Q: Who is a postdoc?
A: A postdoc is an individual holding a doctoral degree who is engaged in a temporary period of full-time mentored research and/or scholarly training for the purpose of acquiring scientific and/or professional skills needed to pursue a career path of his or her choosing.
Q: What is the difference between the HMPA and the Office of Postdoctoral Fellows?
A: The Office of Postdoctoral Fellows is a professional office with full-time staff that is run and funded by the HMS administration. In contrast, the HMPA is a self-governing group of volunteers who are full-time postdocs in HMS basic science departments and/or affiliated hospitals. The HMPA and OPF work closely together to provide complementary programming for postdocs.
Q: Who is a “quad-based postdoc”?
A: A postdoc whose primary appointment is in one of the 6 basic science departments at HMS: Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology; Cell Biology; Genetics; Microbiology; Immunobiology; Neurobiology; and Systems Biology or at HSDM. Historically, these departments were located in the buildings surrounding the HMS quad - the lawn on Longwood Ave. opposite Ave. Louis Pasteur.
Q: Who is an “affiliate postdoc”?
A: A postdoc whose primary appointment is in one of the HMS affiliated hospitals, such as Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital,
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute">Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Massachusetts General Hospital, McLean Hospital, Mount Auburn Hospital, Schepens Eye Research Institute,
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital">Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.
Q: How frequently does the HMPA meet and hold events?
A:The governing board of the HMPA meets monthly to run the business of the association. The HMPA hosts events open to all postdocs on a rolling basis, including monthly happy hours, monthly peer-to-peer forum events, and frequent professional development events. You can access our calendar of events.
Q: What is the role of HMPA?
- Advocate for the Harvard medical postdoc community
- Provide a forum for discussion of Harvard medical postdocs' shared interests and concerns
- Support Harvard medical postdocs' professional development
- Foster community and communication within the Harvard medical postdoc population
- Liaise with the HMS/HSDM Office of Postdoctoral Fellows
Q: What are the HMPA bylaws?
A: The HMPA bylaws are as defined in HMPA Bylaws.