Do you have a plan? Individual Development Plans (IDP) are commonly used in many career sectors to help employees identify and pursue their career goals. The UF Graduate School now requires all graduate students to use an IDP during their graduate education to explore career options. Funding agencies such as the NIH also require that trainees supported by fellowships and training grants use an IDP.
Some graduate programs and departments have developed their own IDP formats, which we will post here as examples as they become available.
Check out the new website
The UF Graduate School Office of Graduate Professional Development (OGPD) recently launched a new website featuring resources to help graduate students succeed in graduate school and beyond. The website features the following resources:
- A Strategic Roadmap for Graduate Students
- Guide to completing and using an Individual Development Plan (IDP)
Give myIDP a try
For individuals and programs that do not wish to develop their own format, the format we recommend is myIDP, a free web-based career-planning tool tailored to meet the needs of PhD students and postdocs in the sciences.
my IDP provides:
- Exercises to help you examine your skills, interests, and values
- A list of 20 scientific career paths with a prediction of which ones best fit your skills and interests
- A tool for setting strategic goals for the coming year, with optional reminders to keep you on track
- Articles and resources to guide you through the process
Please contact the Office of Biomedical Research Career Development if you have a group of students, postdocs, and/or faculty interested in learning more about IDPs.
Resources for Graduate Students:
Office of Graduate Professional Development Website
The Office of Graduate Professional Development (OGPD) hosts a website featuring resources to help graduate students succeed in graduate school and beyond. The website features the following resources:
- A Strategic Roadmap for Graduate Students and a guide to completing and using an Individual Development Plan (IDP)
- Schedule of upcoming professional development events on and off campus, updated daily, and previously recorded events
- OGPD Weekly Virtual Workshop Series
- Individual webpages filled with useful campus and online resources to help you develop in six key areas: Research Skills and Knowledge, Management and Leadership, Effectiveness and Purpose, Professionalism, Communication, and Career Advancement.
Click here to visit the OGPD homepage.