Por qué los doctores deben tener un "plan B" para su carrera

Cuando descubrí Kolabtree, me costó mucho contener mi entusiasmo. Soy recién doctorada y actualmente soy becaria postdoctoral en un departamento que trabaja a un ritmo vertiginoso y con subvenciones. Me encanta la carrera diaria de papeles y redacción de subvenciones, project design and implementation, etc., but because I am a recent graduate, I’m all too familiar with “Plan B” – that is, ensuring that you have a backup plan in case your ‘Plan A’ doesn’t work out for you.  I’ve always assumed that I would have a career in academia.

Como casi todos los demás doctores, en concreto los de ciencias sociales, me he formado en un entorno académico y lo único que he conocido es lo académico. A lo largo de mi carrera hasta ahora, me he preparado para un trabajo en el mundo académico. Sin embargo, como becario postdoctoral, formo parte de numerosos grupos y asisto a muchos seminarios que están orientados a prepararnos para la realidad de que la mayoría de nosotros no podrá conseguir un trabajo en el mundo académico. Es duro, lo sé. Pero esta es la realidad de nuestras trayectorias profesionales.

Only the lucky few, and it does seem like luck AND hard work is how Ph.D.’s are able to make their dream career a reality.  However, a career as a faculty isn’t as dreamy as it used to be.  Reality also means accepting the challenging funding climate for those who apply for federal funding.  When you take all of this in combination, you realize that you need, and are encouraged by faculty mentors, to determine your ‘Plan B’.  As scary as this has been for me, it has also been exhilarating because I have discovered that throughout my training I have gathered many skills that are applicable to many different career trajectories, including ser consultor.

I’m thoroughly trained in the art of logically thinking through complex problems, analyzing and assessing challenging situations, among many other investigación skills.  However, some of the most challenging hurdles that I have encountered is determining 1) What kind of carrera fuera de la academia I would be happy with? and more simply, 2) What would my occupation title actually be?  Nonetheless, something I have learned along the way is that no matter what kind of research career path I decide I want to follow, the most valuable skill I’ve learned throughout my training is to always strive to be a good scientist.  Thus, if I can have a career where I take my skills and expertise and help develop and implement good science, then I consider my career a win – no matter whether it is ‘Plan A’ or ‘Plan B’ or if I choose or am forced into ‘Plan A’ or ‘Plan B.’

*Este es un artículo del blog escrito por Tara Karns, becaria postdoctoral en el Centro de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad de Texas en San Antonio.