Creating the “new normal”: Career development embedded into the Ph.D. curriculum for all trainees

Abstract To prompt and support early and informed career exploration and preparation across all Ph.D. students, the University of Massachusetts Medical School took an approach fundamentally different from traditional career development programs: rather than focus on creating opt-in workshops or opportunities, we integrated career and professional development directly into and across the span of Ph.D. training as part of the required curriculum for all students. Five years later, we are now seeing significant changes on our campus, from students embracing career planning and taking earlier actions toward their career development, to changes in institutional culture. Here, we tell the story through student voices.