The Foundation Programme

Tuesday, 9 February : Good Evening

Key Documents

2010 Foundation Applicant's Handbook

The UKFPO has produced a comprehensive guide to applying for the 2010 Foundation Programme. Highlights include:

Hints and tips on writing good answers.
Wording of Questions 2-6.
Information on references and how applications are scored and validated.
What happens if the Foundation Programme is over/under-subscribed.
The scoring criteria for Question 1 on educational achievements.
Competition Ratios for 2007, 2008 and 2009

It is highly recommended that applicants read this guide thoroughly before filling in the application form. Click here to download a copy.

Foundation Programme 2010 application form

Choose from the list below to view PDF versions of each tab of the 2010 application form. Please note these images are for representational purposes only and may differ very slightly from the actual form.

Planning your medical career

The UKFPO has produced a careers advice leaflet for medical students and foundation doctors. Entitled, 'Planning Your Medical Career: A practical guide', it contains realistic careers guidance, a step-by-step guide to structuring your decision-making process as well as links to a range of further resources. Click here to download your copy.

FP2010 Applicant timeline

Key dates and information on applying for the 2010 Foundation Programme. Click here to view. Click here to download the hard copy version.

FP 2010 Special circumstances guidance/application

Published May 2009

There are a small number of students entering their first year of foundation training who need extra support in ensuring that the geographical location of their training programme is manageable with existing care commitments for their children, or others dependent on them, as well as their own personal support needs. These students may be eligible to apply for pre-allocation to a foundation school on the grounds of their special circumstances.

Guidance for Applicants

Special Circumstances Application Form

Guidance for Medical Schools

Special Circumstances Appeal Form

Special Circumstances Appeal Process

Medical students must have submited their special circumstances application form, along with all supporting documentation, to their medical school by 23 September 2009.

Applicants should check with their medical school to which address the form and documentation should be sent.

Rough Guide to the Academic Foundation Programme

This guide offers a broad-based introduction to academic foundation training and is aimed at medical students contemplating a career in academic medicine.

Rough Guide to the Academic Foundation Programme

Compendium of Academic competences

This document outlines some of the additional competences which an academic trainee may acquire during the course of their training. This may be of interest to the enquiring medical student and the academic foundation doctor.

Compendium of Academic Competences

Guidance on speciality tasters for Foundation trainees

The UKFPO has published guidance aimed at supporting the development of high-quality tasters in each locality of every foundation school. A taster is a period of time, usually 2-5 days, spent in a speciality in which the Foundation trainee has not previously worked. It is intended to enable the development of insight into the work of the speciality and to promote careers reflection. There are already many examples of good practice in this area and this document aims to support all Foundation Programmes in developing career exploration for their trainees.

Guidance on specialty tasters for foundation trainees

Inter-Foundation School Transfer (IFST) process

Information for foundation trainees wishing to transfer between foundation schools has now been published.

Guidance for Applicants

Application Documentation

Transfer of Information Process

Transfer of Information (TOI) process is a means of supporting students as they move from the medical school to the foundation school environment. In particular, this process seeks to highlight students who may require additional support during their foundation training programmes. The TOI process is one of the mechanisms by which medical schools pass on information relating to students which may affect patient safety. The TOI process will not formally come into effect until the 2009 recruitment round. However, a number of medical schools/foundation schools are using this process this year. We would encourage any medical school who wished to trial the process this year to do so, in advance of the full roll-out in 2009. Click here to download the form and guidance.

Rough Guide to the Foundation Programme

Published summer 2007

This guide explains how the Foundation Programme works, and will help you get the most out of your first two years of clinical practice. It covers a range of topics including your application to the foundation programmes; progressing through F1 and F2; completing your assessments; and advancing to specialty training. It also covers career advice and what to do if things are not going well in your placement.

The guide has been written for both final year medical students and foundation doctors, with contributions from foundation doctors, clinical tutors, educational supervisors and others involved in foundation programmes across the UK. It isn’t exhaustive, but provides a good starting point to find out more about how your first two years of training will work. If you want to know the details of absolutely everything about the Foundation Programme, refer to the Operational Framework for Foundation Training.

If you want to share your experiences and/or give us advice about how to make it better, write to enquiries@foundationprogramme.nhs.uk to contribute to future editions of the Rough Guide.

Click here to download your free copy of the Rough Guide

Foundation Programme Curriculum

Published July 2007

This Curriculum reflects a developmental approach to postgraduate medical education. Under the Curriculum, foundation doctors have to demonstrate that they are competent in a number of areas including communication and consultation skills, patient safety and team work as well as the more traditional elements of medical training.

The framework for this structured two-year training programme gives foundation doctors exposure to a range of career placements across a broad spectrum of specialties, including accident & emergency, obstetrics & gynaecology and anaesthetics. The new Foundation Programme Curriculum 2007 is now available online.

Click here to download a copy of the Curriculum .

Foundation Learning Portfolio

Published August 2008

The Foundation Learning Portfolio has been designed to help foundation doctors plan and manage their Foundation Programme and get the most from the opportunities available. The portfolio supports the Foundation Programme Curriculum.

The Foundation Programme represents a shift to a new learning environment driven by the foundation doctor, and supported by supervisors. Within the portfolio, foundation doctors will find tools that will help identify educational needs, set goals and plan how to achieve them. The portfolio also contains guidance for foundation doctors on how to demonstrate the competences they have achieved.

What‘s in the Foundation Learning Portfolio

List of competences required to successfully complete the Foundation Programme
Example forms to record meetings with your education supervisor, reflective practice and self appraisal
Educational agreement
Personal development plan

The portfolio will become trainees’ record of achievements throughout their foundation training.

Click here to download a copy of the Foundation Learning Portfolio

Click here to download the 5.1 Attainment of F1 Competence form

Click here to download the 5.2 Foundation Achievement of Competence Document (FACD)

Foundation Learning Portfolio Online

An electronic version of the Foundation Learning Portfolio is running in Scotland, Wales and a number of Foundation Schools in England. Your foundation school will give you details of the portfolio you will be using.

Operational Framework

Amended for August 2009

The Operational Framework was developed to support the implementation and delivery of Foundation Programme training. This is a companion document to the Foundation Programme Curriculum and should be used in conjunction with it.

Click here to download the amended Operational Framework for Foundation Training

Click here to view the Operational Framework amendments for August 2009

NOTE: There are differences in organisational names and structures across the UK. If you have any queries, you should refer to your country’s MMC website. Links to these websites can be found by clicking here.

Competition Ratios 2007, 2008 & 2009

Please note that ratios from previous years are not an indication of the popularity of schools for 2010.

Competition will vary, depending on which schools other applicants choose to list as their first choice.

Click here to view this table

FP2010 Person Specification

The questions on the application form reflect the knowledge, skills and attributes required by the national Person Specification.

FP2010 Person Specification

Current appeals processes

FP 2010 Application Appeals

FP2010 Application Appeals Process

FP2010 Application Appeals Form

Clinical Assessment Appeals

Clinical Assessment Appeals Process

Clinical Assessment Appeals Form