Issues of Concern to Postdoctoral Scholars

• Why are Postdoctoral Fellowships effectively required to advance one's career in fields such as chemistry, biochemistry and physics?
• Are PostDocs professionals or trainees? Or both at the same time?
• If we are professionals, shouldn't we be paid accordingly? (Or, how come the secretary makes more than we do?)
• If we are students/trainees, shouldn't we have student loan repayments deferred? Why are training grants taxable for PostDocs but not graduate students?
• How many Postdoctoral appointments should one do? Is a PostDoc position just for those who can't get a real job?
• Should PostDocs be required to teach classes?
• Why are PostDocs working for private companies making much more than PostDocs at universities?
• Should PostDocs receive benefits beyond health insurance? (Do we have to use vacation to cover maternity leave?)
• Should PostDocs receive a letter of appointment when beginning work, and a letter of completion when finished?
• Are foreign and American PostDocs treated the same?
• Are male and female PostDocs treated the same?
• Are PostDocs in all university departments treated the same?

The Association of American Universities studied many of these concerns and recently (1998) published a report: AAU Report on PostDocs . Some of the same issues were previously addressed in a 1992 University of Ottawa Report on PostDocs .

How much should a PostDoc be paid? NIH Guidelines

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