F1 / F2 Stand-alone Foundation Programmes

Applicant Fact Sheet

What is foundation training in the United Kingdom (UK)?

The foundation programme is a two-year generic training programme which is intended to equip doctors with
the generic skills and professional capabilities to progress to specialty training.

Trainees undertake F1 before progressing to F2 level, with increasing responsibility for patient care. Trainees
at F2 level are expected to make management decisions and contribute to the wider education and training of
the healthcare workforce.

The foundation programme consists of an appropriate balance of placements across different specialties and
in different healthcare settings. An example of a typical foundation programme is: -

Year Rotation 1 Rotation 2 Rotation 3

F1 General Medicine General Surgery Anaesthetics

F2 Psychiatry Geriatrics Trauma & Orthopaedics

What are stand-alone foundation programmes?

➢ Stand-alone foundation programmes are fixed-term posts for one year.

➢ Applicants must hold or expect to hold full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) at the
start of the programme.

What is the difference between the two-year foundation programme and stand-alone programmes?

Two-Year Foundation Programme (FP) Stand-alone Programmes

Provisional registration with the GMC Full registration with the GMC

Two-year programme allocations One-year fixed-term posts

FP Curriculum and Reference Guide FP Curriculum and Reference Guide

Clinical and Educational Supervisor Clinical and Educational Supervisor

Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion

(FPCC) upon satisfactory completion of the F2 year (FPCC) upon satisfactory completion of the F2 year

Access to the online foundation ePortfolio Access to the online foundation ePortfolio
Which route of entry to foundation training applies to me?

What is the eligibility criteria for stand-alone?

➢ Full GMC registration and a licence to practise

➢ Intermediate Life Support (ILS) for F2 only

➢ English language proficiency: -

o Medical qualification undertaken solely in English with 75% of patient contact in English OR
o A valid academic IELTS certificate with a minimum score of 7.5 in each domain OR
o Minimum of 3 months paid employment as a doctor in the NHS (F2 only)

➢ Preferably no more than 24 months postgraduate clinical experience in the UK.

➢ Pre-employment checks, including right to work in the UK

I am eligible for stand-alone; should I apply for F1 or F2 level?

Applicants who hold or expect to hold full registration with the GMC are under no obligation to undertake the
F1 training year. The option for applicants to complete F1 is available to allow overseas graduates the
opportunity to familiarise themselves with the National Health Service (NHS). Some applicants prefer to
undertake the F1 year to experience the different systems and procedures across the NHS before progressing
to the F2 year. Trainees who complete an F1 stand-alone post may be offered an F2 programme subject to
satisfactory progression or will be eligible to apply for other F2 stand-alone posts.

What is the process / timeline for recruitment?

All applications submitted through www.oriel.nhs.uk under the ‘foundation’ staff group.

Two-Year Foundation Programme (FP) Stand-alone Programmes

Eligibility Application in June – August No Eligibility Application

Clinical Assessment in October (if required) No Clinical Assessment

Application Form in October Application Form in February

Applicants preference foundation schools as part of Applicants are not required to rank foundation schools
the application form as part of the application form

No Long-Listing* Long-Listing in March

Situational Judgment Test (SJT) in December /

No Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
January

No Interview* Twenty Minute Panel Interview in April

Appointable applicants rank all available posts (across

Not applicable
all foundation schools)

Allocations in March – May Offers in May – June

Applicants rank available programmes within their

Not applicable
allocation foundation school

Programmes Commences in July / August Programmes Commences in July / August

* Academic Foundation Programmes (AFP) applications will be long-listed and applicants attend an interview.