Making Informed Decisions (MIND): Bringing Structure and Community to Career Exploration

On

Career exploration should not feel mysterious, lonely, or squeezed into the margins of an already demanding research life.

Yet for many PhD students and postdoctoral scholars, it does.

UCSF trainees are deeply committed to advancing science and health. At the same time, they are navigating a rapidly evolving career landscape, shaped by changes in funding, workforce needs, and emerging interdisciplinary fields. Too often, career exploration happens in isolation, without structure, community, or protected time.

The Making Informed Decisions (MIND) Program was built to change that.

The Problem We Are Solving

Across UCSF, we hear similar questions:

  • How do I explore careers without falling behind in my research?

  • Where do I start?

  • How do I know if a career path is a good fit before I commit to it?

  • Who can I talk to that understands both science and the broader workforce?

Unstructured exploration can lead to decision paralysis, misinformation, and unnecessary stress. It can also widen inequities, favoring those who already have networks or insider knowledge.

MIND addresses this gap directly by providing a structured, community-based approach to career exploration that fits within the realities of graduate and postdoctoral training.

Who Is Eligible?

The MIND Program is open to:

  • All current UCSF PhD students

  • Postdoctoral scholars in the five UCSF postdoctoral title codes

  • Master’s students in:

    • Artificial Intelligence and Computational Drug Discovery and Development

    • Biomedical Imaging

    • Clinical and Epidemiological Research

    • Health Data Science

    • History of Health Sciences

    • Translational Medicine

By intentionally including trainees across multiple disciplines and degree programs, MIND strengthens cross-campus connection and expands professional networks beyond a single lab or department.

What The MIND Program Provides

Beginning March 3 and running for 16 weeks through the end of Spring Quarter, MIND participants will engage in a guided exploration process designed for busy researchers.

Participants will receive:

  • Structured workshops on different aspects of career exploration

  • Support arranging informational interviews with professionals across sectors

  • Guidance in using job simulations to test real-world tasks

  • Peer-based MIND Meetups to process insights and learn from each other

  • Expanded professional networks through cohort interaction

The program includes 9 hours of scheduled workshops and events, 12 hours of MIND Meetups, and approximately one hour per week of independent exploration. Most sessions are held in person at Mission Bay, with online options available to ensure accessibility.

Importantly, the program balances accountability and flexibility. Participants are expected to complete workshops and Meetups, either live or through make-up options. Because peer learning is central to the experience, consistent engagement matters.

Advancing UCSF’s Institutional Priorities

The MIND Program directly supports UCSF’s commitment to:

Training the next generation of biomedical leaders.
Our graduates belong not only at the bench and in the clinic, but also in policy, industry, entrepreneurship, data science, communication, and public service. MIND prepares trainees to explore these pathways intentionally and skillfully.

Workforce readiness and informed career decision-making.
Rather than leaving career outcomes to chance, MIND equips trainees with tools to evaluate options, test assumptions, and make evidence-based decisions.

Equity and access.
By providing structured programming, peer community, and facilitated networking, MIND reduces reliance on informal networks and expands access to career exploration resources across disciplines.

Trainee well-being.
Clarity reduces anxiety. A supported exploration process helps trainees move from uncertainty to agency, even in a shifting job market.

Career exploration does not have to be mysterious. It does not have to be isolating. And it does not have to compete with research.

Through the Making Informed Decisions (MIND) Program, OCPD is creating a structured, community-driven pathway for UCSF trainees to explore broadly, decide intentionally, and move forward with confidence.

Applications are now open for the Spring cohort. Log on to Handshake to register.