What is the Academic Foundation Programme?

The Academic Foundation Programme (AFP) option - years 1&2 - is for newly qualified doctors who have completed an MBChB degree.

The Academic Foundation Programme is part of a structured career pathway within the ICAT programme and is ideally suited to those with an interest in research, or who already know they want to pursue an academic career.

Securing an Academic Foundation appointment is highly competitive. It is not essential, but an advantage for applicants to already hold a degree such as a MRes, MPhil, MSc or PhD and to demonstrate other evidence of research activity, particularly published work.

This structured two-year programme allows you to obtain clinical competencies, while following a research interest of your choice. You will gain the essential knowledge required of a junior doctor and also develop research, teaching, leadership and management skills.

Liverpool and Merseyside have 21 posts per year as part of the HENW Foundation School.   Each post involves a dedicated 4-month academic block during year 2. The remaining time is spent rotating through various clinical specialties at the host hospital.

15 of the 21 trainees undertake a research project during the 4 month F2 block. There are a range of possible supervisors and specialties available:

  • 6 trainees are based at Royal Liverpool University Hospital
  • 6 at University Hospital Aintree/Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery
  • 3 at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital

6 of the 21 trainees have an ‘education’ 4 month block in F2. They undergo training in medical educational methods and support the delivery of teaching to undergraduate medical students. They also undertake an educational research project.

3 education trainees are based at Royal Liverpool University Hospital and 3 at University Hospital Aintree.

Academic Foundation is not the only pathway into academic medicine and it is still possible to undertake training at a later stage. See the Pathway diagram for further details.

Dr. Cecilia Jukka, ICAT at RLUHT - cecilia.jukka@rlbuht.nhs.uk

 

How to apply

From 2015 Academic Foundation Trainees recruitment will be part of HEE Foundation School with the whole of Lancashire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire.  For further information and to find out how to apply see the NHS website for the Foundation programme.