What the North Region SFP can offer you

All programmes offer a dedicated 4-month academic block for research/medical education activities. It also includes additional academic support and mentorship intended to prepare the post holder for a future career in academia.

As well as acquiring clinical competencies expected of all trainees, each SFP trainee will be assigned to an academic supervisor/project supervisor and a mentor who are actively engaged in promoting and undertaking research at the University and/or NHS level.

Additional features of the programme include the opportunity to engage in the following research activities depending on an individual's interests:

• Regular seminars on research skills offered by the NHS Grampian Research and Development
• Development of laboratory or clinical research skills offered by the University of Aberdeen
• Regular research seminars and staff development courses offered by the University of Aberdeen
• Attendance at internal and external scientific meetings
• Teaching and assessment of undergraduate medical students
• Participation in audit/Quality Improvement (QI) projects, research projects, and ongoing clinical trials  in academic departments the trainee may rotate through
• Regular meetings with the Academic Foundation Programme Director and the Director of Aberdeen Clinical Academic Training and Development (ACAT)
• Supporting activities of the active academic student society (Aberdeen Student Society for Academic Medicine (ASSAM)) - e.g. running journal clubs, giving talks at career evenings, information sessions for SFP application

Several postgraduate taught programmes are available. We encourage trainees to enrol in PG Cert. in Research Methods for Health. Further information can be found here.

The aim of the Specialised Foundation Programme is to prepare Foundation doctors to become future leaders in academic and clinical medicine. Every opportunity will be made available to enhance the academic profile of successful candidates.

Trainees will be encouraged to formulate plans for medium to long-term research opportunities which may include fellowship applications or MD/PhD studentships. The academic mentor will facilitate academic development at every opportunity and in all rotations within the 2-year programme. All trainees will have access to guidance and supervision from many academic clinicians participating in this programme.

The specialised programme is led by the University of Aberdeen and full details of all that it has to offer are available at Aberdeen Clinical Academic Training (ACAT) Programmes’ webpages.

Research opportunities are supported through our institutes and details can be found on their websites: 

• The Institute of Applied Health Sciences
  
• The Institute of Medical Sciences
  
• The Rowett Institute
  
• The Institute of Education for Medical and Dental Sciences
  
• The Institute of Dentistry
  
• The Health Services Research Unit
  
• The Health Economics Research Unit
• The Centre for Healthcare Randomised Trials
  
• The Aberdeen Cardiovascular & Diabetes Centre
• The Aberdeen Centre for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Health
• The Aberdeen Centre for Women’s Health
  
• The Centre for Rural Health
  
• The Aberdeen Centre for Health Data Science
  
• The Centre for Healthcare Education Research and Innovation  

Contacts

For more information about the Specialised Foundation Programme, please contact one of the following:

Dr Sneh Banik - Foundation Programme Director

Professor Colin Lumsden - Academic Lead