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Postdoctoral Fellow Resources

The BRET Office assists the School of Medicine postdoctoral fellows during their biomedical training at Vanderbilt University (VU) and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC).

All new biomedical postdoctoral fellows and trainees should plan to attend an introductory meeting in the BRET Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, Light Hall 707, to discuss the resources offered by the BRET Office and VU/VUMC. This Introductory Meeting should not be confused with HR Employee or the VUMC Orientation, which is mandatory for Postdoctoral Research Fellows, or the Visa orientation in the Student Life Center, mandatory for postdoctoral visa holders.

Please visit the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs Onboarding Webpage for more information leading up to your arrival on campus.

BRET Postdoc Leadership and Support

  • Jan Varadarajan, PhD

    Jan Varadarajan, PhD

    Assistant Director, Postdoctoral Support

    Project Manager, Outcomes Research

  • Eden Anderson

    Eden Anderson

    Program Coordinator, Postdoctoral Affairs

    • Light Hall 707
  • Walter J. Chazin, PhD

    Walter J. Chazin, PhD

    Senior Associate Dean, Biomedical Research Education and Training

    Chancellor's Chair in Medicine
    Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry
    Co-Director, Molecular Biophysics Training Program
    Founding Director, Center for Structural Biology

Important Links for BRET Postdocs

  • BRET Trainee Engagement and Well-being

    Serving the BRET community to support their care and needs

    Learn more.

  • BRET Postdoc Well-being Resource Guide

    Physical and mental health, online wellness, hardship funds, academic success

    Read the guide.

  • BRET Career and Professional Development

    From career exploration to cultivating professional excellence, the BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program provides biomedical and life sciences PhD students and postdoctoral fellows with comprehensive career support for academia, industry, and beyond.

    Learn more.

  • Funding Resources

    The BRET Office has numerous resources to assist you to find and apply for funding.

    Review resources.

  • BRET International Trainee Support

    The BRET Office provides resources and advisors for the international trainee scholar.

    Learn more.

Individual Development Plan (IDP) for Postdoctoral Fellows

This Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a valuable communication and planning tool which encourages collaboration between postdoctoral fellows and their research advisors.

  • IDP for Postdocs

    This Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a valuable communication and planning tool which encourages collaboration between postdoctoral fellows and their research advisors. All postdoctoral fellows must complete and submit an IDP within three to six months of her or his initial appointment, as soon as the postdoctoral project(s) are identified. Having a clear project vision and consensus between postdoc and advisor at the beginning of the postdoctoral appointment prevents later misunderstanding. Subsequently, each postdoctoral fellow and visiting research fellow must complete and submit a renewed IDP at the time of annual reappointment.

    Goals of the IDP

    An annual IDP is one component of a broader professional development strategy and mentoring strategy. Specifically, it helps postdoctoral fellows:

    • Identify progress in training and document accomplishments to date.
    • Set goals for the upcoming year, including discussing how to spend time to maximize progress toward career, professional development, and project goals.
    • Identify short-term needs for improving performance.
    • Define ways to develop specific skills and experience needed to prepare for long-term career goals and complete research training.

    Your IDP will be sent to you via an email that includes a link to the electronic IDP. The email includes instructions for completing and submitting your IDP.   

    Completing the Individual Development Plan (IDP) at the beginning of the postdoctoral fellow’s appointment has proven to be most successful . The first page of the IDP confirms aims and their significance. A clear vision between postdoc and mentor at the beginning of the postdoctoral appointment prevents later misunderstanding.

    A postdoc’s annual reappointment letter will not be issued without a completed Individual Development Plan with mentor’s comments. Four months prior to a reappointment start date, the postdoc will receive an email with a link to complete  their IDP.

     

    myIDP is a complementary tool which provides:

    • Exercises to help you examine your skills, interests, and values
    • A list of 20 scientific career paths with a prediction of which ones best fit your skills and interests
    • A tool for setting strategic goals for the coming year, with optional reminders to keep you on track
    • Articles and resources to guide you through the process

    myIDP should not be confused or mistaken with the IDP that postdocs must complete for reappointment.

Other Links for Postdocs

  • Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

    OPA is the central resource for postdoctoral services and serves as a liaison among postdocs and central University administrative offices.

    Learn more.

  • Human Resources & Onboarding

    General information for your postdoc start.

    Onboarding resources.

  • Open Postdoc Positions

    Current openings for postdoctoral positions on campus.

    Campus openings.

  • Graduate and Postdoc Academic Success

    The Graduate & Postdoc Academic Success (GPAS) program provides the critical infrastructure and support for College/School leadership, departments/programs, and faculty to assist their students and postdocs in reaching their academic goals.

    Learn more about GPAS.

  • Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association (VPA)

    Connect with other postdoctoral fellows across both the VU and VUMC campus.

    Connect with the VPA.

  • Postdoc of Concern

    As a postdoc, faculty, staff member, or family member you may recognize a fellow Commodore in distress who may benefit from wellness support and professional resources.

    Help a postdoc.

  • The Institute for the Advancement of Higher Ed (AdvancED)

    Vanderbilt's hub for teaching excellence and educational innovation.

    Learn about AdvancED.

  • National Postdoc Association

    The NPA is a national organization to improve the postdoc experience by supporting a culture of inclusive connect.

    Grow with NPA.

Exit Survey for Postdocs

Graph of VU postdocs first position

If you are ending your postdoc at Vanderbilt, either leaving Vanderbilt or changing your title here at Vanderbilt, please accept the best wishes of the faculty and staff of the BRET Office for success in your future endeavors.

Please log in below* and take our exit survey. The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete, and survey participants may enter a drawing for a $1,000 amazon.com gift certificate, to be awarded once per year to a postdoctoral fellow who completes the exit survey the previous year. The next drawing will take place in December.

Your completion of this survey is of utmost importance for a number of reasons. We are building an alumni network of former graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to benefit all – allowing us to network, trade career information and to invite speakers to our career and Postdoctoral Association events. Also, we must keep track of outcomes for program planning and future funding applications. See chart above.

Please log on here.

*An important note to postdocs who have left Vanderbilt: If you no longer have a VUNet ID and password, please email SOMpostdocs@vanderbilt.edu or phone Aaron at (615) 875-9050.