How OCPD Responded

• Managing Your Career During COVID-19 (new). Webpage. A, C, D, E 
• How Do I Spend My Time Wisely During Shelter-in-place? (new). Video. C, D, E
• Developing Your Independent Research Plan (new). Video. A
• Introduction to Exploring Faculty Careers (new). Video. A
• 1:1 Private Counseling Appointments. D

Note: B (Working and connecting with faculty online) was further broken down and addressed in the following Pulse Survey and response

Summary

• Students and postdocs are most concerned about preparing for the next step in their career and connecting with faculty online in order to do so.
• OCPD created a landing webpage for new and existing resources that address these concerns. This page walks the visitor through how they can support their career during the pandemic depending on which career stage they are in. Our first new resources on this page address using time away from lab wisely and preparing for academic careers.

How OCPD Responded

• Hiring Freezes (new). Career Conversation Video. A, B.
• Developing Your Independent Research Plan (new). Video. C.
• Shine in Your Video Interviews (new). Webpage. B, E.
• Negotiating a Faculty Position during COVID-19 (new). Webpage. B.
• Weekly emails highlighting videos, slide decks, and other UCSF offices (new). Outreach. F, H.
• Managing Your Relationship with Your Research Advisor. Slide deck. B, E, H.
• Having a Career Conversation with Your Research Advisor. Slide deck. A, E.
• 1:1 Private Counseling Appointments. A, B, C

Summary

• Students and postdocs are talking about career goals and readjusting expectations with their PIs, and having these conversations virtually is what’s most challenging.
• OCPD created new videos and webpages on interviewing online and managing academic careers during the pandemic. We also began sending a weekly email outreach which included links to existing resources on having conversations with research advisors and other articles to help normalize the experiences of students and postdocs.

How OCPD Responded

• Managing Productivity Expectations (new). Career Conversation Video.
• Choosing Your Thesis Lab (new). Career Conversation Video.
• 1:1 Private Counseling Appointments.

Summary

• Students and postdocs find videos, slide decks, and short live workshops the most helpful formats fore OCPD's resources. Additionally, 70% of students and postdocs feel they are expected to be more productive than they can be right now.
• OCPD created a new video series called "Career Conversations" as a forum for discussions between staff experts in a format that students and postdocs asked for. We filmed a conversation about managing productivity expectations and one about choosing thesis labs for students unable to do in-person rotations.

How OCPD Responded

• Collecting sample NIH grants for sharing in online appointments (in progress). Resource. A
• Grantsmanship (in development). Program. B.
• Recorded programs on applying for NIH grants. Webpage. C.
• Strengthen Your Candidacy. Slide deck. D.
• Find Your Five Mentors. Slide deck and video. D.

Summary

• Students and postdocs want sample grants and information on grantsmanship to support their grant-writing. They also benefit from getting feedback from PIs besides their research mentor, but aren't sure how to get it.
• OCPD is redesigning our grants support by expanding our collection of sample grants and developing new resources on grantsmanship. We also sent out existing resources on reaching out to faculty and developing mentoring relationships to help students and postdocs get support from PI's other than their research mentors.

How OCPD Responded

OCPD continued offering the services that students and postdocs find most helpful: our weekly email, our website, and new videos. We also addressed the large percentage of students and postdocs who feel they don't need counseling appointments by clarifying the types of questions we can help with and by lowering the barriers to booking an appointment.

Sample response to "Please tell us about your experience with OCPD's services since the shelter-in-place began":

"I'm so thankful for OCPD's programming and continued communications.  Even when there isn't any new material relevant for my current situation, the OCPD communications always make me feel like someone is on my side, looking out for my interests, working to help me, and I am so grateful for that."

Summary

• Students and postdocs find OCPD’s weekly email and website most helpful. Few students and postdocs experience barriers to accessing OCPD's resources.

How OCPD Responded

• Staying on Track with Your Career (new). Website.
• How to Plan for Success During COVID and Beyond (new). Program.
• 1:1 Private Counseling Appointments.

Summary

• 86% of students and postdocs are concerned about the impact the restart of research will have on their career and professional development. Respondents expressed concerns related to returning to campus, not returning to campus and other concerns.
• OCPD developed a new webpage articulating the issues and concerns of the students and postdocs in each of these categories as well as strategies for having conversations with their PI's about what matters to them, and is offering a program on how to create a new career plan.