We wish to draw your attention to several new resources developed by the Office of Research Careers (ORC), explained more fully below. As you may know, the ORC mission is to support BWH Research Faculty, Trainees and Staff by providing resources to support career and professional development, encouraging professional responsibility, enhancing the research experience, and fostering effective mentoring.
Postdoctoral Fellows are particularly in need of guidance in research methodologies, of mentorship guidelines, and in instruction in formulating achievable research objectives. We are reaching out to you, as a PI of a newly hired Postdoc, to alert you to the available resources that have been developed to support you in this mission:
· Policies and Guidelines for Postdoctoral Research Fellows - Adopted October 1, 2009, the Postdoc Policy defines expectations and guidance for Postdoctoral Fellow appointments including; Postdoc and PI obligations and responsibilities, salary scale, time-off recommendations, terms of service, and termination, as well as relevant templates and forms. Integral to the Postdoc Policy is the requirement for Annual Career Conferences which is explained in the document. Other mentorship resources for your use and review:
o AAMC Compact Between Postdoctoral Appointees and Their Mentors – Identifies many of the elements of a mentor-mentee relationship and provides a framework for discussion.
o Nature’s Guide for Mentors - Compiles examples of good mentoring practices and is helpful for those who may want to reflect on their approach.
· The Postdoc New Hire Toolkit - Documents and resources for PIs and Postdocs include; the Postdoc Offer Letter and Statement of Training and Resources; Professional Staff New Hire Packet; Postdoc Arrival Checklist; Prospective/New Postdoc webpage; Human Resources contacts; and more.
We welcome your feedback and hope to include you in the discussion as to how we can best enhance the postdoctoral training experience at BWH. If you have any questions, suggestions, or would like to learn more about how the ORC can help support your Postdocs, please contact us at the email address below.
SUGGESTED READING FOR MENTORS:
THE ELEMENTS OF MENTORING by W. Brad Johnson, Palgrave MacMillan, 2008
ENERGIZE YOUR WORKPLACE: HOW TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN HIGH QUALITY CONNECTIONS AT WORK, by Jane Dutton, Jossey Bass, 2003.
THE MENTOR’S GUIDE: FACILITATING EFFECTIVE LEARNING RELATIONSHIPS, by Lois Zachery.
CREATING A MENTORING CULTURE: THE ORGANIZATION’S GUIDE, by Lois Zachery.
HANDBOOK OF MENTORING AT WORK: THEORY, RESEARCH, AND PRACTICE, edited by Belle Ragins and Kathy Kram, 2007.