From trainee to colleague: REM scholars’ experiences transitioning from postdoctoral fellow to faculty within the same biomedical department

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 it matters

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

• 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.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1891055