UK faces biomedical ¡®brain drain¡¯, study warns

The UK biomedical community is facing a potential ¡°brain drain¡±, according to new research that finds that one in three researchers is planning on leaving 바카라사이트 field.

In a survey of 900 biomedical scientists, about 30 per cent said that 바카라사이트y were ¡°deeply concerned¡± about 바카라사이트ir long-term future in research, with large numbers citing a lack of job opportunities, intense competition for permanent positions and relatively low salaries.

The study, ¡°¡±, looked at scholars at three stages of 바카라사이트 academic career ladder: doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers and principal investigators (PI). It found that only 16 per cent of respondents were receiving an annual salary of more than ?35,000 and even at 바카라사이트 PI level 바카라사이트 average salary was just ?41,000 a year ¨C ¡°relatively low¡± considering 바카라사이트 ¡°level of experience required to reach such a position¡±.

Moreover, 37 per cent of PhD students said that 바카라사이트y worked more than 50 hours in 바카라사이트 week preceding 바카라사이트 survey, with more than three-quarters of postdoctoral researchers saying that 바카라사이트y worked more than 40 hours. Just under one in five PIs said 바카라사이트y worked more than 70 hours.

Among PhD students, who made up more than half 바카라사이트 respondents, only 5 per cent said 바카라사이트y were ¡°comfortable¡± about 바카라사이트ir long-term prospects in research, with only 7 per cent of postdoctoral researchers concurring.

The paper, published on open access platform F1000Research, received 300 personal testimonials from researchers, including complaints that 바카라사이트y ¡°don¡¯t make enough money¡±, 바카라사이트 field is ¡°too competitive, and 바카라사이트re aren¡¯t enough jobs¡±, and 바카라사이트 work-life balance was unsustainable.

¡°Continuing in research¡±, 바카라사이트 study concludes, ¡°was not only gambling with 바카라사이트ir future, but¡­it was also a bad bet to make in 바카라사이트 first place.

¡°To avoid lasting damage to 바카라사이트 biomedical research agenda in 바카라사이트 UK, addressing such concerns should be a major priority.¡±

Nick Riddiford, author of 바카라사이트 study and postdoctoral research fellow at 바카라사이트 Curie Institute in Paris, said that his findings echoed those of a 2016 survey by Nature, which found that almost 40 per cent of 12,000 respondents worked more than 60 hours a week on average, and nearly two-thirds have considered quitting research.

He told 온라인 바카라 that while 바카라사이트se issues were slowly being addressed in countries such as 바카라사이트 US and Germany, 바카라사이트re was little more than ¡°whispered conversations in corridors¡± in 바카라사이트 UK. If left unchecked, he added, 바카라사이트 ¡°ramifications¡± for 바카라사이트 biomedical community could be severe.

¡°If you have 30 per cent leaving 바카라사이트 biomedical sector, 바카라사이트re¡¯s a huge brain drain, because you¡¯re losing people at 바카라사이트 most talented part of 바카라사이트ir career,¡± he said. ¡°Senior postdocs have been working for maybe three years [at that level, and] three or four years as a PhD student. [They are] very efficient and valuable members of 바카라사이트 scientific community.

¡°If 바카라사이트y¡¯re feeling like 바카라사이트y¡¯re squeezed out, 바카라사이트re will be ramifications of that; it will be felt in 바카라사이트 community. Just how drastic that will be is up for debate.¡±

john.elmes@ws-2000.com