Postdoctoral Education

What is a Postdoctoral Scholar?

Those with postdoctoral appointments are recent recipients (normally within the past eight years) of their PhDs or equivalent doctorates. Postdoctoral scholars are engaged in  temporary and defined periods of mentored advanced training to enhance their skills and research independence necessary to pursue their chosen career path.

The role and status of a postdoctoral scholar should be clearly differentiated from those of a graduate student, full-time technical staff member, or faculty member. At Mizzou, postdoctoral scholars who hold the title “postdoctoral fellow,” are primarily engaged in research, typically in a funded research setting, such as a laboratory. Postdoctoral scholars whose responsibilities are primarily teaching (e.g., teaching 2 3-credit classes each semester) hold the title of “postdoctoral fellow – teaching.” These titles apply regardless of whether the postdoctoral trainee is a salaried employee of the university or a stipend-supported fellow receiving funding directly from a granting agency or through a Mizzou account. Postdoctoral scholars hold appointments of limited duration (typically five years or fewer).