Professional Life

Fall 2022 Master’s Student Lunch & Learn Series

Boston University is pleased to announce the Fall 2022 Master’s Student Lunch & Learn Series, co-sponsored by the Educational Resource Center (ERC) and the Office of the Associate Provost for Graduate Affairs. The Master’s Student Lunch & Learn Series will equip you with tools for success in your graduate programs and in your professional careers. These workshops will feature essential time management and organizational tips; strategies for navigating the complex course content that you will encounter during your graduate programs; and techniques for overcoming procrastination and perfectionism.

Click here for workshop descriptions, and RSVP today for one session or all three! All sessions will be held in person at 100 Bay State Road with the option to join us remotely via Zoom. If you have any questions about the series, please email Sarah Garibova, Assistant Director for Outreach.

The Boston University Center for Career Development empowers students and alumni to make intentional decisions about their professional futures. The CCD offers a variety of services, including:

• Workshops on career-related topics
• Resume and cover letter reviews
• Mock interviews
• Individual career counseling sessions
• Internship or job search strategies
• Career-related events

Check the CCD Event Calendar for upcoming events.

Check out the CCD “BU + Beyond” blog for tips and advice on all aspects of career development.

The Boston University Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs office (PDPA) offers information, support, community and professional development to postdocs, and informs related BU policies to continue to improve the postdoc experience. Learn more here.

• Postdoc Academy
• Postdoc Travel Awards
• Free Postdoc Business Cards

Are you interested in developing your teaching skills? The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project is designed to advance the awareness, self-efficacy, and ability of STEM instructors to cultivate inclusive learning environments and develop themselves as reflective, inclusive practitioners. Completers of the course will even receive a certificate from the Inclusive STEM Teaching Project.

This Spring, BU will also run an in-person Learning Community associated with the project for PhDs and Postdocs. The Learning Community will be located on the CRC campus and serves as space for institution-specific discussion and community building. If you are interested, feel free to sign up for the Inclusive STEM Teaching edX course and our Learning Community!

The prestigious Lasker Foundation will launch a medical essay contest on Feb. 8, 2023 that will accept submissions (in English) through March 31.

We will provide more information in the coming weeks. Lasker is home of the top US biomedical research prize for 75+ years. In addition, their student essay contest attracts hundreds of talented, early-career medical students and researchers—brings them under the Lasker umbrella — invites them to hone their communications skills — and provides several winners with up to $5000 to offset university expenses (along with a coveted resume-building opportunity).

Check out a full calendar of upcoming events here.

• Biogen Worldwide Medical PhD Fellowship Program. Learn more here.
• Open Postdoctoral Recruiter position at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Learn more here.
• Open Postdoctoral Positions at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. More information here.
• Open Industry Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Cancer Cell Biology) position at Merck. Learn more here.
• Open postdoctoral opportunity in the Gurkar Lab at the Aging Institute of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine. Research interests include DNA damage, lipid metabolism, cardiotoxicity, senescence, senolytics and metabolic inflexibility. More information here.
• The Division of Primary Care and Population Health at Stanford University and the Institute of Global Health at Heidelberg University have new openings in 2022 for a number of postdoc positions.  Questions:  Ronja Kropp on behalf of Pascal Geldsetzer (Assistant Professor of Medicine, Stanford University) pgeldsetzer@stanford.edu
  • Postdoc opportunities:
    • https://postdocs.stanford.edu/prospective/opportunities/open-postdoctoral-position-faculty-mentor-pascal-geldsetzer
    • https://postdocs.stanford.edu/prospective/opportunities/open-postdoctoral-position-faculty-mentor-pascal-geldsetzer-0
    • https://postdocs.stanford.edu/prospective/opportunities/open-postdoctoral-position-faculty-mentor-pascal-geldsetzer-1
• Open position at KRS Associates
• Senior Associate position at Clarion
• Open positions at Charles River Associates
  

• Advanced Responsible Conduct of Research Training Workshops Available for Spring 2023. Doctoral candidates and postdocs who have an RCR compliance requirement due to funding within NIH or NSF research grants must complete the online introductory RCR training CITI modules before participating in the four advanced RCR live workshops. Grant-funded individuals are required to complete the online introductory training and four advanced live workshops within two years of being notified of their RCR training requirements.
  
  All other doctoral students and postdocs who will be taking advanced RCR training, including those who are meeting a departmental mandate, must also complete the introductory online training before registering for the four workshops. Postdocs are recommended to complete the introductory training as early as possible and begin the four RCR workshops in the semester in which online preparation is completed. We recommend completion of the four workshops at the rate of at least one per semester.Learn more about available workshops here.

Click here for more information on on-campus jobs, assistantships and work study opportunities. 

Each of our master’s programs have individual faculty mentoring in place, as well as peer-to-peer and near-peer mentoring. Our professional preparation master’s programs, such as Medical and Oral Health Sciences, offer strong support during the medical and dental school admissions processes.

Check your individual program website for program-specific mentoring opportunities, in addition to the GMS-wide opportunities listed on this page.

