A good starting point for evaluating the history and status of
postdocs (now estimated at 40,000) in the US is the September 3, 1999
special issue of Science (Volume 285 - Number 5433) on "The World of
Postdocs".  Another useful resource on the demographics of research
training (I do not recall that it addresses source of funding) would
be from the NRC, Trends in the Early Careers of Life Scientists
(National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1998)
http://books.nap.edu/catalog/6244.html - Terry

*************************************************
Terry A. May, Ph.D.
 Director of Biomedical Research Development
 Michigan State University
 A209 East Fee Hall
 East Lansing, MI  48824-1316
 xxxxxx@pilot.msu.edu
 517/432-7140 Office/voice mail
 432-8021 Fax
 http://www.msu.edu/~biomed
*************************************************

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