Academic Foundation Programme Research Articles

A review of the academic and grey literature on the Academic Foundation Programme

The purpose of this study was to review the academic and grey literature specific to the Academic Foundation Programme. This was performed as part of a broader review of the programme. In the United Kingdom the Academic Foundation Programme (AFP) is a competitive entry entity running parallel to the Foundation Programme, the first two years of clinical practice and training for new medical graduates. An electronic search of online journal databases was performed. This was supplemented by hand searching of medical education journals. Grey literature was identified by searching websites of relevant governmental and non-governmental organisations. Eleven academic journal articles and four pieces of grey literature were identified. Personal accounts dominated and shared several positive features of the programme including gaining research skills and having a degree of work freedom balanced with the limitations of a four-month block and frustration at the pace of progress. The personal accounts were supplemented by a small-scale qualitative interview study and an online questionnaire study. The literature pertaining to the AFP is almost entirely positive but is lacking in both critical discourse and higher level evaluation, future studies must move forward in terms of rigour to help our understanding of what does and does not work for early medical academics, and perhaps more importantly, why this might be the case.

How to prepare for an academic foundation programme interview

How to prepare for an academic foundation programme interview

Why trainees should grasp research opportunities

Shaan Hyder explains how to gain a rare but worthwhile place on an academic foundation programme

Diabetes drug development: time for a shift in paradigm

Gregory C Jones* speaks to Daphne Boulicault, Commissioning Editor: Gregory C Jones, MbChB, FRCPG, is a Consultant Physician in general (internal) medicine, diabetes and endocrinology at Western Infirmary and Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, UK appointed in 2001. He is Honorary Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Glasgow. He graduated in medicine from the University of Dundee in 1991, and undertook general medical training in Coventry, England and specialist training in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a Wellcome Clinical Research Fellow at Edinburgh University. His principal research interests are pharmacotherapy in Type 2 diabetes, service delivery and in-patient diabetes care. He has written several papers in this field. He has a wide experience as a leader in medical education. He was previously the Training Program Director for Diabetes and Endocrinology and is currently Associate Director of Medical Education, Academic Foundation Programme Director and Chair of Academic Foundation Medic...

Is the academic foundation programme right for me?

I’ve applied for the academic foundation programme and I’m waiting to hear whether or not I have been successful. Since applying, I have started to question if going down the academic pathway is right for me. I didn’t enjoy my intercalated degree year that much, and found writing up my research dissertation in physiology stressful. The timescale for responding once the offers are out is tight and I am unsure what to do. Anon, final year medical student, King’s College London Caroline replies . . . As a medical undergraduate it can come as a bit of a shock when, after five or six years of medical school, you are faced with a big career decision that you think will define your future. You mention that you are questioning whether the academic pathway is right for you, but the source of this anxiety could stem from your lack of familiarity with making major career decisions, rather than your suitability for the academic foundation programme. Some people find making major decisions difficult. Often, this difficulty comes from an anxiety that they will make the wrong decision and lose the opportunity to do something else that …

Teaching fellowships for UK foundation doctors

Teaching Fellowships for junior doctors in their second post-graduate (FY2) year should be considered by medical students and junior doctors in UK. FY2 Teaching Fellowships are available in many foundation schools as part of the UK Academic Foundation Programme. Although programme structures differ between schools, they are designed to allow junior trainees to take time out from clinical practice to develop their teaching skills and gain insights into medication education careers. The advantages of an FY2 teaching fellowship include valuable experience of teaching and formal feedback not available to other trainees; the opportunity to further develop your portfolio; further development of the trainee’s own knowledge and skills; the stimulation of working with students. Potential drawbacks to be considered are reduced direct clinical contact; reduced salary; difficulty carrying out education research in the allocated time frame; occasional difficulties establishing the teacher–student relationship while the trainee is at a relatively junior level. Experience of medical education as an FY2 trainee provides a helpful stepping stone whether or not the trainee further pursues education as a career, because the teaching skills are transferable to any specialty, and the unique experience enhances the trainee’s confidence as a role model for junior colleagues.

Diabetes: new approaches to common challenges

Dr Gregory C Jones speaks to, Hannah Wilson, Commissioning Editor: Greg Jones is a consultant physician in general (internal) medicine, diabetes and endocrinology at Western Infirmary and Gartnavel General Hospital (Glasgow, UL), appointed 2001. He is Honorary Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Glasgow (Glasgow, UK). He graduated in medicine from the University of Dundee (Dundee, UK) in 1991, and undertook general medical training in Coventry (UK) and specialist training in Edinburgh (UK). He was a Wellcome Clinical Research Fellow at Edinburgh University. Dr Jones’s principal research interests are pharmacotherapy in Type 2 diabetes, service delivery and in-patient diabetes care. He has written several papers in this field. Dr Jones has a wide experience as a leader in medical education. He was previously training program director for diabetes and endocrinology and is currently Associate Director of Medical Education, Academic Foundation Programme Director and Chair of Academic Foundation ...

