The traditional academic apprenticeship model for training tenure-track faculty members has significantly evolved and expanded in recent years (Bent, 1959; Goldman and Massy, 2001; Austin, 2009; Minshew et al., 2021; Ganapati and Ritchie, 2021; Glazer and Hannafin, 2006; Maher et al., 2013; Sinche et al., 2017). In the current biomedical research landscape, trainees must prepare for a “branching career pipeline” due to the scarcity of tenure-track positions compared to the surplus of doctoral graduates (Sinche et al., 2017; Fuhrmann et al., 2011; Wood et al., 2020; Leshner and Scherer, 2019; Alberts et al., 2014). Consequently, trainees are increasingly interested in pursuing non-academic careers. Successfully navigating this transition requires an assessment of which skills acquired during doctoral training are transferable to both research-intensive and non-research-intensive roles outside academia (Sinche et al., 2017; Gibbs et al., 2014). On the other hand, “soft” skills are also critically important for trainees pursuing academic careers (José Quintans-Júnior and Correia, 2023). According to a 2018 report by the National Academies of Science entitled “Graduate Stem Education for the twenty-first Century,” an ideal STEM education should include a “student-centered” curriculum that focuses on the diverse needs of student trainees and should focus on providing students with resources to explore diverse career options (National Academies of Sciences Engineering Medicine, 2018). Yet trainees must seek out opportunities to develop “soft” skills, often as part of a “hidden curriculum,” to enhance their employability post-graduation and reduce reliance on temporary positions (Margolis, 2001; Mackin et al., 2019; Enders et al., 2021).

This hidden curriculum consists of unspoken rules, standards, and cultural phenomena inherently understood, and more easily accessible to students from circumstances familiar with these conventions. The hidden curriculum may include both practical skills such as self-advocacy or conflict mediation as well as technical skills such as data management. Students unfamiliar with the hidden curriculum then may be subjected to backlash and disappointment from peers and/or superiors due to perceived lack of professionalism, lackluster deliverables, and unmet expectations. For students unfamiliar with it, navigating the hidden curriculum can be confusing, and may lead to adverse outcomes within their doctoral training programs (Enders et al., 2021; Hafferty, 1998; University ToB, 2021).

In recent years, federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have implemented initiatives like the Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training (BEST; Scalo and Freauff, 2020; Mathur et al., 2018; St. Clair et al., 2017) award program to support institutions in offering career exploration opportunities for biomedical research trainees (St. Clair et al., 2017); however, not all institutions are equipped with such programs. Furthermore, while some institutions and faculty acknowledge the necessity for trainees to actively develop aspects of the hidden curriculum, including communication, time management, and teamwork (Khan, 2019; Demaria et al., 2018; Lenhart et al., 2022), these efforts are not uniformly implemented across all departments or laboratories.

It is suggested that graduate students should navigate their institution's organizational culture to acquire these skills by trial and error, but this can be challenging given their limited time (Callier and Vanderford, 2014). Several studies indicate the increasing relevance of soft skills development across professions, further underscoring the importance of supporting this aspect of student professional development to obtain positions beyond academia (Sinche et al., 2017; St. Clair et al., 2017; Moreira et al., 2019; Schmidt et al., 2023). To compete effectively across diverse career paths, biomedical research trainees must adeptly acquire and combine these skills to complement their disciplinary training.

The term “soft skills” was initially coined for military use by Whitmore and Fry in 1974, defining it as “important job-related skills that involve little or no interaction with machines and whose application on the job is quite generalized” (Whitmore and Fry, 1974). In today's academic context, soft skills are more broadly understood as interpersonal or non-technical skills that emphasize human interaction (Bourdieau, 1988; Berdanier, 2022). Moreover, the term “hidden curriculum” traces back to 1968, coined by Phillip Jackson to describe the implicit rules, norms, and values within a learning environment (Jackson, 1968). The soft skills crucial for enhancing employability among biomedical research trainees are often embedded within the hidden curriculum of higher education.

In contrast, “hard skills” or technical skills, such as laboratory techniques or computational approaches, are explicitly taught to students throughout their tenure as research trainees in biomedical science disciplines. While biomedical graduate education has traditionally been aimed at preparing students for the academy, an increasing number of students have trended toward alternative and non-traditional career paths post-graduation. These choices have illuminated the importance of developing soft skills as transferrable competencies that serve both students, and potential future employers. While hard skills are central to Ph.D. training, traditional academia has also highlighted the need for soft skills within its own purview. Within the biomedical sciences, collaboration, clear communication, time management, and conflict management have all become necessary inter- and intrapersonal skills; yet, for many students there is often very little recourse in developing these skills.

Within the Duke University School of Medicine (SoM), the IDEALS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Advancement, and Leadership in the Sciences) Office, directed by the Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Basic Sciences leads the SoM's diversity and cultural awareness initiatives for trainees, faculty, and staff working in basic science research labs. IDEALS develops and implements educational and programmatic resources to support equity, diversity, and inclusion, and exists to cultivate a strong sense of belonging within the research community. One such initiative, the BioCoRE program, supports graduate trainees through a series of programs including professional development opportunities, academic enrichment groups, mentoring programs, and social activities.

