The Risks of Leaving Research
Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 11:03AM Given the large number of science PhDs who end up working outside academia, the decision to leave the bench must be easy, right? Well, not exactly. Despite the fact that nonacademic options are no longer the ‘alternative’, opting for one can nonetheless appear to be a risky endeavor.
For one, it can be scary to deviate from the straightforward course of grad school-to-postdoc-to-professor. Researching non-faculty positions- identifying what they are, what they entail and how to get them- can be overwhelming especially without any guidance or support. While information and resources on the subject are becoming increasingly available, students and postdocs often don’t know they exist or where to begin and faculty mentors tend to be equally ill-equipped to advise on the topic. As a result, the path outside academia can be quite murky and, hence, the seemingly riskier option.
Two, after dedicating so many years to working in the lab, it may seem strange or counterintuitive to do anything else. There are misconceptions that skills learned during graduate and postdoctoral training are not transferable to other fields or that there are not rewarding ways to advance science outside research. This can lead to fears that the PhD will be wasted or that the person will be perceived as a failure if they are no longer running experiments and writing papers. Regrettably, these fears can be fueled by naysayers who believe that research is the only valid career path for a science PhD and, consequently, stigmatize leaving the bench. So not only is the path murky, it can be fraught with emotional conflict, as well.
All things considered, deciding what to be with a PhD can be a source of great stress and, dare I say, panic. Some respond by following the default path without reflecting on if it’s the right choice or considering the alternatives. Others put off making a decision for the very end, waiting until the dissertation is turned in or funding runs out. Both lead to missed opportunities of engaging in activities that could reduce the apparent risk involved in making a career change.
So what's a PhD (or PhD candidate) to do?
To decrease the uncertainty, it is important to dedicate time to self-assessment, career exploration and, frankly, getting outside the lab. Self-assessment and reflection (i.e. identifying your skills, interests, and values) are important because once you have a firm grasp on the kind of position that will bring the greatest satisfaction, pursuing that path will seem worthwhile despite risks involved (see the Who Am I? section in the PDF Putting Your PhD to Work). Talking to individuals who have made the leap, watching the interviews here, and attending career panels will provide additional insight that can demystify the options. Finally, participating in non-lab activities will not only keep you sane but also develop skills that can be useful for making a career transition (see Transferring Skills into Career Options). Attending courses and workshops offered by your institution (and Science Alliance!) will provide beneficial education and training, as well.
Institutions can also do their part to ease the career transitions of their graduate students and postdocs by making career options transparent and developing basic job skills. Career and professional development programs need to be implemented and trainees need to be encouraged to avail themselves of these resources, which I have observed go underutilized if awareness and support are lacking. This may require informing faculty about available resources so that they can better advise their trainees, or even integrating programs within the curriculum to make them more visible. What's more, we need to combat the “hidden curriculum” persisting in many institutions that a PhD in science is only valuable when applied to research. Until other options are acknowledged and embraced as legitimate trajectories for our graduates, leaving the bench will remain a risky proposition for many.
Making any major life decision is hard and this is no exception. Not to mention that it is a risk to leave academia. But it can be an informed and calculated risk with exceptional payoff. In fact, the greater risk may be in not taking one at all.
Do you find the idea of leaving academic research risky and why? What would be helpful to you in making this decision?
If you need help getting started with career exploration, click here.
Reader Comments (4)
Hi Monica - I especially enjoyed this blog post as I am figuring out what to do next. Personally, I do not feel that it is any more risky to leave academia. Every job these days is associated with inherent risks - whether it is if your grant will be funded or your company decides to shut down your department. For me, I prefer weigh out which type of position will make my life happier and have come to the conclusion that leaving academia is more in line with my personal goals. Making that leap is hard in a number of ways and my only complaint is that academia does not really prepare you for the transition away from the ivory tower. I hope to have a better answer (and more experience on this topic) soon er than later...
Also, here is a recent post by another writer on our blog about this very topic: http://incubator.rockefeller.edu/?p=649
Wait.. wait, a RISK to leave academia? Let's make a mixed metaphor. In a polygamous species, one with mating strategy of many females to one male ( like horses) only one male will get to run a heard. This male is called a professor and this herd is called a research lab and teaching position. Because the system only allows a few males to run herds, but produces far more males than there are herds, there will always be more males that don't get herds than males with herds. Because the system produces so many graduate students there will always be more graduate students who don't get professorships than there are students who get professorships. Remaining in academia is the EXCEPTION, not the rule, because of how the system is set up Pretending that the huge number of grad students who leave academia are doing something scarey or unusual that must be approached with gentle caution ~is a complete farce.~
Students who cannot envision life outside of Academia have been made weak by a flawed system that pretends there's room for everybody. It is always important, through partnerships, professional experiences, and interdisciplinary research, to let students see the larger systems Academia is contained in. Students DESERVE to know what those systems are, and SHOULD know how to competently navigate them to do what they WANT, not what the system tells them is the best way.
Jeanne- Glad you enjoyed the post. And quite right that there are risks no matter what you choose- it all comes down to what makes the most sense for you, personally and professionally. Knowing yourself, knowing the options, and then weighing the pros and cons of each direction really helps. As for preparation to transition out of the ivory tower, academic programs could do more however there is still much debate on how much of this kind of education and training falls on their shoulders. In the meantime, it is important to seek out opportunities and resources whenever and wherever you can find them. Good luck finding your answer!
Woodman- Thanks for your comment. I agree with your points and, in previous posts, have written about the realities of the job market for PhDs, the need to be transparent about career prospects/options, and the call to provide education and training for careers beyond academic research: http://bit.ly/cgq4A2 and http://bit.ly/bx88IJ. But here I was focusing on the perceived risk of leaving academia and what can be done by both students and academic institutions to abate these concerns. Risky or not, scientists nonetheless struggle with this decision- just check out this poll going on over at Benchfly.com: http://bit.ly/9FVvlY.