Career Advancement: Meeting the Challenges Confronting the Next Generation of Endocrinologists and Endocrine Researchers.
Challenges and opportunities face the next generation (Next-Gen) of endocrine researchers and clinicians, the lifeblood of the field of endocrinology for the future. A symposium jointly sponsored by The Endocrine Society and the Endocrine Society of Australia was convened to discuss approaches to addressing the present and future Next-Gen needs.



Data collection by literature review, assessment of previously completed questionnaires, commissioning of a new questionnaire, and summarization of symposium discussions were studied.



Next-Gen endocrine researchers face diminishing grant funding in inflation-adjusted terms. The average age of individuals being awarded their first independent investigator funding has increased to age 45 years. For clinicians, a workforce gap exists between endocrinologists needed and those currently trained. Clinicians in practice are increasingly becoming employees of integrated hospital systems, resulting in greater time spent on nonclinical issues. Workforce data and published reviews identify challenges specifically related to early career women in endocrinology. Strategies to Address Issues: Recommendations encompassed the areas of grant support for research, mentoring, education, templates for career development, specific programs for Next-Gen members by senior colleagues as outlined in the text, networking, team science, and life/work integration. Endocrine societies focusing on Next-Gen members provide a powerful mechanism to support these critical areas.



A concerted effort to empower, train, and support the next generation of clinical endocrinologists and endocrine researchers is necessary to ensure the viability and vibrancy of our discipline and to optimize our contributions to improving health outcomes. Collaborative engagement of endocrine societies globally will be necessary to support our next generation moving forward.
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (R.J.S.), University of Virginia Health Sciences System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908; Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (A.J., M.G.-H., H.T.), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and Department of Medicine (P.R.E.), School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia; Department of Medicine (L.F.), Divisions of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes and Bioinformatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045; Department of Medicine (K.R.V.), Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
Richard J
RJ
Santen
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (R.J.S.), University of Virginia Health Sciences System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908; Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (A.J., M.G.-H., H.T.), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and Department of Medicine (P.R.E.), School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia; Department of Medicine (L.F.), Divisions of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes and Bioinformatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045; Department of Medicine (K.R.V.), Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
Anju
A
Joham
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (R.J.S.), University of Virginia Health Sciences System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908; Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (A.J., M.G.-H., H.T.), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and Department of Medicine (P.R.E.), School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia; Department of Medicine (L.F.), Divisions of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes and Bioinformatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045; Department of Medicine (K.R.V.), Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
Lauren
L
Fishbein
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (R.J.S.), University of Virginia Health Sciences System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908; Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (A.J., M.G.-H., H.T.), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and Department of Medicine (P.R.E.), School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia; Department of Medicine (L.F.), Divisions of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes and Bioinformatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045; Department of Medicine (K.R.V.), Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
Kristen R
KR
Vella
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (R.J.S.), University of Virginia Health Sciences System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908; Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (A.J., M.G.-H., H.T.), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and Department of Medicine (P.R.E.), School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia; Department of Medicine (L.F.), Divisions of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes and Bioinformatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045; Department of Medicine (K.R.V.), Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
Peter R
PR
Ebeling
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (R.J.S.), University of Virginia Health Sciences System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908; Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (A.J., M.G.-H., H.T.), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and Department of Medicine (P.R.E.), School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia; Department of Medicine (L.F.), Divisions of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes and Bioinformatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045; Department of Medicine (K.R.V.), Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
Melanie
M
Gibson-Helm
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (R.J.S.), University of Virginia Health Sciences System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908; Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (A.J., M.G.-H., H.T.), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and Department of Medicine (P.R.E.), School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia; Department of Medicine (L.F.), Divisions of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes and Bioinformatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045; Department of Medicine (K.R.V.), Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
Helena
H
Teede
D000072097:Endocrinologists / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D004704:Endocrinology / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000592:standards