Pursuing gerontology education: Considering the ages and stages of doctoral students
Presentation
Overview
Overview
Description
In the field of gerontology, research tends to focus on people external to the researcher, yet the role and experience of the gerontologist cannot be ignored. In this paper, three women, all at varying stages in the life course, reflect on their experiences pursuing doctoral-level credentials in gerontology. We reflect on the impact our various life stages had on our post-secondary educational experiences as well as our career trajectories and opportunities for tenure-track careers. During the process of completing a doctoral program and beginning a faculty career, one of us was experiencing the transition to grandmotherhood as her adult children became parents themselves. Another became a parent while completing her doctorate and seeking and beginning her tenure-track position, and the third completed her doctorate and started her faculty position prior to marrying or starting a family. While each of our experiences in graduate school and the early stages of tenure track careers have been influenced by others’ perceptions of our life stages and trajectories in different ways, all three of us have found the multidisciplinary nature of gerontology to be an eye-opening perspective, and we have all undergone profound changes in our health behaviors and health goals. Consideration of the variety of experiences represented here might prove useful for gerontologists who are interested in understanding and expanding gerontological education and professional development for gerontologists. Differences in the life stage of gerontology students might call for differences in the structure and delivery of post-secondary gerontology education and for career search efforts.