The Biosciences Collaborative for Research Engagement (BioCoRE) program at Duke University School of Medicine supports biomedical research trainees of diverse backgrounds (Supplementary Tables 1–3) beyond their departments and labs. Participating students receive leadership, mentoring, and career development through tailored workshops and events with the goal of equipping graduate students across STEM disciplines with the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully matriculate through and complete doctoral programs in a robust community of support. While originally funded by the NIH from 2012 to 2017, the BioCoRE program now operates based on institutional support, and it currently accommodates ninety BioCoRE scholars, ranging from 1st- to 8th-year students, with appointments beginning before the start of the 1st year of the doctoral program. To assess the effectiveness and relevance of BioCoRE programmatic offerings in an ever-changing training landscape, an annual survey is disseminated to participants to gather feedback to augment ongoing programs and identify topics for future training implementations.

Scholars in the BioCoRE program have shown evolving perspectives on their career pathways from their initial stages of graduate school to their current studies (Figure 1). Additionally, students have identified several ways in which the BioCoRE program specifically can address or enhance the support and skills development opportunities available through their primary training program/department and other campus resources. Armed with this knowledge, BioCoRE program leadership identified and created strategic partnerships with various student affairs offices at our institution to address key themes identified in the annual survey. A review of survey data identified essential soft skills development as a high priority among BioCoRE participants. By collaborating with student affairs offices across the institution, we designed a curriculum tailored to our specific students' needs. Additionally, by leveraging our own “in-house” resources, we were able to introduce students to specific staff and departments with which they were not previously aware of or familiar with, opening the door to individual student-specific follow-ups.

Through thematic analysis, we identified several skills—including communication, conflict resolution, and time management—on which to focus further development. These skills are widely recognized in literature as crucial for employability (Sinche et al., 2017; Khan, 2019; Demaria et al., 2018; Schmidt et al., 2023). Leveraging thematic analysis and collaborating with the student-led BioCoRE professional development committee, we developed the BioCoRE Upskill Institute for Learning and Developing Students (BUILD-U) workshop series. The ongoing aim of this initiative is to equip students with various soft skills, thereby enhancing their employability.

In this paper, we explore how institutions and their departments can enhance soft skills training frequently embedded within the hidden curriculum for biomedical graduate trainees, irrespective of their discipline or year of study.

This study was completed in compliance with the Duke University Health System's Institutional Review Board (DUHS IRB) standards of ethical research (Protocol Reference ID #116259-INIT-1.0).

In the summer of 2023, scholars participating in the BioCoRE program were invited to anonymously complete an electronic survey using Qualtrics Experience Management (XM) software, licensed through the Duke University Health System. In the Duke University School of Medicine, there are ~646 biomedical graduate trainees across 17 biomedical PhD training program departments. Of those, 98 students we participated in the BioCoRE program by the end of the 2022–2023 academic year, 29 scholars (30% response rate) completed the annual BioCoRE program survey in its entirety. The survey included various question types such as multiple choice, Likert-scale, and open-ended questions. Among the respondents, more than half had recently finished their 1st or 2nd year of study [n = 19, with 11 rising 2nd years (58%) and 8 rising 3rd-years (42%) (Figure 2)]. It is important to note that while demographic information is collected from student respondents, no other information that would explicitly identify students is collected to ensure that the responses are as honest as possible. Cohort information (entering year) is collected to incentivize student response rate as the cohort with the most responses gets to choose from a list of pre-selected “prizes.”

A thematic analysis was conducted on responses to open-ended questions to guide general programming for the 2023–2024 academic year in BioCoRE. However, the specific question that highlighted the need for more soft skills programming was: “What additional programs, services, and skills development should BioCoRE provide?” Out of the 29 responses received for this particular question, 41% (n = 12) provided actionable feedback beyond “NA.”

The BioCoRE program director reviewed these responses and identified key themes such as conflict resolution, time management, and communication. These themes were shared exclusively with senior scholars on the BioCoRE professional development leadership committee. This initiated the planning of a workshop series offered to all BioCoRE scholars in the upcoming school year beginning in September 2023. Following this, the professional development committee leaders reached out to both internal and external leaders to organize the BUILD-U workshop series. These workshops, scheduled monthly over lunch, were attended by scholars ranging from 1st to 5th year of study, with a minimum of 20 participants per session.

Given the increasing demand for biomedical research trainees to develop interpersonal or “soft” skills to enhance their employability post-graduation, student support and development programs like BioCoRE should respond by focusing on supporting scholars as they transition into diverse career paths (Moreira et al., 2019; Schmidt et al., 2023; Chepp et al., 2022; Layton et al., 2016). To guide future iterations of the workshop series, respondents were again asked an open-ended question ~2 months after the final BUILD-U workshop: “What additional programs, services, and skills development should BioCoRE provide?” This feedback will inform our thematic analysis for the program director and professional development committee, helping to shape workshop topics for the subsequent year. More specifically, the feedback will be categorized, and grouped into themes; and programming will be determined based on potential impact to students. Notably, some topics from previous years could not be included in the current six-installment series (e.g., publication processes, see Figure 3 and Supplementary Figure 2) due to time constraints. Topics from previous surveys may be archived and incorporated in future installments.

