- About
- Programming
- Faculty
- Postdocs
- About
- ADAPT ™
- Alumni Initiative-PACT
- Benefits and Classifications
- Career Development Planning
- Compensation
- Funding Resources
- International Services
- Mentoring Resources
- Open Positions
- Orientation
- Pittsburgh Life
- Postdoctoral Association
- Postdoctoral Data
- Postdoctoral Guidelines
- Programs
- Resource Directory
- Training Grant Programs
- Upcoming Events
- Video Library
- Wellness for Life
- Residents & Clinical Fellows
- Grad & Med Students
- Administrators
- Resources
Essential Professional Skills Series
This intentionally-designed series blends OACD programming with top-rated virtual content to give Pitt trainees access to an expanded set of sessions covering skills that all doctoral students and postdoctoral trainees should learn as an essential part of your professional development (see this stage in the ADAPT model for more information). This series covers a range of topics critical to your success and the foundational content applies across all disciplines.
List of acronyms: HSLS: Pitt's Health Sciences Library System; NPA: National Postdoctoral Association; OACD: Office of Academic Career Development
-
August 25, 2026NPA: Daunted by Networking? Try the Scientific Method
-
Provided via the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
Time: 3-4pm ET
Location: Virtually through the NPA as part of their SmartSkills Series
Presenters: Ellen Dobson, PhD, and Jevin LortieDescription: Take the intimidation out of networking and career exploration. This seminar reframes “networking” and “informational interviews” as approachable conversations that help you gather insights, explore career paths, and build meaningful professional relationships. Using a research-minded approach, participants will learn how to treat career exploration like a scientific process: asking questions, gathering information through conversations, and making informed decisions about future opportunities. We will also discuss the importance of building relationships early - long before a job search begins. Participants will leave with practical strategies and greater confidence in exploring careers and connecting with professionals.
Register here after logging into the NPA site.
If you are not yet a member of the NPA, join here as an "Affiliate Individual Member" Graduate Student, Postdoc, or Other, and select the University of Pittsburgh as your institution.
-
September 9, 2026OACD: Making the Most of Writing Center Resources at Pitt
-
Time: 3-3:30pm ET
Location: Virtual
Presenter: Patrick Manning, PhDDescription: This session examines how the Writing Center can support graduate students and post-docs during their time at Pitt. The session will provide an opportunity to register for the Writing Center and will demonstrate how to schedule appointments. There will be time for questions at the end of the session.
Speaker Bio: Patrick Manning, MD, teaches courses in the Composition Studies program. His interests include first-year writing, writing center pedagogy, working class studies, cultural geography, archival theory, and creative writing. Currently, Patrick serves as the Outreach Director and Peer Tutor Coordinator in the Writing Center. As Outreach Director, Patrick collaborates with units across campus to provide workshops on academic and professional writing for students, faculty, and staff.
-
September 22, 2026NPA: Supporting the Whole Postdoc: Part I
-
Provided via the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
Time: 3-4pm ET
Location: Virtually through the NPA as part of their SmartSkills Series
Presenters: Amber Ismael, PhD, and Elizabeth Salm, PhDDescription: This workshop will introduce the "Postdoc Pillars of Support" within the Supporting the Whole Postdoc Toolkit framework. Participants will complete a needs assessment to identify areas where they will benefit from more support and learn about available resources.
Register here after logging into the NPA site.
If you are not yet a member of the NPA, join here as an "Affiliate Individual Member" Graduate Student, Postdoc, or Other, and select the University of Pittsburgh as your institution.
-
October 7, 2026OACD: Mastering Difficult Conversations *RECORDING AVAILABLE*
-
Time: 3-4pm ET
Location: Virtual
Presenter: Susan Gallant, DNP, MHA, RN, CCMDescription: Having a serious conversation in the workplace is never easy. When opinions vary, emotions are strong, or the topic is sensitive, we often ignore the situation and hope it will resolve itself. Join us to explore the particulars of conflict, including perceptions, needs and communication, the role the stress response plays when tensions are running high, and a step-by-step approach to having difficult conversations.
Presenter Bio: Susan Gallant, DNP, MHA, RN, CCM, is a Senior Consultant with UPMC Health Plan’s LifeSolutions, Employee Assistance Program. With over 35 years of experience in healthcare leadership, education, and workforce well-being, Susan brings a passion for creating environments where people thrive together. Her expertise in helping organizations strengthen communication, resilience, and team effectiveness has supported countless teams in achieving excellence. Susan holds advanced degrees in nursing and health administration and contributes to professional organizations dedicated to advancing leadership and quality in healthcare.
-
October 21, 2026BtP: Going Beyond Subject Matter: How to Identify Skills Employers Want
-
Provided by Beyond the Professoriate
Time: 12-12:45pm ET
Location: VirtualDescription: Graduate education and postdoctoral training give PhDs the opportunity to develop deep expertise in a specific subject area. But for most PhDs who pursue nonacademic careers, what connects their graduate training to their professional life is not their subject matter — it is the skills, values, and interests they developed along the way.
When starting a nonacademic job search, many doctoral students and postdocs ask: “What can I do with my PhD?” But that is often not the most useful place to start. A more productive question is: “What skills have I developed, and where can I apply them?”
In this webinar, you will learn how to reflect on your graduate training, identify the transferable skills you’ve developed, and communicate your value clearly to nonacademic employers — in your job documents and in interviews.
This webinar is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all academic disciplines who are wondering:
How do I identify the skills I’ve developed in my graduate training?
What do nonacademic employers look for in a candidate — and how does my background align?
