From the Dean

You come to a fork in the road; which way to go? At every step during their tenure with the College of Graduate Health Sciences, our students and postdoctoral scholars are challenged by the question of career path. Do they take a well-worn path, or choose another one, as Robert Frost wrote, “Because it was grassy and wanted wear.” The choices come with less or more uncertainty, because of what our trainees know about different paths. The theme of this issue, “Pathway to Success,” highlights the college’s ongoing projects to provide our trainees with knowledge about career possibilities and the tools to pursue those possibilities.

Our trainees are passionate about their science and the thrill of discovery. Careers that build on that passion are not limited to academia. Our “Career Insights” series, now well into its fourth year, has a major role in increasing awareness of career options by highlighting career directions that others, often alumni, have taken, and pointing out the challenges they have faced, as well.

What skills are necessary to support success in a career? A new initiative supporting small research projects helps our trainees develop a research question of their own. The independence of thought is an important step in their career path, regardless of where that path leads.

Communication skills are also critical, so we build these skills with events, such as the Three Minute Thesis (3MT™) competition, the Postdoctoral Research Showcase, Graduate Research Day, Quarterly Scientific Sessions, and individual degree-program series. Networking and team skills are also very important, and we continue to add and refine activities to enhance these skills, including program and student leadership in the Graduate Student Executive Council and the PhDA (the postdoctoral scholars’ equivalent), meetings with alumni, LinkedIn connections, and other opportunities that encourage participation by our trainees in the broader scope of the community.

The brief description here only scratches the surface of our goal to provide our trainees with a Pathway to Success. Thank you to everyone for your support of the College of Graduate Health Sciences!

With sincerest gratitude,

Donald J. Thomason, PhD Dean of the College of Graduate Health Sciences