Short answer
An individual development plan is a document a student or postdoc writes, and reviews with a mentor at least yearly, setting out career goals, skills to build and concrete steps. NIH encouraged IDPs in 2013 and, from October 2014, asked grantees to describe in progress reports whether IDPs are used for graduate students and postdocs supported by the award.
What is an IDP?
An individual development plan (IDP) is a short document in which a graduate student or postdoc assesses their skills and interests, sets career goals, and lists specific steps for the coming year, then reviews it with a mentor. It's owned by the trainee, not the lab.
NIH encouraged institutions to adopt IDPs in 2013 (NOT-OD-13-093). Under a revised policy in 2014 (NOT-OD-14-113), progress reports submitted from October 1, 2014 ask grantees to describe whether IDPs are used for graduate students and postdocs supported by the award.
What goes in one?
| Section | Questions to answer |
|---|---|
| Self-assessment | Which skills are strong? Which need work? What do I enjoy? |
| Career exploration | Which careers am I considering? Who could I talk to? |
| Goals | What do I want done in the next year? In three to five years? |
| Skills plan | Which courses, workshops or experiences build the skills I need? |
| Research plan | Milestones for the project this year |
| Mentor discussion | What did we agree on, and what support is needed? |
What does a yearly cycle look like?
- Month 1: trainee completes the self-assessment and drafts goals.
- Month 1–2: meeting with the mentor to agree on goals and support.
- Month 6: short check-in; adjust plans.
- Month 12: review progress, then start again.
Free online IDP tools exist, and many institutions have their own templates. The format matters less than doing it every year.
How can a program make IDPs worth the time?
- Tie the annual IDP meeting to the committee meeting or annual review so it isn't one more thing.
- Train mentors on how to discuss careers outside academia without awkwardness.
- Track completion as a program evaluation measure, but don't collect the content itself.
- Use IDPs to plan training experiences, such as internships, which matter more now that the 2027 predoctoral T32 includes an industry-translation area with required internships.
Questions people ask
Is an IDP required by NIH?
NIH encourages institutions to use IDPs and, since October 2014, asks for a description of IDP use for graduate students and postdocs in annual progress reports. Many training programs make IDPs a program requirement.
Does the mentor see the whole IDP?
Practice varies. A common approach is that the trainee completes a private self-assessment, then shares the goals and plan sections with the mentor for discussion.