his visit to the University of Rochester on April 15^th, 2016, Dr. Lawrence Tabak’s only request was that he would get to meet with students and post-docs to have a discussion about the ethical issues surrounding biomedical research. As the Deputy Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), he particularly enjoys hearing the perspective of trainees in the field. He was granted his wish with an hour-long Q&A session prior to his talk, “The Reproducibility of Biomedical Research.”  His Q&A session and talk were both well attended by scientists at all stages. According to Dr. Tabak, current issues of biomedical research have been garnering widespread interest among the scientific community as well as the general population.