Madam, – Dr Sarah Harney (August 17th) seems misinformed about the nature of the post-doctoral researcher position on several counts. Let’s consider the career paths which “doctors” undertake: 1. A post-doctoral position is a training position much like a resident in the US or a junior doctor in Europe. In New York, where I am working, post-docs earn an average salary of $41,000. Residents, who have also completed “eight years of third- and fourth-level education” earn slightly more but work much longer hours and do not enjoy many of the benefits of a career in research which she outlined. In both cases there is an aim to completing the training: in science, it is to become a tenured faculty member, in medicine, a consultant doctor. 2. Dr Harney states that a career in science “will quite likely lead you to emigrate”. The need to travel and gain experience in centres of excellence is common to both science and medicine graduates in Ireland. Most consultant doctors have spent time training abroad to advance their careers.
Science and medicine are similar in many ways. Both have long training periods due to the complex nature of their work, both require commitment and discipline but ultimately both fields provide a very rewarding and fulfilling career. – Yours, etc,