L. Gabriel Navar

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Transition from Postdoctoral Fellow to Junior
Faculty Surviving the Initial Years
Phase 1 Negotiating a Faculty Position The
Dos and Donts
L. Gabriel Navar Department of Physiology Tulane
University School of Medicine New Orleans,
Louisiana
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• So! What are you anyway? A Physiologist!?
• OK But what is your QUEST?
• You want to be an ACADEMIC PHYSIOLOGIST!!
• To do that, you need a FACULTY APPOINTMENT!

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Establishing the Foundation

• Ph.D. is obviously required provides the
  hunting license
• Postdoctoral years are critical! Not just a job
  but an opportunity to develop in depth expertise
• Establish your credentials, develop your skills
  and initiate the networking process
• Productivity, productivity, productivity!!! You
  have to have paperspreferably good ones
• Research funding individual postdoctoral
  fellowships from NIH and other agencies
  demonstrate your ability to write grants and get
  funding

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Choosing the Right Opportunity is Not Always Clear
?
All Research
All Teaching
Basic Science
Clinical
Combination
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Selecting the Right Opportunity

• Match your interests with the position
  description
• All research? All teaching? Combination?
• Basic science department versus clinical
  department
• Health science center versus non medical
  department
• Keep your options open
• Consider several possibilities
• Dont focus on just one possibility
• Its business, not pleasure
• Plan ahead and organize your strategy

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The Application Process

• Prepare an outstanding, professional, well
  organized CV
• Professional assistance
• Account for all time
• Highlight special accomplishments
• Letter of Interest personalize the letter and
  identify with the departmental faculty, the chair
  and the institution
• Follow-up with personal contact either by phone
  or email indicate your interest
• If successful, you get on the short list and are
  invited to visit and present a seminar YEAH!

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The Visit and Interview

• Research the department you are visiting
• Learn about departmental programs and faculty
• Ask questions that show your knowledge and
  interest
• Examine lab space, research facilities and core
  labs
• Confidence and self assurancenot arrogance
• The first visit is NOT the time to ask about
  salary and package

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The Seminar

• Preparation is the key factor
• Well prepared seminar for the whole audience
• Clearly defined aims and objectives
• Presentation
• Explain methods and experimental design
• Carefully explain your data
• Leave audience with take-home message
• A bad seminar will close the book on you

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The Art of Collegial Negotiating

• Follow-up letter a few days after visit
• Indicate your interest and excitement in the
  opportunity
• Emphasize how your interests and expertise would
  complement and enhance the department
• Objective is to distinguish yourself from other
  candidates, to rise above the rest of the pool
• If successful, chair will call or write
• Will ask you to submit a list of your needs
• Invite for another visit
• Request references if not already in

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What It Comes Down To

• The Department wants to know what YOU can do for
  us

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The Second Visit

• Candidates being seriously considered are invited
  for a second visit
• Prepare a detailed list of everything that you
  need including type of equipment, amount of
  space, core facilities (an unreasonable list can
  close the process)
• Dont emphasize dollars, but what you need to be
  successful
• The chair should explain the salary and start-up
  package during the second visit

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Collegial Negotiations

• Not a confrontationyou may soon be working for
  them

Its not enough to have something to fight
for I also need something to fight against.
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Collegial Negotiations

• Concentrate on start up support firstwhat you
  need to optimize productivity
• Benefits for an institution are standardnot much
  room for negotiation
• Some room to negotiate return of salary release
  dollars
• Understand the expectations and rewards
• Annual assessments and raises
• Achieve tenure
• Promotions
• Salary negotiations are sensitive but be direct
  if initial offer is not in line with expectation

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Why Should Chair Offer You A Higher Salary

• You are going to be exceptionally productive
• You will submit major grant application within
  the first year
• You will be a terrific teacher
• You have special expertise not currently
  available in department and will teach others
• You will run a special resource or core facility
• In the final analysis, dont fester too much
  about salary. The academic and intellectual
  environment is most important

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So You Got the Job---Now What?!

• Dont dawdlecome in with a sense of urgency
• OK to be collegial and collaboratebut most
  important to stay focused on project leading to
  funding and publications!
• Be a good citizenbut concentrate on your primary
  mission
• A blend of independent and collaborative efforts
  helps build up the CV

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Final Analysis
Hard work and diligent efforts are important and
are required for results. But . . . the rewards
are for productivity and . . . there is a big
difference between activity and
productivity! Good Luck!