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Postdoctoral Fellows

Welcome to the University of Michigan! Rackham welcomes and includes postdoctoral fellows in our regular graduate school programming and helps orient them to campus. Rackham also funds postdoctoral fellows initiatives, primarily through our financial support of U-M Postdoctoral Association (UMPDA). To learn more about the University of Michigan’s commitment to research, please visit the Research at Michigan Annual Reports website.

Upcoming Orientation Sessions

Please register to attend a monthly orientation session designed for newly arrived postdocs. Orientations include information about the role of postdoctoral fellows at Michigan, working with your P.I. or advisor, campus resources, benefits, and the UMPDA.

New U-M Postdoctoral Checklist and Orientation Slides

Use this checklist as a guide to ensure you have all the necessary information complete for on-boarding at the University of Michigan. The monthly Postdoctoral Orientation slides are available as a downloadable PDF (updated July 12, 2023). Attending orientation is strongly encouraged, but the slides are provided in the event that postdoctoral fellows are unable to attend orientation and for the sake of accessibility.

Postdoctoral Statistics

As part of the Coalition of Next Generation Life Sciences, U-M shares a number of figures about postdoctoral fellows for those considering careers in the biomedical sciences and those wishing to learn more about postdocs.

Connect with Community

U-M Postdoctoral Association (UMPDA)

All postdoctoral fellows are members of the U-M Postdoctoral Association.

Explore UMPDA’s website to learn how to connect with UMPDA’s co-chairs, attend a board meeting, join a peer circle, and more.

Michigan Postdoc Association of the College of Engineering (MPACE)

The Michigan Postdoctoral Association of the College of Engineering (MPACE) was established to provide professional development and socialization for CoE’s over 200 postdocs. Visit MPACE’s website to learn more.

Rackham Life Resources

On the Rackham Life page, find links to information on a range of topics that we hope will enhance your time at Michigan and help you find assistance when you need it, from connections to community groups to tips on living in Ann Arbor and resources for your personal well-being.

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Leverage Your Postdoc Training

Career Conversation Templates

It is encouraged that you copy these resources into your Google Drive and use them as guides to have conversations with your mentor.

Postdoctoral Certificates of Completion

Per U-M’s Standard Practice Guide 201.19, recognition of postdoctoral training will be issued to a Postdoctoral Research Fellow upon successful completion of the program. The responsibility for issuing certificates has been assigned to the Rackham Graduate School, upon verification of the completed training.

After verification that the postdoctoral fellow has successfully completed the training requirements, an electronic copy of the certificate will be emailed directly to the postdoctoral fellow. Certificates are created and emailed on a weekly basis depending upon receipt of the required verification.

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions regarding these certificates, including a status update, to request a correction, or request for a physical copy to be mailed.

Postdoctoral Resources

Get Connected

Professional and Career Development

Funding for Postdocs

Policies

Well-Being

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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