The discussion revolves around the differences between a postdoctoral position (post doc) and a doctoral degree (doc), including the necessity and appeal of pursuing a post doc after obtaining a doc. The scope includes conceptual clarification and career implications in academia.
Participants express differing views on the necessity of a post doc, with some suggesting it is beneficial for career advancement while others indicate it is not a strict requirement.
Limitations include the lack of consensus on the necessity of a post doc and the varying experiences of individuals in academia regarding the path to tenure track positions.
mgb_phys said:A post doc is a temporary short term (1-3years) contract research post.
You do a couple of post docs to gain experience and publications before getting a tenure track position which leads (hopefully) to a permanent job.