Post allocation is considered over the whole two-year programme.
The FPD will balance both the individual's training needs and look at overall allocation for all resident doctors in their Foundation Programme. The F2 training year will consist of 3 x 4-month posts that constitute a generic, broad based training programme. These posts will be selected from the list of F2 posts specific to each Programme.
You will be given the list of individual F2 posts available within your Programme to rank in order of preference.
F2s must have at least one post within the Edinburgh city bypass and one outside the city bypass over the two-year programme.
A maximum of 3 surgical posts will be permitted over the 2-year programme. Surgical posts include general, urology, breast, plastic, ENT, colorectal, cardiothoracic, vascular, paediatric and orthopaedic surgery. Emergency medicine and obstetrics and gynaecology are not surgical posts.
Repeat posts may be permitted in areas known to offer a different educational experience in F1 and F2, or posts with enough subspecialty areas e.g. General (Internal) Medicine, Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, General Surgery, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. F2 doctors should make requests for a repeat post via their short-written statement at the bottom of the ranking form. These posts will be selected from the list of F2 posts specific to each Programme.
F2s will hopefully get one of their top three post choices. The other two posts will be from as high in their ranking as possible with much dependant on the other F2 preferences within the programme, along with educational and geographical constraints.
All posts are required to be filled, including the less popular choices. There is therefore a significant likelihood of a post allocation from the bottom third of your ranking.
Please note that a driving licence +/- car ownership will not be considered as a factor for F2 allocation.
Where a post is unsuitable e.g. where a relative has recently been treated in a particular unit, please highlight via the short-written statement. It is unhelpful if this is highlighted after the allocation process.
Please note that allocations are provisional and on the rare occasion subject to change.
Swaps are not permitted.
F2 Allocation Example:
- Duncan is allocated to Scotland as their Unit of Application. Duncan ranks his Group preferences and is allocated to S01. Duncan then ranks his Programme preferences and is allocated to S01001 for his F1 year. During F1, Duncan is sent a list of options for F2. These options are still within S01. Duncan ranks his preferences from 1 to 15 and is allocated to an individually constructed programme (rotation) in emergency medicine, general practice and general psychiatry for his F2 year
Expected Timeline (subject to change)
- Early October
- Training Programme Management team will send Allocation forms to current F1s
- F1s have 2 weeks to return completed forms to FPDs
- Mid-October - January
- FPDs will allocate F2 posts
- Training Management Team to review allocations/recommend changes
- Early February
- FPDs will share final allocations with F2s
This page was last updated on: 05.02.2026 at 14.53