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Lack of strategic funding and long-term job security threaten to have profound effects on cardiovascular researcher retention in Australia
Citation
Climie, RE and Wu, JHY and Calkin, AC and Chapman, N and Inglis, SC and Mirabito Colafella, KM and Picone, DS and Tan, JTM and Thomas, E and Viola, HM and Wise, SG and Murphy, AJ and Nelson, MR and Nicholls, SJ and Hool, LC and Doyle, K and Figtree, GA and Marques, FZ, on behalf of the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance, Lack of strategic funding and long-term job security threaten to have profound effects on cardiovascular researcher retention in Australia, Heart Lung and Circulation, 29, (11) pp. 1588-1595. ISSN 1443-9506 (2020) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2020 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ)
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.hlc.2020.07.010
Abstract
Methods: We used an online survey distributed across Australian cardiovascular societies/councils, universities and research institutes over a period of 6 months during 2019, with 548 completed responses. Inclusion criteria included being an Australian resident or an Australian citizen who lived overseas, and a current or past student or employee in the field of cardiovascular research.
Results: The mean age of respondents was 42±13 years, 47% were male, 85% had a full-time position, and 40% were a group leader or laboratory head. Twenty-three per cent (23%) had permanent employment, and 82% of full-time workers regularly worked >40 hours/week. Sixty-eight per cent (68%) said they had previously considered leaving the cardiovascular research sector. If their position could not be funded in the next few years, a staggering 91% of respondents would leave the sector. Compared to PhD- and age-matched men, women were less likely to be a laboratory head and to feel they had a long-term career path as a cardiovascular researcher, while more women were unsure about future employment and had considered leaving the sector (all p<0.05). Greater job security (76%) and government and philanthropic investment in cardiovascular research (72%) were highlighted by responders as the main changes to current practices that would encourage them to stay.
Conclusion: Strategic solutions, such as diversification of career pathways and funding sources, and moving from a competitive to a collaborative culture, need to be a priority to decrease reliance on government funding and allow cardiovascular researchers to thrive.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | cardiovascular, funding, tender equity, workforce |
| Research Division: | Biomedical and Clinical Sciences |
| Research Group: | Cardiovascular medicine and haematology |
| Research Field: | Cardiology (incl. cardiovascular diseases) |
| Objective Division: | Health |
| Objective Group: | Clinical health |
| Objective Field: | Clinical health not elsewhere classified |
| UTAS Author: | Climie, RE (Miss Rachel Climie) |
| UTAS Author: | Chapman, N (Miss Niamh Chapman) |
| UTAS Author: | Picone, DS (Mr Dean Picone) |
| UTAS Author: | Nelson, MR (Professor Mark Nelson) |
| ID Code: | 140982 |
| Year Published: | 2020 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 3 |
| Deposited By: | Menzies Institute for Medical Research |
| Deposited On: | 2020-09-17 |
| Last Modified: | 2021-04-07 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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