Specialised Foundation Programme 2023
The Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP) is run jointly by the Northern Foundation School (NFS) and Newcastle upon Tyne University. The SFP is a fully integrated two-year research-based training programme which will provide you with unique experience with a protected 4-month placement tailored to your specific areas of academic interest in both F1 and F2
Professor Gillian Vance, the NFS Director responsible for our Specialised Foundation Programme is passionate about the opportunities available in our region and you are encouraged to make contact with any informal queries you may have in advance of submitting your application. Please make contact using this email address: gillian.vance@newcastle.ac.uk or by telephone (via the Clinical Academic Office) on 0191 2228851. The Clinical Academic Office (CAO) website can be found here. Clinical Academic Office
Professor Vance is also Professor of Medical Education at the School of Medical Education, Newcastle University; Co-lead of NIHR Incubator for Clinical Education (@ClinEdResearch) and an Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Allergy at the Great North Children’s Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation.
Our SFP is trainee centred and with guidance from Professor Vance, you will be encouraged to seek a Supervisor to join or develop a project in the subject area of their interest. Informal visits can be arranged and are encouraged. Projects can be predominately in clinical based research with patient contact, more translational-based research using patient samples and investigating them in a laboratory environment or basic science research based predominately in a laboratory. Clinical exposure and experience are encouraged during the academic period.
You will be mentored by a Clinical Academic who acts as the Academic Supervisor throughout your two-year Specialised Foundation Programme.
As an honorary member of Newcastle University staff during the programme, trainees have the opportunity to attend postgraduate lectures from any of the taught courses within the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
Most trainees are able to produce at least one abstract from their academic period to present at a national or international meeting. Many have co-authored manuscripts which have been published, and many are successful in obtaining an Academic Clinical Fellow post, within the region or nationally, on completion of training.
HOW MANY PROGRAMMES ARE AVAILABLE?
NFS currently offers 21 x 2-year Specialised Foundation Programmes with the following Local Education Providers (Acute NHS Trusts which host foundation training in our region).
12 programmes with The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and further information on this LEP is available here: www.newcastle-hospitals.nhs.uk
3 programmes with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and further information on this LEP is available here: www.northumbria.nhs.uk
3 programmes with South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and further information on this LEP is available here: www.southtees.nhs.uk
2 programmes with North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and further information on this LEP is available here: www.nth.nhs.uk
1 programme with North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust and further information on this LEP is available here: www.ncic.nhs.uk
How to Apply
Entry to a 2-Year Specialised Foundation Programme is facilitated via Foundation Programme recruitment using the national application platform Oriel www.oriel.nhs.uk/
The SFP application window is exactly the same as the FP application window and the high-level timeline for the Foundation Programme commencing August 2023 can be accessed here: 2023 High-level timeline
UKFPO Applicant Handbook and Guidance
Please ensure that you read the UKFPO Applicant Handbook and Guidance carefully when completing your application.
Please note that the character limit in the achievement titles section is 50
Please also ensure that you are familiar with the F1 Person Specification here
Applicants are required to submit separate applications (up to a maximum of two) in addition to their FP application.
WHITE SPACE QUESTIONS
Applicants to Northern Foundation School are requested to complete ALL of the White Space Questions. In order to do this please tick Research, Education and Training, and Leadership and Management to access these questions.
You should indicate your preferred theme in the response outlining your reasons for applying to the Specialised Foundation Programme.
Individual Placement Descriptions are available from each Local Education Provider
KEY DATES TO BE AWARE OF
Registration will be open on Oriel between 25th August and 7th September 2022.
Applications open on Oriel from 7th September (09:00 BST) and close on 20th September (12 noon BST) 2022. Due to the Bank Holiday on Monday 19th September the decision has been made to extend the FP application window until 12 noon on 21st September 2022
The recruitment cycle is managed nationally by the UK Foundation Programme Office www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk however in addition to this Foundation Schools run their own shortlisting process.
All shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview which will be held remotely via TEAMS.
Interviews for the NFS Specialised Foundation Programme will take place on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th December 2022. Please note that we are unable to offer alternative interview dates.
Further information about the interview process and timings will be communicated to shortlisted applicants in due course. Interview slots must be pre-booked via Oriel.
SFP Northern Foundation School: Short-listing Criteria and Selection Process
Applicants to Northern will be short-listed for interview on basis of scores for selected Additional Educational Achievements and answers to White Space Questions.
The School does NOT set a minimum EPM (decile) score.
Additional Educational Achievements
For 2023, we will consider the following additional educational achievements:
Additional qualifications
i. Additional degrees undertaken through the undergraduate medical programme will be considered
ii. Verification of additional degrees will be confirmed ahead of interview, if short-listed. Any alterations/issues around degree outcome will be considered by the interview panel
iii. Scoring is as follows:
· 0 points for MBBS/medical degree ONLY.
