Navigating the stages of an academic career for paediatricians

Abstract

In Canada, a major proportion of the country’s paediatricians work within the context of the paediatric academic health science centres (PAHSCs). These are either free-standing children’s hospitals or children’s units within general hospitals, all affiliated with a university faculty of medicine. In a recent work force analysis by the Paediatric Chairs of Canada (PCC), an association linking the 16 medical school departments of paediatrics, 1701 full-time and major part-time faculty members were identified, representing slightly more than one-half of the country’s paediatricians (1). The remaining paediatricians are increasingly involved in academic activities as more community hospitals become associated with expanding medical schools. Medical students intent on a career in paediatrics and, perhaps more importantly, paediatric residents deciding on their career paths, ought to be well informed about the options open to them, the appropriate training for each of these options as well as the expectations when entering their field of choice. Here, we address the issue of stages or phases of an academic career, and what to expect and how to successfully navigate the challenges of each phase. We make some assumptions, namely that the training for the position has been appropriate and that the job or career activity profile into which the candidate has been recruited matches this training. This is not to minimize either of these aspects of career planning and development; rather, they warrant attention in a separate article.