publisher
From trainee to colleague: REM scholars’ experiences transitioning from postdoctoral fellow to faculty within the same biomedical department
- Source
- Frontiers in Education
- Published
- Last verified
- 20 Aug 2026
- Confidence
- Moderate
- Evidence
- Original document retained
- Reading time
- 1 min
- Country
- International
- Relevant to
- Operations & Delivery, People & Capability, Research & Evidence, Strategy & Planning, Executive Leadership, Finance & Investment
Executive summary
What happened, and why should leadership care?
Research in biomedical higher education highlights the increasing use of postdoctoral-to-faculty pathway initiatives to broaden participation within the professoriate. These structured programs aim to connect postdoctoral training with faculty opportunities. This specific study, a descriptive phenomenological analysis, focuses on understanding the lived experiences of racialized ethnic minority (REM) postdoctoral scholars transitioning into faculty roles within the same biomedical department through such pathways.
Why this matters
Why is this strategically important?
Understanding the lived experiences of scholars navigating these pathways is crucial for optimizing their design and effectiveness. This insight can help institutions ensure that initiatives genuinely support career progression and contribute to a more diverse and inclusive academic workforce, thereby strengthening research and innovation capabilities.
Key insights
What should be noted from the evidence?
- Postdoctoral-to-faculty pathway initiatives are a growing strategy in biomedical higher education to increase diversity in the professoriate.
- Previous research identified disparities in biomedical faculty representation and the importance of postdoctoral training in academic careers.
- Institutions have developed structured pathways to intentionally link postdoctoral training with faculty opportunities.
- The study specifically investigates the experiences of Racialized Ethnic Minority (REM) postdoctoral scholars in these transition pathways.
- Earlier scholarship primarily focused on implementation and diversification goals of these initiatives, with less attention on the scholars' personal experiences.
Evidence and confidence
How far can this assessment be trusted?
Moderate confidence. Provenance established; supporting evidence remains partial.
Analysis is prepared editorially by Aziz Shuaib Ausi. The original publication remains the authoritative record, and executive judgement remains entirely human.
Source
Where does this originate?
Reported by Frontiers in Education · International. This briefing summarises the publication for executive use; the document itself is not reproduced here.
Read the original publication