As a follow-up to its ongoing efforts to better support the postdoctoral workforce, NIH issued a Request for Information (RFI) on Recommendations on Re-envisioning U.S. Postdoctoral Research Training and Career Progression within the Biomedical Research Enterprise to gain public input on how best to implement several policy changes to address the challenges affecting the postdoctoral trainee community.
In December 2022, NIH established an Advisory Committee to the Director Working Group on Re-Envisioning NIH-Supported Postdoctoral Training (ACD Postdoctoral WG) to identify and understand critical factors and issues relating to the decline in the number of postdoctoral scholars, and to provide recommendations to address these factors.
Information Requested
NIH received input from the biomedical research community as part of its four listening sessions and a February 2023 Request for Information (RFI): Re-envisioning U.S. Postdoctoral Research Training and Career Progression within the Biomedical Research Enterprise. Based on the feedback, the ACD Postdoctoral WG issued a Report to the NIH Advisory Committee to the Director centering on six high-level recommendations:
- Recommendation 1: Increase pay and benefits for all NIH-supported postdoctoral scholars.
- Recommendation 2: Create and expand mechanisms to support the full talent pool of postdoctoral scholars.
- Recommendation 3: Facilitate the transition of postdoctoral scholars into the next career stage, including roles beyond academic faculty.
- Recommendation 4: Promote training and professional development of postdoctoral scholars and their mentors.
- Recommendation 5: Support safe and diverse perspectives and research environments within institutional research programs.
- Recommendation 6: Improve means to measure and share postdoctoral scholars’ career progression.
Already, for fiscal year 2024, NIH announced Increases for National Research Service Award Stipends and Childcare Subsidies alongside its intention to continue making increases in future years.
NIH seeks further input on the specific recommendations listed below:
Recommendation 1.3—Limit the total number of years a person can be supported by NIH funds in a postdoctoral position to no more than 5 years.
The ACD Postdoctoral WG received input from public comment and listening sessions which identified ill-defined, excessively long postdoctoral appointments as a key career development obstacle that delays career progression for postdoctoral scholars.
To further support NIH’s continued efforts to promote greater structure to the postdoctoral training process and promote timely transitions of postdoctoral scholars into their next career stages, the ACD Postdoctoral WG recommends that NIH funding should not be used to support postdoctoral scholars beyond 5 years. After 5 years, postdoctoral scholars must transition to new positions, with defined roles, responsibilities, and compensation.
Input Requested:
- Describe any potential benefits, opportunities, challenges or consequences to the postdoctoral workforce or the extramural research community if NIH were to limit total years of NIH-supported funding support for postdoctoral scholars.
- Describe any existing NIH or extramural institutional policies that could pose challenges for the extramural research community if NIH were to limit total years of NIH-supported funding support for postdoctoral scholars.
- Provide any key NIH or extramural institutional policies, process, or resources that should be developed, improved, or expanded to address any potential challenges associated with limiting aggregate funding support for postdoctoral scholars.
- What mechanisms should extramural institutions use to support transitions for postdoctoral scholars nearing the end of the 5-year period?
Recommendation 2.2—Revise the K99/R00 mechanism to focus on ideas and creativity over productivity.
The NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) was created to assist postdoctoral researchers to complete needed, mentored training and promote the timely transition to independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions while also providing research funding to support the launch of their independent research careers. Currently, K99 applicants can have no more than 4 years postdoctoral research experience at the time of application to be eligible to apply.
To facilitate more rapid transition of postdoctoral scholars that do not require more extended periods of mentored research training and focus review of K99 applications on creative ideas and research potential (vs productivity) of applicants, the ACD Postdoctoral WG recommended that the K99/R00 eligibility window be limited to the first 2 years of postdoctoral experience and that NIH should adapt review and award processes and policies to ensure a broader range of early-career investigators benefit from the award.
Input Requested:
- Describe any potential short- and long-term benefits or challenges to the postdoctoral workforce that may result from limiting the K99/R00 eligibility timeframe to no more than 2 years of postdoctoral experience.
- How should the K99/R00 mechanism and review criteria be revised to better emphasize creative ideas over research productivity? What specific criteria or metrics should be used to evaluate creativity and potential impact of applicants’ research proposals?
- Provide input on key NIH and extramural institutional policies, processes, or resources that may need to be developed or revised to ensure that changes to K99/R00 program eligibility do not negatively impact access to these awards to a broader range of postdoctoral scholars.
Recommendation 4—Promote training and professional development of postdoctoral scholars and their mentors.
The February 2023 RFI and listening sessions received comments indicating that postdoc scholars have difficulty pursuing career and professional development training opportunities due to pressure to focus solely on research during work hours. Based on this feedback, the ACD Postdoctoral WG recommended that institutions should: (1) ensure that postdoctoral scholars receive career and professional development opportunities as an integrated, measured component that occupies a minimum average of 10 percent of a postdoctoral scholar’s effort, (2) create policies and resources to ensure equitable access to this training, and (3) require regular training and for individuals serving in the mentor role to postdoctoral scholars (and for postdocs themselves).
Input requested:
- Provide suggestions and strategies for how NIH and extramural institutions can ensure that career and professional development training becomes an integrated and measured component of the postdoctoral experience. What policies and resources should institutions establish to ensure equitable access to career and professional development training for all postdoctoral scholars? How can institutions address barriers to participation?
- What specific skills and competencies are essential for individuals serving in the mentor role for postdoctoral scholars? Describe any necessary resources required by investigators and institutions to support the implementation of required training opportunities for mentors.
- Are there opportunities for collaboration between institutions, funding agencies, and professional organizations to enhance career and professional development opportunities for postdoctoral scholars? How can partnerships with industry, government agencies, and non-profit organizations contribute to the enrichment of postdoctoral training experiences?
How to Submit a Response
Submit comments through the NIH Request for Information (RFI) on Recommendations on Re-envisioning U.S. Postdoctoral Research Training and Career Progression within the Biomedical Research Enterprise by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 23, 2024.
Do not include any personally identifiable information or information you do not wish to make public. Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should not be included in your response.
Direct all inquiries to reenvisioningpostdoc@nih.gov.