Number Of Postdocs Declines In Biomedical Sciences, Study Shows

After decades of increases, the number of postdocs in the biomedical sciences has declined, a new analysis shows. The number of biomedical science postdocs in the U.S. decreased 5.5% from 40,970 in 2010 to 38,719 in 2013 after rising steadily since 1979, researchers report in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) (2015, DOI: 10.1096/fj.15-280552). Postdoc numbers declined across many sectors, including men, women, U.S. citizens, and foreign workers. The number of men declined the most, falling by 10.4% from 2010 to 2013. The authors say that the number of graduate students and the number of visas for foreign workers was not related to the decline in the postdoc population. Instead, they suggest that a decrease in research grants, independent laboratories, and job openings may be the cause. “For some newly minted Ph.D. students, eschewing a postdoc may reflect a rational response to a tight academic labor market with low compensation and uncertain prospects for success,” says Howard Garrison, lead author of the paper and a deputy executive director for policy at FASEB.