Overview of the Scottish Foundation School
Begin your medical career in Scotland with access to varied, high-quality foundation training across a wide range of healthcare settings. The Scottish Foundation School offers opportunities in teaching hospitals, district general hospitals, community settings, and remote and rural locations, helping foundation doctors build confidence, broaden their clinical experience and develop the skills needed for safe and effective practice.
The Foundation Programme
The two-year Foundation Programme is the first stage of postgraduate medical training in the UK after graduation from medical school. It gives newly qualified doctors the opportunity to apply their learning in practice, develop professionally and prepare for the next stage of their medical career. Recruitment to two-year programmes in the Scottish Foundation School is managed through the UK-wide recruitment process, in line with the nationally agreed timetable.
What training involves
Foundation training combines supervised clinical placements, structured learning and workplace-based experience. Doctors are supported as they move from medical school into professional practice, developing clinical judgement, communication skills, teamwork and professional behaviours while delivering patient care.
Curriculum, Assessment and Portfolio
Progress is assessed against the outcomes set out in the UK Foundation Programme curriculum. Foundation doctors use the Turas Training Portfolio to record evidence of their development, including clinical practice, communication, patient safety, teamwork, reflection and continuing professional development.
Training Outside the UK
The Scottish Foundation School does not support or accredit doctors who wish to complete their F1 or F2 training years outside the United Kingdom.
Indicative F1 posts for training commencing August 2026
The table below provides an indication of the number of F1 posts expected to be available in each Scottish Foundation School region for training commencing in August 2026. These figures are intended to help applicants understand the likely distribution of posts across Scotland and this may change as programmes are finalised.
| East | North | South-East | West | TOTAL |
| 120 | 207 | 276 | 570 | 1173 |
This page was last updated on: 29.07.2026 at 13.57