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Fox Chase Listed Among the Top Places in the Nation for Postdocs
The Scientist's 2011 Best Places to Work for Postdocs survey ranks Fox Chase 8th in the Nation
PHILADELPHIA (March 1, 2011) – Fox Chase Cancer Center has been listed among the top 15 best places in the nation for postdoctoral researchers—also known simply as “postdocs”—to work by The Scientist’s annual Best Places to Work for Postdocs survey. Fox Chase was the only top-ranked institution in Pennsylvania and ranked 8th overall in the U.S.
The survey, now in its 9th year, invites readers who identify themselves as non-tenured life scientists working in academia, industry, or non-commercial research institutions to assess all aspects of their postdoctoral life, from working conditions to benefits to family and personal life. Respondents of this year’s survey said they value creative freedom and individualism when rating the working environment at their institutions.
“This recognition acknowledges the uniqueness of our Institute, which focuses on training our young scientists for independent careers in academic and translational medicine,” says Maureen Murphy, PhD, Director of Fox Chase’s Postdoctoral Training Program. “The fact that we have placed so highly in this survey, year after year, has also allowed us to recruit some of the best postdoctoral talent in the country.”
This year’s survey yielded responses from 2,881 postdocs at 76 U.S. institutions and 17 non-U.S. institutions. Respondents were asked to assess their postdoc experience according to 38 criteria in 9 different areas by scoring positive statements. Answers were scored on a 1 to 5 scale with 5 = "Strongly agree," 1 = "Strongly disagree" and 3 = "Neither agree nor disagree." The criteria included statements relating to the lab's principal investigator, colleagues, department or division and the institution.
Unlike many other universities and research institutions, at Fox Chase postdocs do not compete with graduate, medical and undergraduate students for attention, training, and resources, but instead are part of an environment that encourages strong collaboration across all disciplines, both scientific and medical.
For more information about the Fox Chase Postdoctoral Research Program, including a video tour, visit www.fccc.edu/research/postdoc/.
Fox Chase Cancer Center, part of Temple University Health System, is one of the leading cancer research and treatment centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation’s first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase also was among the first institutions to receive the National Cancer Institute’s prestigious comprehensive cancer center designation in 1974. Fox Chase researchers have won the highest awards in their fields, including two Nobel Prizes. Fox Chase physicians are routinely recognized in national rankings, and the Center’s nursing program has achieved Magnet status for excellence three consecutive times. Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research and oversees programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship, and community outreach. For more information, call 1-888-FOX-CHASE (1-888-369-2427).
