Important considerations when applying for a postdoctoral fellowship

AbstractPurpose: To examine important decision points that graduates should consider before applying for a postdoctoral fellowship.Methods: A literature review was performed.Findings and Conclusions: A synthesis of the present data on the postdoctoral fellowship, eligibility criteria, application process, and important considerations was provided. Experiential knowledge from four present postdoctoral fellows was included. The goals, advantages, and disadvantages of the fellowship were discussed. In conclusion, the postdoctoral fellowship was examined to offer important considerations in the decision to pursue this opportunity.Clinical Relevance: The clinical relevance of this article is related to the training and education of nurses to become the next generation of independent, successful scholars and scientists. Postdoctoral training adds valuable contributions and quality to the field of nursing.Key wordsPostdoctoral nurse fellowship, graduate training, nurse educationPostdoctoral fellowships are considered an integral part of the educational process in the development of future nurse scientists (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Nursing science has evolved since the early 1970s, when nursing doctoral programs were just beginning to develop in universities across the country. Currently, the emphasis on postdoctoral training resulted in the average placement of 70 doctorally prepared nurses in postdoctoral fellowships across the United States (National Science Foundation [NSF], 2010). Upon completion of a PhD program, doctoral graduates are faced with several options, with postdoctoral training representing an important step in the development of an academic or research career. Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript is to examine important decision points that graduates should consider before applying for a postdoctoral fellowship. We will define the role and expectations within a fellowship, outline important considerations in applying for programs, and discuss how postdoctoral goals are influenced by potential funding mechanisms within various programs. The decision points outlined in this article are based on the experiences of four recent postdoctoral fellows who were each funded using different mechanisms.Postdoctoral Fellowship Role and ResourcesThe Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Medline-PubMed electronic databases were searched using the key words "postdoctoral," "fellowship," "scholarship," "nursing," "postgraduate," "education," and "training." The Internet was also searched using "postdoctoral nursing fellowship" as a key phrase. The focus was placed on nursing postdoctoral fellowships, but also referred to fellowships in other disciplines for supplementary data and to fill gaps in the nursing literature. There were limited numbers of articles in peer-reviewed journals, but those included in this review were published in the past 8 years to report current and relevant data for decision making. In addition, we included valuable resources for those considering the pursuit of a postdoctoral fellowship that can be found in the Clinical Resources section. These resources were chosen for their national reputation in research and funding or advocacy and first-hand use and navigation by the authors.Several institutions of higher learning and professional societies have defined the postdoctoral fellowship. The National Postdoctoral Association, a 501 (c)3 nonprofit, professional association and international advocacy group for postdoctoral trainees, defines a postdoctoral scholar as "an individual holding a doctoral degree who is engaged in a temporary period of mentored research and/or scholarly training for the purpose of acquiring the professional skills needed to pursue a career path of his or her choosing" (National Postdoctoral Association [NPA], 2012). Therefore, postdoctoral fellowships represent an opportunity to help scholars establish programs of research (Downs & Morrison, 2011) and grow publication portfolios (Jacob & Lefgren, 201 1). …