Navigating Translational Medicine in Academia: How Can Translational Scientists Be Rewarded and Supported in Their Careers?

Abstract

This is the overarching research question of my action-based PhD dissertation. During my biomedical training I became interested in the pivotal role this subset of biomedical scientists has in bringing much needed healthcare innovations into clinical settings. While learning about the complex translational pipeline and the many stakeholders involved, I couldn’t help but notice opposing forces within the careers of translational scientists. On the one hand these scientists are working towards solving unmet patient needs, on the other they are largely assessed on metrics such as publication and citation records. These records are classic metrics used to evaluate scientific careers, but in the case of translational scientists their main goal is to create patient impact which involves work outside of the research domain. Negative consequences of publication pressure, e.g., increased scientific misconduct and burnout, are challenges all researchers face. On top of that, translational scientists often lack comprehensive reward structures recognizing their specialized work beyond research activities. So how can translational scientists be rewarded and supported in their careers? We found a need for alternative performance measurements that include tasks within other domains (e.g., clinical and educational), mentorship programs to develop mentorship skills, receive and provide career support, and gain or expand an (international) network of translational scientists, and the opportunity for the development of translational competencies at graduate-level to support sustainable career pathways. We hope this dissertation can contribute towards mitigating the opposing forces within the careers of translational scientists and facilitate them in reaching their ultimate goal of impacting patients.