S. Loftus et al. (Eds.), Educating Health Professionals: Becoming a University Teacher, 61–70. © 2013 Sense Publishers. All rights reserved. EDWINA ADAMS, PATRICIA LOGAN, DOREEN RORRISON AND GRAHAM MUNRO 6. LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF Lessons to Be Learned on Entering Academia The development of a career as an academic can be a very rewarding experience, but many entering this career are unprepared for what the role actually entails. This lack of preparedness can bring unnecessary stress to new academics, delaying their achievement of career goals. In this chapter we aim to help reduce this unpreparedness by highlighting some common difficulties experienced by new academics. We provide context for the competing demands and outline key lessons to be learned from the experiences of those who have journeyed before you. The content of this chapter is derived primarily from the experiences of the authors (three of whom are from health professions) and supported by stories collected as part of their recent research project investigating the complexities of the development of an academic identity, “Transitions from practice to academia: How do those entering the academy from professional practice develop their identity as an academic?” (unpublished). The participants in the transition project were 12 Australian academics from two metropolitan and two rural universities. Typically, the role of the academic requires participation in three areas – research, teaching, and another area sometimes called service or administration. These three areas compete for the individual’s time and must be juggled to meet the job requirements. The challenge lies in knowing how much time and effort to put into each aspect of the role. For many, there is a risk that teaching will become all-consuming at the expense of the other areas, thereby compromising the career aspirations of the new academic and possibly raising work stress levels. The Job Demands-Resources model of work stress and engagement highlights that all occupations have their job demands and resources (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007). Job resources, such as co-worker support, are the aspects of the job that help to achieve work goals and buffer demands. Job demands, such as work overload, are the physical or psychological costs to the worker. Excessive job demands can lead to poor health, exhaustion and withdrawal from the job (Bakker, Demerouti, & Schaufeli, 2003). Clearly, the balance of job demands and job resources will determine the level of stress that new academics encounter in their transition to academia, and will possibly determine their likelihood of staying. Here we address some key areas for consideration so that an understanding of what is required for a successful transition is attained. The concept of job demands and job resources is highlighted throughout the chapter.