APS Education List of Professional Skills for Physiologists and Tranees

While personnel and management skills may not be an area of primary importance to graduate students (although some may be given partial supervision of undergraduates or technicians), it becomes increasingly important as one's career progresses. Regardless of the type of career chosen, personnel and management skills are essential, requiring understanding of both supervisory strategies and personnel procedures. The importance of networking for staying current in one's field and for future development and of teamwork cannot be overstated. Personnel, management, and teamwork skills are important to physiology professionals in all fields.

Major Skills		A Trainee will understand the importance of and work to develop.

A. Supervising staff and other employees		Awareness of basic human resources procedures/laws Recognition of the need to compensate employees fairly financially and by acknowledgement of their scientific contributions Listening skills Advocacy skills Ability to explain goals, objectives, guidelines Sensitivity to different perspectives and cultures Knowledge of how to cope with and manage complicated personalities Ability to motivate staff Knowledge of how to conduct an interview Knowledge of how to run effective team meetings Knowledge of how to develop fair performance evaluations, including ongoing feedback Knowledge of conflict resolution Ability to write accurate and professional recommendation letters

B. Management of projects/grants

Knowledge and adherence to professional societies' codes of ethics
Understanding of importance of ensuring integrity of own publications and communications
Ability to navigate complex bureaucratic environments
Skills in time management (assigning priorities and delegting)
Ability to develop and implement a budget
Ability to manage a team
Knowledge of how to create a cooperative work environment

C. Networking

Knowledge of how to develop a base for possible collaborations
Knowledge of how to contact other researchers at meetings
Knowledge of how to contact with other researchers via email

D. Working in teams

Ability to work well with many different people /cultures
Respect for and placing value on different perspectives
Ability to provide and respond to constructive criticism
Ability to work well under pressure and willingness to work hard
Ability to apply oneself to a variety of tasks simultaneously
Knowledge of how to work with the committee process

Items with blue highlight indicate skills that students would be more likely to develop after their graduate training.

For questions or comments, please contact:
APS Education Office
301-634-7132