Changes to medical postgraduate education
within the UK mean that from August 2005, instead of following a
course of study and practice through the Pre-Registration House
Office years and General Professional Training, prospective GPs now
undertake two postgraduate ‘Foundation’ years followed by the
Specialty Training for General Practice (3
years). The aim of the Foundation Programme (or Run Through
Training) is to equip you with the necessary skills you will need
as a doctor, focussing on core competencies of medical practice
rather than preparing for or concentrating on a specific
specialty.
The Foundation Programme consists of two years
spent in any of the 65 recognised specialties including surgery,
haematology, ENT, paediatrics, dermatology and
gynaecology.
The competences that you will be expected to
achieve are based on the principles laid out in the GMC's
Good
Medical Practice.
Key points
The Foundation Programme is
not preparation for any particular specialty and, as such,
there is not requirement for a doctor to take a GP placement in
theFoundation Years in order to access Specialty Training for
General Practice. Equally, no posts completed within the Foundation
Years may be counted towards a Certificate of Completion of
Training (CCT).
Information Sources
Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) are the
competent authority for the administration of the new medical
training framework. Their website is an excellent
source of information. There are various downloadable documents,
such as The Rough Guide to Foundation Years (right).
Useful links:
http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/
Foundation Programme – The Curriculum
Foundation Programme – Learning Portfolio
BMJ Learning - Foundation
Programme