Learning New Things Through Internships
I was a postdoctoral fellow for several years in both the UK and the US. Over the years I was instinctively drawn to expand my horizons by joining various associations. I enjoyed leading the Postdoctoral Association at my institution; being a member of the Board of Directors and also participating in the Outreach Committee for the National Postdoctoral Association; and being a member of my local Association for Women in Science chapter. The skills I enhanced by my involvement in these organizations are useful in my daily life and career.
Yesterday an article was published by Inside Higher Education about the importance of experiential learnings for Ph.D. students seriously. It challenges doctoral students to bring their skills in research and analysis to bear on practical problems. This is the link if you wish to read it: https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2022/02/24/universities-should-assess-experiential-learnings-value-phds-opinion
While I didn’t do an internship program during my graduate or postdoctoral studies, I did have an experience which was just as useful. During my postdoc I was asked to become the associate program director for a training program within my institution. After some initial hesitation due to my relative inexperience with American training programs and official administration practices I accepted the honour. I spent one day each week in this new administrative role while the remaining time was dedicated to my postdoctoral research. It was a wonderful learning opportunity and really opened my eyes to what administrative roles are like.
One of my first tasks was to request written reports from both the scholars and their mentors. This seemingly innocuous task was surprisingly challenging. The scholars responded very quickly, however some mentors ignored a series of deadlines I imposed to encourage their quick submission. I cannot relay just how frustrating this was. I certainly understood how busy each person was, some being M.D.’s who saw patients, ran departments and research groups; however the failure to respond was not necessarily related to the individuals institutional responsibilities. It was my first taste of what administrators experience frequently.
I have often heard scientists complain about the rules and documents imposed on them by “The Administration” and before I took this role I assumed that a lot of them were indeed superfluous. However, now I was looking from the other direction. These documents were key evidence to show how well the training program was progressing and would also hopefully determine where improvements could be made. These were certainly not superfluous documents designed to irritate the individuals or waste their valuable time.
For this role I also began to meet new individuals I would not have met if I had remained at the bench. Each new development meant I interacted with someone new; from personal assistants, departmental chairs and high ranking administrators. If I had been asked to do this before joining my various associations this might have been daunting, however my networking experience paid dividends and allowed my inclusion into these new cliques with relative ease. I learned from watching those more experienced than myself; both in administrative processes and how/when to speak up in large conference style meetings. During my first few meetings I did slip up and make rookie mistakes however I was given support by those around me. With their encouragement I persisted and certain things became second nature.
The one thing I noticed about most administrators is that they appear calm and collected. As one mentioned to me – look relaxed like a swan on water as no one will know how furiously your legs are going underneath. I think this maybe where most scientists disconnect from the administration – just because they seem calm doesn’t mean they don’t feel stresses and anxiety.
Having now experienced both sides I can say I have huge respect for administrators everywhere who achieve their goals, often in spite of the “assistance” given by the scientists. I now understand that they back up the scientists in ways you can’t envision unless you have walked in their shoes. They are not the gremlins sent to be the bane of our existence and waste time better spent on other, more scientific, activities.
The administrative team I joined had a large goal in mind, and when we achieved it I can honestly say I did feel uplifted and successful. It was different from seeing a paper published, and most individuals at my institution will never know my part in it, but I do. I certainly grew as an individual from this experience and it gave me vital experience which I leveraged by leaving my postdoc and becoming a full-time administrator.
Whether you participate in an official internship or not, I hope that you will consider taking opportunities as they arise, finding them or making opportunities were they weren’t previously. They will lead you to strengthen skills that you may not use currently every day but are vital in a professional setting. They will also provide key examples which you can then use during interviews (when answering questions beginning “Can you give me an example when you ….”). If you are not focused on working as a researcher, or within an academic setting, it is vital for you to improve and demonstrate other skills.
I encourage students and postdocs to pursue opportunities outside of their research to broaden their horizons. You may discover a new career path that you previously hadn't considered.
It is important to constantly challenge ourselves by learning new things and internships provide a safe space to do so. After all, isn’t that why we furthered our education in the first place?
