Coalition for Next Generation Life Sciences

Coalition Goals

Because of our deep commitment to excellence in training, we joined nine major research universities as founding members of the Coalition for Next Generation Life Science. The Coalition has increased to 45 institutions since its inception. The goal of the coalition is to provide data on outcomes of scientific training to help those who are considering a career in the biomedical sciences make informed career decisions. More information about the coalition's vision is described in an article in the Dec. 15, 2017 issue of the journal Science. Drs. Elizabeth Watkins (University of California, San Francisco) and Peter Espenshade (Johns Hopkins University) are leading the group's efforts.

The coalition plans to provide a standardized approach to data collection and presentation with the aim of providing transparency for students considering biomedical careers. The data will also be useful in identifying areas for improvement in our educational efforts. The data that is being collected at each institution includes:

• The median time it takes to complete a Ph.D. degree and the median time spent in postdoctoral training
• The demographics of students and postdoctoral fellows
• The job outcomes of trainees

These efforts will be ongoing during 2018-2019. We are inspired by the commitment of our coalition partners to this important project and we are pleased to work with this dedicated group to bring standardized outcome metrics and accountability to our educational efforts.