Careers in Aging: A Guide for Graduate Students

Exploring Careers in Aging Roadmap
A Guide for Graduate Students

Get ready for a career working with older adults, starting in grad school.

This guide is designed to help graduate students prepare for careers in gerontology, geropsychology, and other aging-related fields. Opportunities are available in a wide variety of work settings (community-based, academia, private industry, research institute, government agencies, health care, and professional organizations).

If you are an undergrad, please check out our Careers in Aging: A Guide for Undergraduates.

For Undergraduates

Early (1–2 year) graduate students

Plan the way ahead and assemble your graduate support team.

Get started

Here are some questions for your consideration as you determine what is right for you.

Courses to Take

Courses to take

What courses, beyond those that are required, would be most beneficial to advancing your program of study? When will you be able to take those courses?

Gerontology Certification

Gerontology certification

Does your program or university have a gerontology certificate? If so, strongly consider completing it. Also explore online gerontology certificate programs from universities with strong programs on aging.

Interdisciplinary Courses

Interdisciplinary courses

What aging-related courses are offered in other departments that could be beneficial? Check out our Resources for Interdisciplinary Careers in Aging to see examples of other fields of study that intersect with aging for ideas of what departments to explore.

Your Graduate Support Team

Your graduate support team

Which faculty do you want on your graduate committee? How will these individuals help you develop your professional and scientific skills in aging?

The early graduate checklist

  • Gain practical experience
    Choose practicum and research experiences wisely to get the best and most relevant experience. Explore field placements in a variety of community settings and engage in lab rotations to explore different niches and to gain mentors.

  • Go job shadowing
    Look for opportunities to shadow professionals who work with older adults. Explore community-based aging service organizations (like senior residences and Area Agencies on Aging), and facility-based programs (e.g. hospitals and nursing homes).

  • Join professional organizations early
    Join professional organizations such as APA, Gerontological Society of America, Association for Psychological Science, Society for Neuroscience, American Public Health Association and the Association of Neuropsychology Students in Training. Seek out either a special division or interest group within the organization. Almost all have student memberships at a reduced cost.

  • Expand your research skills
    Learn diverse research methods and understand how these apply to work with older adults.

  • Get great with statistical software
    Become proficient in more than one statistical software package.

  • Seek out assistantships
    Look for teaching or research assistantships related to aging or other areas that will add to your knowledge base.

  • Conferences: Attend and present
    Present at conferences, particularly conferences related to aging and those that your graduate advisor attends. Network with student and faculty colleagues.

  • Publish your research
    Have a goal of publishing research, which is important for all, including those in applied/clinical programs. It may be helpful to join a writing group to help move writing projects along.

Later (3 year and above) graduate students

Develop your professional identity, and explore job possibilities.

Which career in aging should I choose?

Consider the following questions while narrowing down your field of specialization.

What is your professional identity?

Do you want to focus on research, teaching, program development and administration or a combination of these paths?

Internship and post-grad training

Will an internship or post-graduate training improve your training and job opportunities?

Should it be a one-year or two-year postdoc?

Should the postdoc training emphasis be research, clinical or both?

If you are going to pursue an academic job in a clinical program, a research postdoc is probably more valuable.

Will becoming a licensed clinician require a postdoc?

Licensing and education requirements

If you are planning a career that requires a license to provide services, will the degree you are pursuing meet the education requirements for getting a license?

Licenses are specific to the state in which they are issued, so explore this question in all states you are considering. Note also whether the license you are pursuing allows you to bill for services from insurance companies and specifically, Medicare.

Consider the type of work and setting

What jobs fit with your program of research or clinical interests?

Will this position allow you to develop your skills?

Considerations for academic positions

What are the promotion and tenure criteria?

What resources are available for carrying out the responsibilities of the position?

Is there mentoring for junior faculty by senior faculty?

Are junior faculty research funds available?

Is there a new faculty start-up package?

If so, is it sufficient to enable you to jumpstart your research program in your new institution?

