Panel: Alternative Careers for Biomedical Informatics PhDs.

The number of doctoral training programs in informatics increases every year, however not every doctoral candidate wishes to pursue a traditional career in academia. In addition, the knowledge and skills acquired through scientific training at the doctoral level can be valuable, even critical, for a number of career paths outside of academic research and teaching. This panel will present a diverse set of alternative career paths for which graduates of Informatics programs would be well suited, including patent law, research in industry, academic administration, and scientific journalism. Panelists will describe their own respective backgrounds and career paths, a day in the life in their current position, and how their training prepared them for their jobs. They will also touch on insights gained and lessons learned in exploring the professional landscape through non-traditional paths.