ON THE TENURE TRACK IN GERONTOLOGY: I WISH I HAD KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW

With the emergence of gerontology as an academic discipline, the need for formalized training to address early career issues has increased. This paper offers personal experiences and advice regarding some of the challenges new faculty are likely to face when on the “tenure track.” Some of the challenges include whether to pursue a career in academia, the potential value of a post-doctoral research position, grant writing, academic duty, preparing for the job interview, negotiating, and achieving success in academia. In addition to offering personal perspectives on each of these challenges, a number of resources are provided to help those who seek additional insight or advice on early career management. Implications for creating formalized graduate training to assist those students struggling with early career challenges are discussed.