· 0 points for Intercalated BSc/BA/BMedSci class unspecified or 3rd Class
· 0 points for degrees prior to undertaking MBBS/medical degree
· 3 points for Intercalated BSc/BA/BMedSci class 2:2 or 2:1
· 5 points for Intercalated BSc/BA/BMedSci class 1st; Intercalated Masters’ Degree
Publications – maximum score 5 points
i. Articles must have been accepted and published not just submitted at the point of application. Publications that are ‘in press’ will count if the journal has an NLM unique ID number provided
ii. Publications should be medical (scientific, clinical, education or leadership) in focus
iii. Applicants should enter the PubMed ID on the application. This can be a PMID, PMCID, DOI or in press ID
iv. Scoring is as follows:
· 1 point if an abstract in a journal supplement
· 3 points if author in one or more peer reviewed, non-research publications eg, letter, case report
· 5 points if an author on one or more peer reviewed, research publications
Points will be awarded for the publication that attracts the highest score
Oral presentations – maximum score 5 points
i. Presentations should be medical (scientific, clinical, education or leadership) in focus
ii. Presentations may be online or in-person, with the applicant being the named presenter
iii. The conference/event may not have taken place before the shortlisting process, but the submission should have been accepted
iv. Please make it clear if the presentation is taking place in a national and international setting. Only these types of presentations are scored in the short-listing process, but presentations taking place at a regional or local organisational level will be considered through the interview process
v. Scoring is as follows:
· 3 points if delivering an oral presentation in a national setting
· 5 points if delivering an oral presentation in an international setting
Points will be awarded for the oral presentation that attracts the highest score
Poster presentations – maximum score 5 points
i. Presentations should be medical (scientific, clinical, education or leadership) in focus
ii. Presentations may be online or in-person, with the applicant being the named presenter
iii. The conference/event may not have taken place before the shortlisting process, but the submission should have been accepted
iv. Please make it clear if the presentation is taking place in a national and international setting. Only these types of presentations are scored in the short-listing process, but presentations taking place at a regional or local organisational level will be considered through the interview process
v. Scoring is as follows:
· 3 points if delivering an poster presentation in a national setting
· 5 points if delivering an poster presentation in an international setting
Points will be awarded for the poster presentation that attracts the highest score
Additional prizes will NOT be scored, whether letter of commendation, bursary, national or international prize
White Space Questions (WSQs)
· While Northern offers research placements, we recognise that research, education and training, leadership and management are all aspects of an academic career. Hence, we require applicants to complete all WSQs
· Each question is assessed for the quality of the answer. High quality answers are detailed, and draw on one of more example to demonstrate the relevant attribute
· Each question is scored up to 5 points.
Scoring
· AEA: 20 points
· WSQs: 50 points
Total score: 70 Points
Applications are reviewed by at least 2 reviewers and any significant discrepancies discussed
Interviews
· Approximately 40-45 candidates are invited to interview
· These are held remotely, with a panel of 3 consultant staff
· Interviews last 20-25 minutes and cover a set of clinical and academic questions
Applicants applying for SFP who are not successful in receiving an offer by the close of SFP recruitment will automatically transfer back into standard FP recruitment.
RANKING YOUR SFP PREFERENCES
Please rank all of the programmes you wish to be considered for, in order of preference, under the "Preference" column by using the drag and drop function on Oriel.
Any programmes you do not wish to be considered for should remain in the "Not Wanted" column. We recommend that you rank all of the Specialised Foundation Programmes available as this will increase the likelihood of receiving an offer of a programme of your choice (if you are successful at interview).
Please note: Preferencing for the Specialised Foundation Programme can now be amended after the 20th September deadline up until 14th October 2022
Offers will be made on 11th January 2023 via the Oriel recruitment system. Candidates must accept or decline the offer on Oriel within 48 hours.
Offers for any unfilled Specialised Foundation Programmes will be cascaded from 18th January 2023 onwards.
For any other queries about the Specialised Foundation Programme please contact us via email on foundationrecruitmentnfs@hee.nhs.uk
Examples of recent publications by our SFP trainees:
Cormack SM, Owens WA. Aneurysmal dilation of the ascending thoracic aorta and the aortic arch following surgical repair of type A dissection. BMJ Case Rep. 2012 Oct 12;2012. pii: bcr2012006963.
Richardson GD, Breault D, Horrocks G, Cormack S, Hole N, Owens WA. Telomerase expression in the mammalian heart. FASEB J. 2012 Dec;26(12):4832-40
Vann Jones SA, O'Brien JT. The prevalence and incidence of dementia with Lewy bodies: a systematic review of population and clinical studies. Psychol Med. 2013 Mar 25:1-11. [Epub ahead of print]
Verkerk MM. Clinical and audiologic features of mitochondrial hearing loss 2013 Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. In press
Bargiela D, Verkerk MM. The clinician-programmer: designing the future of medical practice. 2013 BMJ 347
Verkerk MM. Otorhinolaryngology And Neck Surgery: "Prepared 4 ENT" - Review Of A Practical One Day Course. 2013 Core Surgery Journal 3 (4): 48–50
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR REGION
You can also find lots of extremely useful information about training in our region on the Find Your Place website here
OPPORTUNITIES AFTER THE SPECIALISED FOUNDATION PROGRAMME
Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF)
Within HEENE Academic Clinical Fellowships provide an exciting opportunity for individuals interested in an academic career to combine clinical and academic training.
Academic Clinical Lectureship (ACL)
Academic Clinical Lectureships are available to trainees that are currently engaged in specialist training and have a PhD or equivalent
EMPLOYMENT AS A SPECIALISED FOUNDATION DOCTOR
Within HEE NE all postgraduate doctors in training are employed by the Lead Employer Trust rather than the Acute NHS Trust you are allocated to for your programme. For further information about pre-employment checks and policies which are specific to terms and conditions of employment can be found on the LET section of our website here: LET