The Individual Development Plan (IDP) is intended to help postdocs leverage their mentored training into a successful career path. An IDP is a tool, created by the postdoc in collaboration with their mentor, to map and meet individual career goals. It is a list of goals and objectives set to a specific timeline. The goals include those related to the postdoc's research, training, skills development, and career planning. Postdocs will work with their faculty mentor to establish a plan with realistic goals, articulated strategies and a timeline for achieving articulated goals.
The IDP is meant to facilitate the postdoc's professional growth and:
- Initiate discussion between mentor and mentee, clarifying expectations
- Focus individualized needs and goals as defined by the participant
- Clarify short- and long-term goals often required by funding agencies and the activities required to meet them.
IDPs are required of postdocs and must be submitted within three months of appointment date. Submit to the Office of Research & Graduate Studies: research@pdx.edu.
Guidelines for completing an Individual Development Plan