PostDoc Appointments/Training

Postdoctoral Fellows are defined as those individuals who have recently been awarded a Ph.D., M.D., or M.D./Ph.D., or comparable degree, and whose goals are to acquire additional training and experience in order to enter a career in academia and/or a research career. A postdoctoral fellow works under the supervision of a faculty mentor who is responsible for his/her fiscal and intellectual activities. Because one goal of the postdoctoral trainee is to ultimately secure a permanent position, usually at another institution, the appointment is a temporary one. The guidelines covering the appointment of Postdoctoral Fellows and their training are outlined below.

1. There will be only one title used for postdoctoral trainees -- Postdoctoral Fellow--, regardless of source of funds (i.e. faculty grants, training grants and/or fellowship awards).
   
   
2. The initial appointment of postdoctoral fellows to the College of Medicine requires a letter of appointment signed by the faculty mentor and the Department Chair, indicating the Postdoctoral Fellow's responsibilities, term of appointment, and initial salary and benefits associated with the appointment. All initial letters of appointment will be forwarded to the Office of Faculty Affairs for review.
   
   
3. The primary purpose of postdoctoral training is to provide additional research and scholarly training in preparation for an academic and/or research career. Therefore, postdoctoral appointments are temporary and may not exceed five years. (Brief extensions may be requested when necessary to complete a critical research project.)
   
   
4. Another purpose of postdoctoral training is to develop independent investigators; however, during the course of training, the faculty mentor is expected to provide oversight, and the proposed research and scholarly activities of the postdoctoral fellow must be agreed upon and directed by the mentor.
   
   
5. The postdoctoral fellow appointment usually involves full-time research and the fellow is expected to publish the results of his/her research in conjunction with his/her faculty mentor.
   
   
6. The administration of postdoctoral fellow programs is the responsibility of the Department in conjunction with the faculty mentor or sponsor. The responsibility for mentoring postdoctoral fellows and advising and assisting them in job placement is primarily a function of the mentor. However, departments may assist in job placement whenever possible.
   
   
7. Department Chairs in conjunction with the faculty are responsible for the general oversight of the quality of the research and training of the Fellows in their academic units.
   
   
8. Because of the variability of training and talents of Postdoctoral Fellows, it is difficult to establish a rigidly stratified salary structure. Nevertheless, the salary granted at the time of the initial appointment of postdoctoral fellows should not be less than the prevailing NIH postdoctoral stipend for beginning fellows.
   
   
9. The activities of Postdoctoral Fellows are subject to all university policies applicable to other employees, including the University of Cincinnati's intellectual property policy.
   
   
10. BENEFITS:
    Health
    The Postdoctoral Fellow will be provided basic family health, dental, and prescription coverage.
    
    Vacation
    Ten days vacation will be accrued per year of training and may be carried over to a maximum of thirty (30) days. Vacation accruals will not be paid out upon separation.
    
    Sick Leave
    Sick leave will accrue at the rate of one day per month.
    
    Maternity/Paternity Leave
    Six weeks paid maternity/paternity leave will be granted. All accrued vacation and sick leave will be used as part of the six week leave.
    
    Tuition Remission
    Three (3) credit hours tuition remission will be granted to Postdoctoral Fellows.
    
    
11. Postdoctoral fellows will be required to take a course in requisite didactic material in research ethics as specified by sponsoring agencies.
    
    
12. Complaints involving postdoctoral fellows that cannot be resolved at the departmental level will be handled by a dispute resolution procedure developed by the college specifically for postdoctoral fellows.