establishing independence in your career

I've written about how to prep for conferences (twice) and I've talked about it with many of you! But now I'm here at AHA Scientific Sessions 2017 - the biggest conference I've attended - and I have a whole new list of tips on tap for you. Before I do that (look for it in a few days), I want to talk about a topic that's come up gain and again in Early Career Programming events and in conversation with my colleagues. 

That topic is: how do you establish independence early in your career?

As a PhD student, I've started exploring post-graduate opportunities from post-doctoral positions (post docs) with the goal of faculty placement to industry scientist positions and all options in between. What I'm hearing from other Early Career Researchers (ECR) at Scientific Sessions #AHA17 is that no matter what path you find yourself on: 

• PhD student to post-doc
• Post-doc to faculty
• Or just a switch in institutions

How do you extricate yourself from the identify of your mentor?

How do you build a strong support system for your new job at your new institution?
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How do you set yourself up to achieve the 2-year, 5-year, even 10-year goals you're dreaming for yourself?

For once, I feel that the answer is actually a bit assuring. 

Despite the diverse requirements, challenges, and benefits of these situations, a similar approach can be taken for all of them. 

1. Find out what mentoring system they have in place at your new place. Ask during the interview. Ask how long it has been in place, and what activities are involved. 
2. Talk to your current mentor about finding a local mentor. Moving institutions does not mean the end of this mentee-mentor relationship you've hopefully cultivated for the past few years. But use that relationship to build new bridges and tap into something at your new position that will help you put down roots and be successful. 
3. Think outside the box you've built with your present mentor. What questions have you thought of that branch off of your current data? Follow those. The evolution of your research interests follow a pattern - you need only reflect to identify it. Exploring new hypotheses - even those that stand in contrast to your mentor's - help you become your own investigator. Standing on your own feet is often just what we need as a self-confidence boost to the other parts of our lives. 

What experiences have you had changing institutions or launching your independent career? What have you learned? Share with all of us in the comments.

​BD