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50 CAREER ADVICE FOR LIFE SCIENTISTS

Creative Mentoring Strategies

Christine H. Block

Northeastern Ohio Universities

College of Medicine

A

ll sports have a coach who guides the players,

not only through the technical aspects of the

game, but, more importantly, toward the goal

of winning through strategic thinking. Likewise, suc-

cess in science requires coaching. Early in a scientist’s

career, there is extensive formal education, with strong

emphasis on didactics, technical skills and critical

thinking. During this period, less weight is placed on

the strategic aspects of the career. The maturing scien-

tist moves into the next position, perhaps facing a

novel requirement, like writing a grant to support their

research. Suddenly, the mechanics of being a scientist

must be learned in a crash course. Where was I when

this was taught in school?, they ask. At this point, the

junior scientist may seek out a coach for the specific sit-

uation, such as writing that first grant or addressing

and rebutting a reviewer’s comments, and the mentor-

mentee relationship is born.

Scientists, in general, are naïve in the practice of sci-

ence as business. They think hypothetically and seek

answers through logical reasoning and experimenta-

tion. This process isolates them intellectually from the

shrewd tactics of politics that pervade the business of

science. Obtaining funding for a research project with

adequate indirect costs, or learning that a well-

designed research question and hypotheses are not in

vogue or fundable, can be perplexing to the neophyte

scientist. Skills in grantsmanship, ethics, animal wel-

fare, traditional careers in science and alternative aca-

demic positions are rarely considered in graduate

school. In addition, with keen competition for limited

Where was I when this was taught

in school?