Postdoctoral Training
Postdoc and Grad Student Association (PGA)
The Postdoc and Grad student Association (PGA) at DFCI was founded in February 2005 by a group of postdoctoral fellows with the guidance and support of the Office for Postdoctoral Training and Career Development (OPTCD). The OPTCD supports PGA initiatives by serving as a liaison between the postdocs/grad students and the Institute.
The PGA aims to build a strong postdoctoral and grad student community with the ultimate goal of improving the postdoc and grad student experience at DFCI on several levels (e.g.: scientific, professional, social, etc.) through training, mentorship and organized activities. Postdocs and grad students who have their primary appointment at DFCI are automatically members of the PGA.
Definition of a Postdoc or Research Fellow
The DFCI definition of a research fellow (or postdoc) is based upon the common elements of the definitions of FASEB, AAU and Sigma Xi. A DFCI postdoctoral fellow or research fellow:
- Has been awarded a PhD or equivalent terminal postgraduate degree* in an appropriate field
- Has a Harvard University academic appointment that is
- temporary (not intended to exceed five years)
- substantially full-time research** or scholarship
- viewed as preparatory to a full-time research or academic career
- Works under the supervision of a faculty member at DFCI
- Is expected to publish the results of his/her work performed during the period of the appointment.
This definition applies to individuals whose primary appointment is at DFCI, including individuals with the current DFCI titles of research fellow, research associate, stipend research fellow or sponsored research fellow, irrespective of funding source. It does not apply to individuals who have DFCI campus privileges but have their primary appointment at Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health or a Harvard-affiliated institution that is not DFCI.
Postdocs at DFCI fall into one of the three funding categories:
- Funded postdocs are paid through funds which are administered through the Institute (e.g., NIH Training Grant or RO1)
- Stipend postdocs are paid through outside funds that are channeled through the DFCI payroll system (e.g., Fellowships)
- Sponsored postdocs are paid from an outside source not administered through DFCI Payroll (e.g., funds from home institution or a fellowship administered directly to the postdoc)
*A postgraduate degree is defined as someone whose most advanced degree is either a:
- PhD from any country
- MD from the U.S,
- Postgraduate MD from any country
- An undergraduate MD degree with subsequent postgraduate training, such as a completed residency or a postdoctoral fellowship. In this case, the date of the degree is considered to be awarded the date when the subsequent training was completed.
**Full time research may include research in a clinical field but not a "Clinical Fellowship" that is part of a clinical accreditation program.
PGA Mission and Principles
The mission of DFCI PGA is to address the needs and concerns of individuals affiliated with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who hold a doctoral degree but are not tenure-track faculty, and grad students.
The DFCI PGA will support and advocate for postdoctoral fellows and grad students at DFCI in all aspects of their professional research training and career development.
Members will strive to promote interactions among DFCI postdocs and grad students on an academic, social and cultural basis, while assisting the OPTCD in this endeavor.
The PGA will act as a liaison between the postdoc/grad student populations at large and the OPTCD to represent postdoc’s and grad student’s interests.
All actions of DFCI PGA shall be undertaken without discrimination
on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender,
sexual orientation, age or disability.
PGA Bylaws
The PGA bylaws were assembled by the PGA to give a defined structure and organization to our association. View a copy of our bylaws
Since our inauguration, the PGA (with help from the OPTCD) has achieved several initial important objectives such as: annual postdoc retreat organization, salary equalization for postdocs, invitation of guest speakers for the Seminars in Oncology series, establishment of bylaws for our association, establishment of a Postdoctoral Advisory Committee, launch of a functional website for postdoc events, ice-cream socials, and participation in the National Postdoc Association meetings. However, still much work needs to be done in order to improve the situation for our postdocs. As such, the PGA has defined a set of goals that we hope to achieve in the next few years.
Goals of the PGA
1. Organization of an annual retreat for postdocs and
grad students
The PGA leadership will continue to organize this valuable event
and attempt each year to increase the participation by DFCI
postdocs and grad students.
2. Seminars in Oncology
We hope to continue the opportunity to invite and host speakers
for the Seminars in Oncology series, and get more postdocs and
grad students to participate in the selection and hosting of
speakers.
3. Fundraising
The PGA hopes to establish and maintain relationships with the
DFCI Development Office in order to obtain independent financial
support to fund PGA-sponsored events.
4. NPA meeting
The PGA should maintain its presence at the National Postdoc
Association (NPA) meetings and continue interactions with the
NPA.
5. Periodic review of the PGA by-laws
The PGA should examine and revise our by-laws on a regular basis
in order to reflect the changing needs of the PGA.
6. Increase active participation in the PGA
The PGA should continue to provide information about our association
to new and existing postdocs in order to encourage their involvement
within the PGA.
7. Network with other LMA/Boston postdoc associations
We should establish strong relationships with other postdoc
associations within the Boston area so that we can learn how
to speak with a collective voice for issues that matter to us
as a population.
8. Equalization of salary and benefits
The PGA should be active in the fight for better and equal pay
and benefits regardless of funding source or status of postdocs.
All postdocs should be treated equally.
9. Fellowships and travel awards
The PGA should build a relationship with the Development Office
to fund PGA initiatives such as internal fellowships and travel
awards.
10. Postdoc survival guide
The PGA is in the process of establishing a postdoc survival
guide to be given to new incoming postdocs as a means to ease
their transition to the Boston area and how to effectively navigate
DFCI.
11. Alumni network
Using the postdoc Web site, we should develop a database of
DFCI alumni who are willing to interact with current DFCI postdocs
to help with career guidance and networking.
12. Child care
The PGA should fight for more inexpensive daycare for the DFCI
postdoctoral community.
13. Mentoring
The PGA should have an active role in the establishment of an
appropriate mentoring program.
14. Postdoctoral Advisory Committee
The PGA should be actively involved with the postdoctoral advisory
committee which guides the priorities of the OPTCD.
PGA Meetings
The PGA meets every first Thursday of each month at 12:30 p.m. in the postdoc lounge (Smith 347). Your active participation is more than welcome! If you would like to participate in the PGA, please come to one of our meetings, or e-mail any of the committee chairs listed below.
