Those long in the tooth will remember when a typical postdoc appointment was usually a relatively short hiatus between the completion of a dissertation and a more permanent position. Once finished polishing the work, got a publication or two out of it, and then moved on to a permanent position. Many scientists in fields such as bioscience have to accept a succession of temporary appointments to keep employed without the promise of obtaining more permanent positions. While this can be depressing for some young scientists, the postdoc experience is still a valuable one, and a wonderful interlude in which one can concentrate on research.