Applying to the Academic Foundation Programme

Applying to the Academic Foundation Programme

Encouraging new doctors to do medical education research

An academic foundation programme in medical education may allow junior medical trainees to gain experience in teaching and medical education research. After 2 years, three trainees will have completed the programme, and three more will be halfway through it. The authors explore problems encountered and how trainees maximised their experience, helping to inform future planning. SUMMARY OF WORK: Semi-structured group discussions covering trainees' experiences were conducted in the summer of 2011. All six trainees in the programme participated. Both site-specific and general issues were raised, most of which were dealt with in a pragmatic fashion. The trainees' goals and subsequent achievements varied. Important factors for trainees and those supervising them, and the organisation of the programme, are discussed. Our experience is that an academic foundation programme in medical education can be successful. This requires collaboration between trainees and supervisors. The role of the academic supervisor in medical education research is key, but those involved in the practicalities of helping trainees maintain their protected research time is just as important.

Succeeding in the academic foundation programme

The academic foundation programme allows trainees to explore research interests. <b>Adam D Jakes and colleagues</b> look at what can be achieved during the programme and highlight the important pitfalls to avoid

Maximising opportunities in the academic foundation programme

The academic foundation programme provides opportunities for the foundation doctor to develop skills in research, teaching, and leadership. Zhongbo Chen asked senior academics Stuart Carney and Pankaj Sharma for their advice on making the most of such a programme

More UK doctors should do public health training

Reforms to the NHS mean doctors need a wide range of skills beyond their clinical expertise. <b>Emily Oliver</b>, who has completed the academic foundation programme, and <b>Nicholas Segaren</b>, who has done his core surgical training, believe public health training in particular would benefit all doctors

It’s not just academic: the academic foundation programme

It’s not just academic: the academic foundation programme

Academic and standard foundation programme application to be aligned for 2013

Applications for the academic foundation programme and for the standard foundation programme will be aligned for candidates applying to start in summer 2013. Individuals applying to the academic foundation programme in 2013 will complete the national foundation programme application form and have the option to …

Medical academics support wider access to academic foundation programme

The number of places on the academic foundation programme should be increased, and posts should be made more available to applicants without previous formal research experience, medical academics have agreed. Delegates at the BMA’s conference of medical academic representatives debated the availability of research opportunities for medical students and supported increasing the opportunities for academic experience within the foundation programme. The chairman of the BMA’s Northern Ireland medical students committee, Luke Boyle, argued …

Developing clinical leadership capacity among UK foundation trainees

This article provides a guide to how junior doctors can act as leaders within their workplace using various leadership and management tools, and discusses a novel academic foundation programme in clinical leadership and management.

Impact of UK academic foundation programmes on aspirations to pursue a career in academia

This study aimed to determine the role played by academic foundation programmes in influencing junior doctors' desire to pursue a career in academic medicine. We conducted an online questionnaire-based study of doctors who were enrolled on or had completed academic foundation programmes in the UK. There were 92 respondents (44 men, 48 women). Of these, 32 (35%) possessed a higher degree and 73 (79%) had undertaken a 4-month academic placement during Foundation Year 2. Outcomes were measured using Likert scale-based ordinal response data. From a cohort of 115 academic foundation trainees directly contacted, 46 replies were obtained (40% response rate). A further 46 responses were obtained via indirect notification through local programme directors. From the combined responses, the majority (77%) wished to pursue a career in academia at the end of the academic Foundation Year (acFY) programme. Feeling well informed about academic careers (odds ratio [OR] 16.9, p=0.005) and possessing a higher degree (OR 31.1, p=0.013) were independently associated with an increased desire to continue in academia. Concern about reduced clinical experience whilst in academic training dissuaded from continuing in academia (OR 0.15, p=0.026). Many respondents expressed concerns about autonomy, the organisation of the programme and the quantity and quality of academic teaching received. However, choice of work carried out during the academic block was the only variable independently associated with increasing the desire of respondents to pursue a career in academia following their experiences in the acFY programme (OR 6.3, p=0.007). The results support the provision of well-organised academic training programmes that assist junior clinical academics in achieving clinical competencies whilst providing protected academic time, information about further academic training pathways and autonomy in their choice of academic work.

The academic foundation programme

The academic foundation programme

An academic foundation programme in trauma and orthopaedic surgery

There have been substantial recent changes to the structure of clinical academic training. In its 2004 white paper, Science and innovation: working towards a ten-year investment framework, the government issued a call for improvements in clinical research in the NHS, to ensure that scientific advances would translate to genuine improvements in patients' care. In response to this, the UK Clinical Research Collaboration was set up to enhance the partnership between government, industry and medical sectors. They identified three current major problems in clinical academic training: lack of a clear entry route and career structure; lack of flexibility in job content and location; and a shortage of suitably structured posts on training completion. In 2004, 10% of academic posts were unfilled and there were 23% fewer junior academic staff than three years previously.

Academic foundation programmes

Academic foundation programmes allow newly graduated doctors to experience work in the academic sphere alongside the core clinical training that the foundation programme provides. Having just completed such programmes, the authors outline why they were developed and what they involve. This article discusses some pros and cons and, for those who may consider applying, suggests some useful next steps.