West Specialised Foundation Programme
The Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP) comprising 18 posts is available in Glasgow. (15 posts W32 and 3 posts in W30)
The F1 year is a generic clinical Foundation year which allows newly qualified doctors to gain experience in a range of clinical posts with the F2 year focusing on academic elements alongside additional clinical experiences.
It offers the same clinical training as other Foundation posts, but will also include additional tuition and assessment intended to prepare the post holder for a future career in academia.
The primary objective of this SFP, as for all other foundation programmes, is to ensure satisfactory clinical training through the attainment of foundation competencies (as defined by the Foundation Curriculum and demonstrated through successful completion of the Foundation ePortfolio (Turas)).
The West SFP is a two-year fixed programme.
This page provides a brief overview of the programme. Full information about rotations can be found by following the link on the left-hand menu.
This is a recruitment website and is not used to provide information for current trainees. Current Foundation trainees should visit the Scotland Deanery website for information about their training.
All rotations are indicative and subject to change.
What the programme offers
In addition to clinical tuition and the teaching below, there will be opportunities to attend academic journal clubs with Glasgow Academic Training Environment trainees (GATE, CMT 1-2 and equivalent in other specialties).
In addition to foundation training, trainees will have additional training opportunities either run locally or as part of the National SFY training sessions covering aspects such as research methodology, ethics submission, good clinical practice for research and career advice.
SFP posts offer a unique opportunity to have mentoring by a senior clinical academic, to offer support aligned to the SFYs career intentions. All SFP trainees are granted Honorary Clinical Fellow status with the University of Glasgow which allows access to University e-mail accounts, access to the University library resources, and IT systems/support (e.g. statistical programmes).
Who Should Apply?
The aim of the programme is to encourage those individuals with an interest in research and teaching to pursue their goals. As such we invite all those who are thinking about a future in academia to apply. F1 will comprise three blocks, each of four months' duration, based at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow or at the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow. All blocks will be in Medicine or Surgery specialties, with some rotations also offering a rotation in Critical Care Medicine.
F2 will also comprise of three blocks, each of four months’ duration, based at the Royal Infirmary, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the Royal Hospital for Children, Gartnavel General Hospital, Leverndale Hospital, the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre or in General Practice.
During F2, two sessions per week will be allocated for individual academic/research development. In addition to clinical and educational supervision, an academic mentor will also be allocated to oversee the post holder’s progress.
In addition to clinical tuition and the teaching below, there will be opportunities to attend academic journal clubs with Glasgow Academic Training Environment trainees (GATE, IMT 1-2 and equivalent in other specialties). Following completion of a specialised foundation programme, trainees may wish to continue their academic and clinical training in Glasgow and participate in the GATE programme.
The Glasgow Academic Training Environment (GATE) for Specialty Trainees (for post SFP opportunities)
The Glasgow Academic Training Environment (GATE) Programme, has been running since 2012 and admits a variable number of trainees per year. GATE is a joint undertaking between the University of Glasgow and the West region of NHS Education for Scotland (NES). GATE allows trainees to benefit from exposure to excellence in both the research environment and clinical training. All West of Scotland trainees appointed to the first years of specialty training from selected clinical disciplines are eligible to apply. We particularly encourage applications from trainees who have research interests that are aligned with University of Glasgow’s strongest academic centres. At present the participating training programmes are: Internal Medical Training, Core Surgical Training, Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Anaesthetics. The GATE Programme is designed to take the most promising clinical academic trainees, develop their potential and create the next generation of research leaders. The anticipation is that GATE trainees will apply for funded higher degrees (MD or PhD) and/or Clinical Lectureship posts.
Contacts and more information
For more information about the Specialised Foundation Programme, please contact one of the following:
- Dr Craig Harrow - Foundation Programme Director
- Dr Patrick Mark - Academic Director
- Dr Edgar Brincat - West of Scotland Specialised Foundation Programme Lead
- Prof. Christian Delles - Chair, Clinical Academic Advisory Committee
Information is also available on their website.