taking classes as a postdoc?

[moar coffee]

I recently interviewed for a postdoc in a public health department at an R1. My focus is in medical sociology. After I explained my research to the Chair, they concluded that I needed to take their public health classes (intro, methods, theory) in their dept as part of the postdoc. Is this a normal request for a postdoc, and more specifically, is taking several classes in the dept normal for a medical sociologist postdoc'ing in a public health dept? Would you guys accept an offer if it involved taking more classes? Thoughts appreciated, just so I can gauge whether this is reasonable or not. I'm not too keen on it, personally.

[guesty]

I think there's a number of ways to answer this question.

The first: is this normal? No. Its not normal for a program "to require" post docs to take a number of very specific courses. A seminar--yes. Or suggesting that this might be a good use your time to learn something new? Yes. Requiring you to "sign up" for 3 or 4 classes is not normal. At least not in my experience with public health schools. (Cavaet: I'm not a faculty member at a public health program, but I got an MPH and watched what the postdocs did and didn't do.)

The second: Would I take it? Well, as always, it depends on what else is on offer. Is the postdoc worth taking a few classes? Maybe. If its this or nothing. But its not the best way to use your time. And frankly, unless they're going to give you a certificate, I don't think "extra classes" will even help you find jobs on the public health school market. If they're going to give you an MPH for your troubles...maybe. If public health school positions are what you're looking for. But a few classes you took at a postdoc won't matter at all on that market.

So, if you have an actual offer of this postdoc, you may want to clarify and possibly negotiate what that means: do they really want you to relive your grad student days and take a bunch of classes, from beginning to end? Or could you sit in on a few pertinent lectures, audit, etc?

[weird]

I am a medical sociologist and received a postdoc offer at a top public health school. I did not have an MPH and they didn't have a problem with it. In fact, I asked if it would be possible to take classes during my postdoc tenure and they discouraged it, saying that I would be too wrapped up in research.

I think it's a weird request. Wouldn't they rather you teach or do research then have you sit in class? I hope they are at least offering to pay for your classes, but it's still weird. Personally, I would only do it if it were a really prestigious postdoc or if I had no other offers on the table.

[moar coffee]

Thank you for your comments - both very helpful!

No, public health positions are not what I'm looking for in the long term. I'm really comfortable with med soc. But so far my only other offer is a soft money gig. I like the idea of a postdoc because I need time to crank out articles, not spend all my time writing grants. If I'm taking classes (and completing all the requirements in them *shudder*) then it defeats the purpose of what I want to do. I don't know how negotiable these things are, but I think I will ask to audit classes rather than fully enroll. If that's not what they envision for me then I'll take the soft money job.

My outside member helped me get this position. After having read my dissertation, zhe was pushing for me to postdoc in hir department. I'm very grateful for the opportunity of course, but I don't think they realized how sociological my research is...

I think the chair felt like I lacked knowledge of public health methods and theory. It's not that I'm completely ignorant of them, I'm just more interested in classic sociological concepts like identity within health contexts. I'm also well read in community health. I'm not interested in functional health. Not at all interested population health. Really dreading learning about these topics that don't apply to my research focus.

[former postdoc]

I am a medical sociologist who had a postdoc at a med school. I was allowed to audit (not take the class so I did not have to do all the homework) courses. I decided to audit a few advanced stat courses because I thought it would benefit me. I was not required, though.