We are starting to see hiring freezes at academic institutions, many extending through the next academic year. This means that there is the potential that 2 consecutive years of academic hiring will be impacted. What can we do as a community once we are back in lab?

1. PIs need to support their senior trainees and ensure their research can continue->this means letting people have the freedom to explore their future science planned for their own lab NOW.
2. We will need flexibility in guidelines/extensions for career development awards

3) K99/R00 guidelines have to be revisited and altered, not just for current context but also for longer term->the guidelines and clock are too narrow

4) We will need foundations with resources to consider "bridge" awards to support fellows in transition. This is a different "bridge" than the normal transition to independence or for PIs who are in between grants, it is equally (if not more) pressing.

5) When conferences start back up->we need to ensure that senior fellows have increased opportunities to present their work to keep them in the spotlight until the job market normalizes. Conferences->more trainee slots, PIs->push for your trainees to speak in your stead

6) The issues relating to physician scientists embarking on a career in laboratory and/or translational science are even harder->need to have a clear plan to support and promote junior dependent faculty until they can transition

7) Any part of a plan of an institution enacting a hiring freeze/slowdown should have a clear plan to address the issues above and support their existing trainees. Not just in name, but in specific, targeted, funded actions.

8) PIs->this is the ultimate mentorship challenge and we have to rise and exceed expectations. This is on us and our institutions. PIs, esp young PIs, will have impossible choices to make->do best you can to support your people and the science!