The Scottish Foundation School - Specialised Foundation Programmes - August 2025

The Scottish Foundation School offers Foundation Programmes (FP) and Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP) opportunities.

SFP is offered in 5 Groups (4 regions of Scotland), 54 Programmes (rotations/ posts) across these regions and in conjunction with Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews universities.

The SFP programmes offer the opportunity to develop skills in research and medical education/ teaching alongside core Foundation training.

During the F2 year of SFP, there may be either the opportunity for a dedicated 4-month placement or a longitudinal placement (e.g. time each week for the whole of your F2 year).

 

East Region – 6 posts (E07)

All posts are either Research or Teaching themed, based in Tayside.

All East posts offer a 4-month block in F2 in your preferred academic area.  This is a 2-year fixed rotation.

 

North Region - 12 posts (N11)

Research (6) (medical 3 and surgical 3) and Medical Education (6) are the themed rotations based in the first year either in Aberdeen or Inverness and year 2 in various locations across the North region.

The 12 North posts offer a 4-month block in F2 in your preferred academic area. This is a 2-year fixed rotation.

 

South-East Region – 15 posts (S12) and 3 posts (S18) F2 Fife based

The 15 posts in S12 are in Lothian and are all research themed. These include 9 posts that have an allocated 4-month F2 block and 6 that are longitudinal with a half day/ week for the F2 year.  Your allocated programme in F2 will take consideration of your stated preferences and the process of year 2 allocations will take place in December and January.

There are 3 posts (S18) based in Fife for the F2 year with a fixed rotation through Emergency Medicine, General (Internal) Medicine and General Practice with a day/ week for the whole of F2 to be used for the foundation doctors chosen project.

 

West Region - 18 posts (W32)

All posts are Research themed and based in West hospital locations or combined West hospital locations.

All posts in the West are longitudinal posts and offer one day/ week dedicated research time throughout the F2 year. This is a 2-year-fixed rotation.

 

For all enquiries, please email the Foundation School: sfas@nes.scot.nhs.uk

 

Please see the UKFPO website for more information on the SFP process across the UK - https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/programmes/2-year-foundation-programme/specialised-foundation-programme/