Drexel University College of Medicine's Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies will host a day-long conference aimed at helping graduate students learn about various career options available to them outside of academia.

"Careers Beyond the Bench" will showcase an impressive roster of highly accomplished speakers and will introduce graduate students to training strategies and planning tools to help them build successful careers. The professional development conference will take place September 5th at Drexel University's Creese Student Center, 33rd & Chestnut Streets.

"Many scientists go from graduate school to post-doc programs and continue working in academic research without considering alternatives," said Elisabeth Van Bockstaele, PhD, founding dean of the graduate school and professor of pharmacology and physiology at Drexel University College of Medicine. "In reality, there are many opportunities for successful careers in non-academic settings, including private industry, government, and non-profit foundations. We want to expose students to this diverse array of career options."

The conference will include sessions on various job sectors, business development, and clinical research, to name a few. The keynote address, "It's your career: what's your game plan?" will be delivered by Phillip S. Clifford, PhD, associate dean for research at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and co-author of "myIDP."

There will be a networking reception at the end of the day during which participants will be able to interact with speakers and panelists. Because space is limited, anyone interested in attending is encouraged to pre-register online to reserve a spot.