How do I communicate my value to employers when my expertise is highly specialized?To register, log into Beyond the Professoriate, selecting "through your institution" (Pitt), and then REGISTER HERE. Advanced registration is required.
Please also be sure to mark “member@beyondprof.com” as a safe sender to receive our email reminders.
-
October 27, 2026NPA: Supporting the Whole Postdoc: Part II
-
Provided via the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
Time: 3pm ET
Location: Virtually through the NPA as part of their SmartSkills Series
Presenters: Amber Ismael, PhD, and Elizabeth Salm, PhDDescription: Empowering Your Postdoc Experience: A holistic approach to identifying and advocating for your career and professional development needs
Using the Supporting the Whole Postdoc Toolkit framework, workshop participants will identify a high-impact area in need of support, create two actionable goals to pursue and tips for staying accountable, and learn how to integrate the framework with an individual development plan.
Register here after logging into the NPA site.
If you are not yet a member of the NPA, join here as an "Affiliate Individual Member" Graduate Student, Postdoc, or Other, and select the University of Pittsburgh as your institution.
-
November 11, 2026OACD: Optimizing Your Immigration Portfolio
-
Time: 3-4pm ET
Location: Virtual
Presenter: Sara JonesDescription: International scholars and employees who may eventually want to apply for permanent residency in the US could benefit from taking steps to compile their immigration portfolio early in their career. An immigration portfolio is an organized system of documents that show a person's ability to meet the criteria necessary to obtain permanent residence in the U.S. based on employment and educational backgrounds. Compiling an immigration portfolio before it’s needed allows for time and space to gather the best documentation without being rushed. It also helps people to identify opportunities that could augment their portfolio, such as conference session reviewing and professional memberships.
This session is geared toward nonimmigrant visa holders in the U.S. We will review the various criteria necessary to obtain permanent residence through several employment-based categories. The participant will learn how to assess their career goals against the green card criteria to better understand how to enhance their immigration portfolio with a desire to obtain permanent residence as early as possible in their career, thus providing stability and ultimate flexibility in their lives.
Speaker Bio: Sarah Jones holds a wealth of information about Pitt, immigration rules, and the benefits of employment visa types, having served in various positions in OIS for more than 13 years. Currently serving as the Associate Director, Sara leads a team of specialists to assist international students and academic departments with various immigration related requests and to provide advising, programming and related services. She also manages various special projects and administrative functions of the office.
-
November 17, 2026OACD: Building a Professional Reputation
-
Time: 3-4 pm ET
Location: Virtual
Presenter: Carla Spagnoletti, MDDescription: This session provides a practical framework for building a strong professional reputation in academic medicine, emphasizing its critical role in career advancement, promotion, and leadership opportunities. Participants will explore how reputation is shaped through deliberate actions, including establishing a strong local presence as a reliable and collaborative colleague, developing a clear career focus aligned with personal interests and institutional goals, and producing scholarly work. The session highlights the importance of mentorship, strategic networking at both local and national levels, and effective engagement in professional communities, including conferences and social media. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for cultivating meaningful professional relationships, preparing for and maximizing conference participation, and communicating their work through tools such as elevator pitches. By integrating these approaches, participants will learn how to intentionally build a credible, visible, and impactful professional identity that supports long-term academic success.
Speaker Bio: Carla Spagnoletti MD, MS is the George H. Taber Endowed Chair in General Internal Medicine (GIM) and Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She completed medical school, internal medicine residency, general internal medicine fellowship and a Masters in Medical Education degree at the University of Pittsburgh. A member of the faculty since 2006, Dr. Spagnoletti currently serves as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Associate Director of the Medical Education Degree Granting Programs at the Institute for Clinical Research Education, and Associate Division Chief for Education in GIM.
Passionate about medical education scholarship, she has published over 50 articles and book chapters and has mentored numerous faculty and trainees on research projects in several areas including professional development, patient-doctor communication, patient satisfaction, and anti-racism in medical education, and has widely published in the field of medical education. She teaches masters level courses in professional development and education research skills and has created several programs to support faculty career development within the Department of Medicine and School of Medicine. Dr. Spagnoletti has received numerous awards for her scholarship, teaching, mentorship, and leadership, including the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of Pittsburgh.
As a general internist, she provides patient care in the outpatient and inpatient settings at UPMC Montefiore, and works closely with internal medicine fellows, residents and medical students as a clinical preceptor and advisor. She also volunteers her services as a physician at the Birmingham Free Clinic.
-
November 18, 2026BtP: Building a Network to Help You in Academia and Beyond
-
Provided by Beyond the Professoriate
Time: 12-12:45pm ET
Location: VirtualDescription: Networking is one of the most overlooked skills in a PhD job search. It is often seen as awkward, transactional, or evidence of "nepotism." But in practice, networking is how academics AND professionals build community.
It is through community that academics and professionals find mentors, learn from others in their field, and stay informed about opportunities and areas of growth. Networking is also standard practice outside of academia and an essential part of an effective job search — academic or nonacademic. The earlier you start building your network, the more it will work in your favor when opportunities arise.
Join the Beyond Prof team for this webinar where we'll walk you through how to build and grow a network that supports your career goals, whether you are exploring careers in academia or beyond.
To register, log into Beyond the Professoriate, selecting "through your institution" (Pitt), and then REGISTER HERE. Advanced registration is required.
Please also be sure to mark “member@beyondprof.com” as a safe sender to receive our email reminders.
VIEW PAST SERIES:
2025-2026 Essential Professional Skills Series
2024-2025 Essential Professional Skills Series
2023-2024 Essential Professional Skills Series
2022-2023 Essential Professional Skills Series
2021-2022 Professionalism Series