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Anyone a university lecturer?

10 replies

pipsy76 · 12/04/2013 13:14

Hi after some advice please. I've seen a 0.5fte senior lecturer role at ARU which I think I might be suited to as my current NHS jobs involves lots of teaching.

I'm totally fed up of the lack of resources and stress in the NHS but I'm sure the grass always looks greener!

Can anyone tell me the realities of being a university lecturer (mostly post graduate taught). I think I'll be fine with the actual lecturing but don't have any experience of academic research. If a post states 0.5fte will I end up working far more hours than half a week?

Thanks!

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pipsy76 · 12/04/2013 16:31

bumping

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Katz · 12/04/2013 16:32

Is it a lecturer post or a university teacher post?

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pipsy76 · 12/04/2013 16:51

Lecturer I think!
With a higher degree or relevant professional qualification in prescribing at postgraduate level, you will be a registered pharmacist with experience of working in health practice and awareness of professional and current issues affecting health care in the context of higher education. You will have experience of teaching successfully at HE level. You will be dedicated to the educational development of professionals and will assist us in developing our research and scholarly activity profile. Consequently, you will be expected to undertake research and scholarly activity in your specialist field.

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Katz · 12/04/2013 17:03

ah, not my area but we have both non-clinical and clinical lecturers and non-clinical and clinical teachers.

Might be worth going in for a visit and informal chat.

I work in HE and yes we do work more than our contracted hours but it is a great environment to work in.

There are lecturers around on MN might be worth a bump in the evening as they should be around then.

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upsydaisy33 · 12/04/2013 17:05

I'm a lecturer, 0.8FTE. But not in your area.

Teaching could eat up a lot of time, esp feedback and prep. But if you enjoy it, you should find it rewarding (most of the time). Even if you enjoy it, you may need to be ruthless about how much of your time you allow it to take up. Otherwise you could burn out, as teachers in schools can do.

Admin is not mentioned in this description, but will eat into your time. Committees, doing your bit for the department, pointless meetings, etc. This drives most people round the bend a bit. One tip is to volunteer to do anything you might remotely enjoy and then do it well, and be hard nosed about saying no to everything else.

Research - can be fun and the reason you want to keep in academia, can be pressurised - to get publications of a certain standard, or to get funding. Your dept should help you to get started but may not, frankly!

It is likely you'll feel you need to do more than 0.5fte, but there are ways and means of being ruthless about it.
One advantage of academia is USUALLY you have quite a lot of flexibility on where you work (and when) (but this can depend on institution and dept) and the year will have a rhythm to it depending on how your students are taught - I for example can work at home a lot in July, Aug, Sept, which is great. On the other hand, there are times of the year when I'm really under pressure, and those are of course the times when my dd gets chicken pox/flu/viruses...

I'd try and talk to people in the same field as you in other universities - e.g. not the one you are applying to, as they may well know the gossip about the dept you are looking at. Your department and your institution heavily affect how you feel about your job - they could make it a joy or a terrible experience. There truly are sick and depressive depts out there!

Hope this helps a bit...

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Familyguyfan · 12/04/2013 17:07

Im a lecturer and 0.5fte means absolutely nothing I'm afraid. Actually, it means you get paid half of a full time wage, have to organise yourself around departmental needs meaning time off is whenever they don't need you and you will still work at least full time hours.

I went back to work on a part time contract and experienced all these things before going full time again. At least now I get paid for what I do.

Academia can be a great job, but it certainly isn't perfect. Hours are long and the pressure is enormous. However, there are advantages. You can pretty much (in most places anyway) organise your own timetable within reason.

Best of luck!

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pipsy76 · 12/04/2013 17:12

Many thanks to both of you for these thoughts! I will follow up on your suggestions!

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bordellosboheme · 16/04/2013 14:43

Yes, its fairly civilised, quite hard work, can be flexible, and quite rewarding. It's hard juggling with dcs as its a vocation, so you could dedicate your life to it, but I'd say go for it lady Grin

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bordellosboheme · 16/04/2013 14:44

Also what family's unsaid

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bordellosboheme · 16/04/2013 14:44

What familygunsaid (darn iPad)

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