Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 82.djvu/189

Rh As the worker in an institution laboratory does not have the same opportunity to place his work before Fachgenossen as is the case with his university colleagues, the institution may well accord some facility in the distribution of offprints.

From the standpoint of the young Ph.D., these research positions are economically quite superior to anything to be expected of the earlier years of a teaching career. As maintenance is provided, a very large part of the salary can, if desired, be saved; the conditions of living vary with the character of the institution, but may bring the actual value of a $1,200 position well towards $2,000. Vacations are short, compared with academic ones, but this may be quite compensated for by the absence of routine obligations and various other agreeable features of institution surroundings. The tremendous advantage, to him who is able to use it, lies in the freedom for original research; the possible disadvantages are the lack of library facilities, and the intellectual danger of isolation from colleagues. Absolved from routine activity, deprived of the immediate competitive and critical presence of others in the same field of work, the lack of energy and devotion means mental dry rot. However, being not only free, but expected to devote one's entire time to original research, one can obviously be more productive than his equally capable fellow-worker whose time is swamped by the routine activities of teaching; and, so far as personal advancement is based on the character of work done, the advantage seems to lie distinctly with the research position as against the teaching one. Still neither standing nor salary in these positions equals the professorial grade in the important universities, which is, practically speaking, the material end to which those following the career of psychologist now look forward; and once having abandoned the teaching side of the profession one is not likely to reenter it at a higher level, save upon evidence of altogether distinguished merit, probably more than would be necessary should the candidate follow the routine of academic promotion. For the greatest abilities these positions should then offer the greatest rewards; to mediocrity they spell destruction.

The cause of research in psychological medicine will prosper the better, the longer its special class of investigators can be held to their work. At present, the best men may not remain in it permanently, but be taken away at a time when their growing experience makes them increasingly valuable in it. It can not, of course, be questioned that this same experience, with the facilities of the position, places one in a peculiarly advantageous situation as regards teaching the subject, which it might be advisable also to do, in so far as it were possible without hampering research. University association with clinical research further offsets the possible difficulties of inadequate libraries and isolation from colleagues. An additional advantage of university