Doctoral candidates have opportunities to train in both theoretical and practical training for future careers in various scientific sectors.  The activities include seminars, panels and workshops, and programming develops over time depending on our trainees’ unique interests and needs.

Most PhD programs have integrated professional development courses and curriculum woven into their programs. Check your individual program website for program-specific mentoring opportunities

Additionally, the Charles River Campus Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs office provides professional development skills through their Core Capacities programming. Students learn these capacities through the PDPA PhD Progression, an online micro-credentialing platform that allows students to explore and build the recommended PhD Core Capacities.

GMS does not require PhD students to participate in this curriculum; however, we encourage you to join any workshops, activities, and events that you feel will support your professional development.

Lauren Celano, CEO and co-founder of Propel Careers, offers personalized one-on-one virtual career advising to GMS students. You can meet with Lauren to review your CV/resume and cover letters, prepare for interviews, discuss networking skills, learn social media tools for job searching and more. Reserve a free, 30-minute one-on-one coaching session with Lauren via Calendly.

Founded in 2009, Boston-based Propel Careers is a life sciences search and career development firm with the unique distinction of being dedicated to networking, mentoring, and career development. Lauren is a BU alumna who has worked with thousands of students, postdocs, medical residents and professionals to advance their careers and with > 50 companies to help them hire talent. She has a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Gettysburg College and an MBA with a focus in the health sector and entrepreneurship from Boston University.

Learn more about one-on-one coaching with Propel Careers here.

GMS has a wide database of alumni mentors who can provide valuable advice and connections to inform career opportunities for students and post-doctoral fellows.

Please visit our Alumni Networking site to view alumni who have agreed to serve as a mentor to our trainees as they consider future career moves.  Trainees should feel free to contact anyone on the list to get additional information or advice.

• Advanced Responsible Conduct of Research Training Workshops Available for Spring 2023. Doctoral candidates and postdocs who have an RCR compliance requirement due to funding within NIH or NSF research grants must complete the online introductory RCR training CITI modules before participating in the four advanced RCR live workshops. Grant-funded individuals are required to complete the online introductory training and four advanced live workshops within two years of being notified of their RCR training requirements.
  
  All other doctoral students and postdocs who will be taking advanced RCR training, including those who are meeting a departmental mandate, must also complete the introductory online training before registering for the four workshops. Postdocs are recommended to complete the introductory training as early as possible and begin the four RCR workshops in the semester in which online preparation is completed. We recommend completion of the four workshops at the rate of at least one per semester.Learn more about available workshops here.

Travel Awards

GMS doctoral students who have completed their first year of study are eligible to apply for the GMS Travel Award. This $250 award is made to help financially support graduate students who are giving a presentation or presenting a poster at a scientific meeting. Learn more here.

Training Opportunities to Augment Learning (TOTAL) is a digital app that allows biomedical trainees to attend career and professional development events held at Boston University and eight Boston-based partner institutions.

Access the TOTAL App on your:

• Android: Visit https://mytotalcareer.org on your phone. There will be a popup giving you the option to add the App to your Home Screen (with the option after to receive notifications).
• iOS: Visit https://mytotalcareer.org in Safari (this does not work in Chrome). Click the share button in the bottom middle of the Safari screen and click “Add to Home Screen.”
• Computer: https://mytotalcareer.org

Find step-by-step instructions for accessing the TOTAL App here, or check out this video:

Handshake is BU’s online hub for career resources, including internship and job listing, in the U.S. as well as around the world. It offers 24/7 access to on-campus event registration, career counseling appointments, and portals to upload resumes, cover letters and other employment-related documents.

Handshake is available to students and alumni. Learn how to register here.

ARROWS aims to facilitate the advancement and success of Boston University’s women in STEM. Learn more here.

International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO)

Innovate@BU provides a number of signature programs that foster entrepreneurship and help students turn their ideas into something that can create a meaningful impact on their careers and communities. Learn more here.

Check out a list of upcoming Innovate@BU events here.

Find biomedical job market reports since 2015 that are generated from Labor Insight™ software. 

Check it out here.

Boston University is one of 17 Broadening Experience in Scientific Training (BEST) schools chosen by the National Institutes of Health.

The BU BEST program was developed to enhance biomedical career development curricula for PhD and postdoctoral trainees in a way that explored careers both inside and outside standard academic research.

GMS has now institutionalized this support and the Professional and Career Development Office will continue to expand on the successes of the BEST program.

The GMS Alumni Network provides students with the knowledge and tools required to navigate the career decisions they will encounter down the road. By participating in the network, you can provide valuable advice and connections to inform career opportunities for our students and post-doctoral fellows.

If you are an alumnus/a interested in participating, please complete this brief form. 

Are you a GMS alumnus/a? Stay in touch!

We are building an alumni network to maintain our relationship, allow current students to interact with alumni and to help graduates find each other.

So, let us know: Where are you now? Where has your degree taken you since your time with us?  We’d love to hear from you!

We want to hear from you!