Assessing the Mental Health Crisis Among New York’s Postdoctoral Researchers

Grave concerns have been raised in recent years regarding the graduate student mental health crisis in academia; however, similar attention has not been focused on the subsequent and more challenging career stage in science, that of the postdoctoral researchers. We conducted a pilot survey among postdoctoral associates ( N =160) at Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University’s medical school in New York City, to understand the unique challenges faced by the postdoctoral community. Our survey found that respondents’ mental health and wellness were primarily affected by challenges intrinsic to the demands of academic life, with additional factors related to living in a major metropolitan city. Additionally, the survey identified unique challenges of postdoctoral researchers based on their gender, ethnicity, or citizenship/immigration status. Finally, our analyses also found that respondents had a negative outlook on career progression and ability to transition into an independent position within academia. These results are in line with similar surveys conducted in the past among students and postdoctoral researchers, and highlight the fact that, despite critical evidence, the situation has not changed overtime. Further studies should be conducted across various institutions and cities to gather more comprehensive data on the mental health and wellbeing of early-stage academic researchers. The findings from this study can be utilized by institutional Postdoctoral Offices or Associations to provide updated policies and resources aimed at alleviating some of the professional stresses faced by postdoctoral researchers.