Where do you want to work?

What kind of work environment do you want?

Community, academia, private industry, research institute, government agency, health care, independent practice, professional and advocacy organizations are all possibilities.

Work/life balance

Does this career path offer the work/life balance you prefer?

How many hours are in a typical work week?

Is travel required?

Will you be required to be on call?

Career mobility

Is there enough career mobility in the career you’re considering? Ask yourself the following questions.

Promotion opportunities

What are the promotion opportunities?

In academic settings, is tenure possible?

If so, what are the criteria?

In practice settings, is there a specific path to promotion (e.g., within the Veterans Health Administration)?

Mentoring

Are resources and mentors available for advancing your work and for your professional development?

Additional funds

Are program development or research funds available?

Support tools

What support mechanisms are available (e.g., administrative support, seed grants, grant coordinator)?

“Soft money”

In academic settings, what percentage of the salary is “soft money” (grant money that you must obtain to cover your salary)?

Billable hours

In clinical settings, what is the workload expected (billable hours) to make your salary?

Level of mobility

Can you easily move from this line of work to pursue other opportunities should your career goals and preferences change?

The later graduate checklist

  • Keep up with your membership
    Continue membership in local, regional, and national professional organizations and their student networks. Get involved in leadership opportunities such as applying to be a student representative or working on committees.

  • Be a mentor
    Engage in mentorship opportunities as the mentor to undergraduate and early graduate students.

  • Informational interviews
    Conduct informational interviews to learn the ins and outs of the positions of interest. Improve your listening skills at the same time.

  • Workshop training
    Enroll in workshops or seminars (e.g., statistics summer workshops) to learn additional skills that make you competitive for the job market.

  • Up your game at bigger conferences
    Present at national or international conferences rather than only at state or regional ones.

  • Get grants
    Gain grant experience—consider submitting applications for pre-doctoral fellowships or external funding opportunities. Obtaining grants for clinical program development and/or implementation can be highly valuable if you are on a practice track.

  • Broaden your experiences
    Build network connections (e.g. lab and practicum rotations and collaborating and publishing with colleagues) to expand your opportunities for learning.

  • Touch base with mentors
    Engage with mentors who will look out for you and your professional goals.

  • Zealously manage your time
    Make time for writing and other goals that do not have defined deadlines.

  • Publish in journals
    Submit manuscripts for publication and target journals that publish research in topics you are studying.

  • Practice interviewing and negotiating skills
    Prepare and rehearse a job talk. Get feedback from mentors about the content and delivery of your talk; make sure that it fits the job you’re applying for.

  • Network while at conferences
    At conferences, focus on meeting people who work in settings where you might apply for jobs.

  • Your “elevator speech”
    Prepare and rehearse an “elevator speech” for networking and brief encounters with potential employers/collaborators.

Going into practice?

Private Practice
Private Practice

For those going into private/independent practice, you’ll want to learn about your state ethics codes, which you will need to know for your licensing exam. You’ll also want to learn about becoming a provider for insurance entities, especially Medicare.

Also, consider taking CEs about the business side of private practice and reimbursement rules, and create a network of referral sources and cultivate those relationships.

Group Practice
Group Practice

For those joining a group practice, find out what administrative and/or billing services are available, and decide the financial arrangement (e.g., salary vs. split reimbursement vs. fee for space use vs. something else).

Determine how referrals are generated (e.g., only allowed from certain places/providers vs. preferred referral sources vs. your independent responsibility). Also, look into the reputation of the practice. How will the practice reputation impact your work?

Resources

For early graduate students

Gerontology/psychology

Career

For later graduate students

Practice

Starting a practice

Research

About the Exploring a Career in Aging Roadmap

This educational roadmap helps students to explore careers in aging, every step of the way from undergraduate through to graduate education. Get tips on finding practice, research and interdisciplinary careers.

Discover Aging Careers

Last updated: May 2024Date created: 2018