Specialised Foundation Programme

Specialised Foundation Programme 2024

The Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP) is run jointly by the Northern Foundation School (NFS) and Newcastle Health Innovation Partners (NHIP Academy).

The SFP is a fully integrated two-year research-focused 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.

Please note that medical education research is an option within our programmes. We anticipate education and teaching delivery, as well as leadership and management will be important aspects of your placement, but we do not offer dedicated programmes in these areas.

Our academic placements are trainee-centred, and we encourage you to seek out an academic unit that is conducting research in the area that you are interested in. Please make contact with the clinical academic researcher working in the unit and explore what opportunities might be available. The named Clinical Academic will act as your SFP Supervisor throughout your Specialised Foundation Programme.

If you would like help to identify a potential SFP supervisor, please contact NHIP.Academy@newcastle.ac.uk OR Professor Gillian Vance, the NFS Director responsible for our Specialised Foundation Programme, on gillian.vance@newcastle.ac.uk.

Professor Vance is also Professor of Medical Education at the School of Medical Education, Newcastle University and Co-lead of the NIHR Incubator for Clinical Education (@ClinEdResearch).

Please do contact her if you would welcome an informal discussion or further information.   

For any other queries then please contact us via email on england.foundationrecruitmentnfs.ne@nhs.net 

SFP trainees will join the academic community of the NHIP Academy, and as an honorary member of Newcastle University staff will be able to access other Faculty based training events and research support.

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 Specialised Foundation 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). To access the SFP posts offered for August 2024, please click here

 

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

 

Please find a Summary of the SFP 2024 Information here

 

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 2024 can be accessed here: 2024 High-level timeline

 

Please note that the Northern Foundation School support the Disability Confident Scheme.  For more information please click here.

 

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 the White Space Questions. Please see below for further details:

 

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 12th September - 20th September 2023.

Applications open on Oriel from 20th September (09:00 BST) and close on 4th October(12 noon BST) 2023.  

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 28th and Wednesday 29th November 2023. 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

Please find below the key points summarising the criteria we use in Northern Specialised Foundation Programme

Shortlisting for interview

  1. Applicants are short-listed for interview on the basis of scores gained for selected Additional Educational Achievements and answers to White Space Questions. The applications will be scored by at least 2 independent reviewers. Any significant discrepancies are discussed.
  1. In keeping with the introduction of the Preference Informed Allocation process and a computer-generated rank, the SFP2024 application process will not consider EPM/decile score.
  1. However, the Additional Educational Achievements we score are:
  • Additional qualifications – maximum score 5 points
    1. Additional degrees undertaken through the undergraduate medical programme will be considered
    2. 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
    3. Scoring is as follows:

MBBS/medical degree ONLY

0 points

Intercalated BSc/BA/BMedSci class unspecified or 3rd Class

0 points

Any degree prior to undertaking MBBS/medical degree

0 points

Intercalated BSc/BA/BMedSci class 2:2 or 2:1; Intercalated Masters’ degree pass

3 points

Intercalated BSc/BA/BMedSci class 1st; Intercalated Masters’ Degree merit or distinction

5 points

 

Publications – maximum score 5 points

  1. 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
  2. Publications should be medical (scientific, clinical, education or leadership) in focus
  3. Applicants should complete all information as fully as possible. This includes the PubMed ID which can be a PMID, PMCID, DOI or in press ID
  4. Scoring is as follows

Publications where you are named as a collaborator or are categorised as ‘comment’

0 points

Abstract in a journal supplement

1 points

Author in one or more peer reviewed, non-research publications eg, letter, case report

3 points

Author on one or more peer reviewed, research publications

5 points

  1. Incomplete information will not be scored.
  2. Points will be awarded for the publication that attracts the highest score

Oral presentations – maximum score 5 points

  1. Presentations should be medical (scientific, clinical, education or leadership) in focus
  2. Presentations may be online or in-person, with the applicant being the named presenter
  3. The conference/event may not have taken place before the shortlisting process, but the submission should have been accepted
  4. Please make it clear if the presentation is taking place in a national and international setting. If this information is not given, then no score will be awarded. Oral presentations taking place at a regional or local organisational level will not be scored, but will be considered through the interview process
  5. 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 presentation that attracts the highest score

Poster presentations – maximum score 5 points

  1. Presentations should be medical (scientific, clinical, education or leadership) in focus
  2. Presentations may be online or in-person, with the applicant being the named presenter
  3. The conference/event may not have taken place before the shortlisting process, but the submission should have been accepted
  4. Please make it clear if the presentation is taking place in a national and international setting. If this information is not given, then no score will be awarded. Poster presentations taking place at a regional or local organisational level will not be scored, but will be considered through the interview process
  5. Scoring is as follows:
  • 3 points if delivering a poster presentation in a national setting
  • 5 points if delivering a 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

  1. White Space Questions (WSQs)
    • We require applicants to complete all WSQs, EXCEPT the question Education and Teaching. This subject will be picked up if you are shortlisted for interview.
    • Each question is assessed for the quality of the answer. High quality answers are clear, focused on the question and provide sufficient detailed. We would encourage you to draw on one of more example to demonstrate the relevant attribute
    • Each question is scored up to 5 points.  
  1. Scoring
    • AEA: 20 points
    • WSQs: 25 points

Total score: 45 points

Interviews

  1. Process
    • Approximately 40-45 candidates are invited to interview. These are the candidates scoring highest in the application form
    • The score at interview only determines a job offer
  1. Interviews
    • These are held remotely, with a panel of 2-3 consultant staff
    • We do NOT have a clinical scenario or academic abstract as part of the interview process
    • Interviews last 20-25 minutes and will focus on academic areas, such as suitable study design, research ethics, experience and understanding of education and teaching strategies.
    • The interviews are 28th and 29th November 2023

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 4th October deadline up until 13th October 2023 

 

Offers will be made on 10th January 2024 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 17th January 2024 onwards.

For any other queries about the Specialised Foundation Programme please contact us via email on england.foundationrecruitmentnfs.ne@nhs.net

 

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

 

 

 

Useful links