The primary goal of a postdoctoral fellowship is to strengthen the research expertise of PhD-trained scientists and prepare them for careers as independent investigators. While many postdoctoral fellows remain in academia, an increasing number are pursuing alternative career paths (1), with an estimated 20 – 25% obtaining faculty positions within 5 – 6 years post-degree (2). For those who stay in academia, trends in publication activity suggest that postdocs who publish more during training tend to maintain higher research productivity and impact as faculty members, which is strongly associated with long-term retention in academia (1). Furthermore, studies have also shown that the quality of mentorship and opportunities for professional development during a postdoctoral fellowship impact career trajectory and ultimately, retention in academia (3). To support the readiness of postdoctoral fellows to enter careers within academia, the Graduate School at Augusta University (AU) identified four critical areas for professional development: enhancing pedagogical skills, fostering research independence, improving scientific communication, and cultivating effective mentorship. Focus areas were identified based on survey data obtained between Spring 2023 and Summer 2025 from ~180 AU postdocs. The objective of this mixed-methods study is to develop targeted professional development opportunities for postdoctoral fellows and evaluate their impact on career trajectories over time, comparing participants in the four identified areas with those who choose not to engage in these initiatives. Due to the longitudinal nature of the study, the presented findings will focus on the design and implementation of the proposed programs and evaluation of initial participant feedback. By understanding professional development needs, implementing targeted programs, and evaluating participant feedback, we can better prepare postdoctoral fellows for career growth in academia and enhance the value of their training experience. 1. Duan, Y., Memon, S. A., AlShebli, B., Guan, Q., Holme, P., & Rahwan, T. (2025). Postdoc publications and citations link to academic retention and faculty success. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(4), e2402053122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.24020531222 . Denton, M., Borrego, M., & Knight, D. B. (2022). U.S. postdoctoral careers in life sciences, physical sciences and engineering: Government, industry, and academia. PloS one, 17(2), e0263185. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263185 3. McConnell, S. C., Westerman, E. L., Pierre, J. F., Heckler, E. J., & Schwartz, N. B. (2018). United States National Postdoc Survey results and the interaction of gender, career choice and mentor impact. eLife, 7, e40189. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.40189 This abstract was presented at the American Physiology Summit 2026 and is only available in HTML format. There is no downloadable file or PDF version. The Physiology editorial board was not involved in the peer review process.
Dent et al. (Fri,) studied this question.