A new thematic analysis indicates ongoing student needs and concerns (Supplementary Figure 2), which we plan to address in the 2024–2025 BUILD-U series. Additionally, scholars were surveyed about changes in their career aspirations since entering graduate school, revealing minimal shifts (Supplementary Figure 3), as they continue to prepare for careers beyond academia. Furthermore, to improve the robustness and accuracy of our data set, we plan to consider alternative survey response incentive strategies (Saleh and Bista, 2017). Currently, the cohort with the highest response rate is rewarded with a cohort outing; however, junior cohorts (1st and 2nd year) typically account for over 50% of the survey responses. Targeted incentives for senior cohorts could shift the tenor of our thematic analyses toward topics such as networking, negotiating, and management skills.

It is important to highlight that the BioCoRE BUILD-U workshop series complements other forms of support in navigating the hidden curriculum for biomedical graduate research trainees at Duke University. For instance, 1st-year trainees in the School of Medicine engage with topics in the “Foundations of Professionalism” course within the umbrella BIOTRAIN curriculum required for all School of Medicine Ph. D. students, led by the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education (OBGE) staff, faculty, and student mentors. In addition to the BIOTRAIN courses, OBGE organizes professional development and wellness programing, such as leadership and management training and a series of recorded webinars on topics including reading scientific papers, coping with stress, enhancing self-knowledge, and managing professional relationships.

Furthermore, all graduate students benefit from a series led by the Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Professional Development in the Graduate School, with webinars covering a wide array of topics including career planning, work-life balance, and networking. Besides the professional development series, the graduate school hosts six progress lunches throughout the summer where students can provide regular updates on their career development goals over a provided lunch. These events serve as an important opportunity for staff to help students overcome challenges by connecting them with on-campus resources. It should also be noted that some departments and the students within them have developed career development programs. For example, the Department of Neurobiology at Duke hosts professionals from consulting, scientific editing, data science, and project management to name a few.

We encourage our BioCoRE scholars and the broader graduate student population to utilize all available resources, as we envision our workshop series as part of a synergistic model supported by the graduate school and OBGE. BioCoRE scholars also explore diverse career pathways through monthly seminars and networking events with industry, government, academic professionals, and alumni.

The BUILD-U workshop series is part of a robust ecosystem of resources and opportunities within the SoM and institution, but can be distinguished from other means of support in the following ways: (1) the series covers a broad spectrum of soft skills crucial in biomedical research through topics that extend beyond lab success and mentor engagement (2) a diverse range of experts is engaged to address scholars' specific needs; (3) an affirming space is provided for biomedical trainees from underrepresented backgrounds (see Supplementary Tables 1–3) to experientially uncover aspects of the hidden curriculum while developing various transferrable skills (4) workshops are designed to target students across all stages of training; and (5) the moderate size of the BioCoRE program allows feedback gathered through the annual survey to be considered, developed, and implemented quickly delivering timely responsiveness to scholar needs throughout the academic year. Currently, many professional development programs are focused on preparing post-baccalaureate and PhD trainees for the academy; however, even emerging programs, such as the “Navigating Academic Careers” pilot course at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has programming dedicated to soft skills, as evident from modules that include “interviewing,” “work-life balance,” and “time management,” highlighting just how integral and necessary soft skills are to the modern Ph. D. training experience (Perez-Oquendo et al., 2024).

To ensure the success of biomedical graduate research trainees in their career paths, it is essential for them to recognize that not all skills developed in academic disciplines are universally applicable. Gaining a broader perspective on the skills necessary for non-academic careers is crucial for graduate trainee preparedness and choice of career. By sharing our methods for uncovering the hidden curriculum with other institutions we aim to highlight the ways in which these types of programs and initiatives can be developed and refined to help facilitate their implementation.

Although Duke University—and BioCoRE by extension—is replete with resources and diverse personnel, we have demonstrated a cost-effective approach to help students develop their soft skills and employability leveraging internal personnel. In conclusion, given the rapidly evolving career landscape for biomedical research trainees, developing “soft” skills is increasingly critical for career success both outside of and within academia. Through the BUILD-U series, we describe an efficient approach to help trainees recognize and translate skills they may already possess and fortify others that are desirable to employers but may not be as easily developed in traditional STEM graduate education programs. The BUILD-U series draws on existing expertise from the university system to build a curriculum complementary to conventional graduate education. Data and student feedback gathered thus far indicates this series to be successful in meeting the stated objectives and we believe this model can be adapted to a variety of institutional environments and graduate training programs with great benefit for the next generation of leaders in the biomedical workforce.