THE OPINION

Are we turning postdoctoral fellowships into long-term careers?

  The original purpose of postdocs Postdoctoral fellowships were originally intended as a launchpad- a focused, time-bound springboard between completing a PhD and entering a stable, long-term position [1]. Yet for many researchers today, that bridge feels less like a path forward and more like a stagnant waiting room. Across the system, more and more PhD graduates are moving from one postdoctoral fellowship to the next, often with no clear direction, no long-term security, and no honest conversation about what comes after. Somewhere along the way, a training opportunity designed to prepare people for careers has started to look like a career in itself. The scale of this cohort has also grown substantially: South African public... Read more...;