An evidence-based evaluation of transferrable skills and job satisfaction for science PhDs

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185023
• Publication Date: 2017-09-20T13:35:00Z
• Authors: Melanie Sinche; Rebekah L. Layton; Patrick D. Brandt; Anna B. O’Connell; Joshua D. Hall; Ashalla M. Freeman; Jessica R. Harrell; Jeanette Gowen Cook; Patrick J. Brennwald
• Keywords: Biomedical Research; 330; Career Choice; Science; 4. Education; Q; 05 social sciences; R; Life Sciences; Training Support; 650; Job Satisfaction; 8. Economic growth; Medicine and Health Sciences; Workforce; Medicine; Humans; Education, Graduate; 0503 education; Research Article

PhD recipients acquire discipline-specific knowledge and a range of relevant skills during their training in the life sciences, physical computational social engineering. Empirically testing applicability these to various careers held by graduates will help assess value current models. This report details results an Internet survey science PhDs (n = 8099) who provided ratings for fifteen transferrable skills. Indeed, analyses indicated that doctoral develops skills, crucial success wide including research-intensive (RI) non-research-intensive (NRI) careers. Notably, vast majority were across both RI NRI careers, with exception three favored (creativity/innovative thinking, career planning awareness ability work people outside organization) (time management, learn quickly, manage project). High overall rankings suggested graduate imparted broadly. Nonetheless, we identified gaps between needed developed suggest potential areas improvement training. Therefore, two-pronged approach is maximizing existing opportunities developing career-conscious model: 1) encouraging trainees recognize individual skill sets, 2) increasing resources programmatic interventions at institutional level address gaps. Lastly, comparison job satisfaction PhD-trained employees categories those paths just as satisfied counterparts. We conclude prepares broad satisfying potentially more than program leaders currently appreciate.