Skip to content

Extramural Activities

Description

Postdoctoral trainees must receive written approval from their faculty mentor and business administrator before engaging in any extramural activity outside the University or beyond the scope of the postdoctoral appointment.

The written approval should include:

  • a description of the activity;
  • an end date no more than one year later, subject to renewal if appropriate;
  • signatures from both the faculty mentor and the postdoctoral trainee.

Extramural activities may not create a conflict of interest or interfere with the postdoctoral trainee’s research, training, or appointment expectations. Approval may be withdrawn if the activity is no longer appropriate or interferes with the appointment.

The postdoctoral trainee is responsible for updating the written approval and notifying their faculty mentor if the activity changes.

International postdoctoral trainees should consult International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) before undertaking extramural activities that may affect visa status, employment authorization, or appointment terms.

For University policy guidance, postdoctoral trainees, faculty mentors, and administrators should review the Policy for Postdoctoral Trainees at the University of Pennsylvania.

For teaching or instructional responsibilities, postdoctoral trainees should also review Teaching and Instructional Responsibilities for Postdoctoral Trainees.

Learn More