Research Roadmap

Finish your PhD checklist

Visit the Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School website for more information.

• For UvA/AMC PhD candidates graduating at the University of Amsterdam: visit the UvA website. 
• For VU/VUmc PhD candidates graduating at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam: visit the VU website.

Researchers leaving

The process around a researcher leaving - whether planned or unplanned - can be divided into 3 phases:

1. Notification of researcher leaving

Once a researcher has given notice, or when the end of a contract approaches, it is important to organize the remaining time of the study efficiently. Consider the following actions:

• Assess whether completion of ongoing studies and/or articles is achievable within the remaining contract period;
• Develop a weekly plan up to the researcher's departure, prioritizing essential tasks/activities;
• Create an overview of the researcher's remaining roles (e.g. committee memberships) and determine whether replacements are needed;
• Redistribute the departing researcher's responsibilities among remaining research team members (e.g. mentoring interns, preparing final grant reports, analyzing data, submitting articles);
• Start the recruitment process of a replacement, if required;
• Schedule an exit interview with your manager/supervisor to discuss the status of ongoing studies and evaluate your time at the department (e.g. what went well, wat could have been improved, lessons learned for the future);
• For PhD candidates: assess whether the PhD manuscript and training plan can be completed within the remaining contract period.

2. Point of departure

Consider the following actions at the moment the researcher leaves:

• Review project and article status: determine whether the planning was successful and whether all tasks have been completed. If not, decide whether tasks can be passed on to other research team members or completed by the researcher after departure;
• Make agreements on involvement after departure: define if and how the researcher will continue to contribute (e.g. completing articles in advanced stages);

• Organize the transfer of research data:

  • Identify which data must be handed over to the replacement of the departing researcher or other research team members, and which data must be archived;
  • If continued access to research data is required to complete tasks after departure, a written agreement must be made regarding the use, protection, transfer and destruction of the data;

• Exchange contact information:

  • Share new contact details of the departing researcher;
  • Ensure the remaining research team or the replacement of the departing researcher has all relevant contact information (e.g. from funders and research assistants).

• If the study is subject to the WMO: update the study site signature and delegation log (filed in the TMF/ISF) with the details and delegated study tasks of the replacement of the departing researcher. and/or the remaining research team members.

3. After departure

If the researcher remains involved in the study after departure, consider the following actions:

• Monitor the agreements made: regularly check whether continued involvement is feasible, especially if the departing researcher has started a new job;
• Unfinished articles: make an agreement who will complete the article, and determine the order of authors and corresponding author responsibilities. For instance, if the departing researcher cannot complete an article due to his/her new job, agree on who will complete the article instead and how authorship will be adjusted;
• Future articles: clarify the role of the departing researcher. Consider, for instance, co-authorship expectations;.
• Final grant report: determine who is responsible for completing and submitting the final report to the funding authority.