Foundation Programme 2011: The national recruitment process Published June 2010.

Foundation Programme 2011: The national recruitment processPublished June 2010

100% of eligible applicants (including all UK grads) were placed into programmes

100% of vacancies were filled during the national round

Over 90% got their first choice foundation school

FP 2010 Successes

No major changes to FP 2011 The “Improving Selection to the Foundation

Programme” group is considering new recruitment options for FP 2013 recruitment, but in the meantime, there will be no major changes to the main recruitment round

Pilots of the proposed recruitment process will take place in selected schools

If your school is chosen as part of the pilot, the results you receive from participation in the pilot will not affect your allocation to school, or to programme for FP 2011

Recruitment to Academic FP

For the first time, recruitment to Academic Foundation Programmes will be coordinated through the national portal at www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk

Applicants enrol online from 4–15 June 2010, complete a short application form and choose up to three Units of Application (UoA)

Once an applicant has chosen their UoA(s), they will go through the local application process associated with their UoA

Go to the Academic Programmes page of the UKFPO website for further information

If you accept an Academic Foundation Programme, you will not go through the main national recruitment round

Special Circumstances

Students can apply to their medical school for pre-allocation to a particular foundation school on the basis of special circumstances:Criterion 1: The applicant is a parent or legal guardian with significant caring responsibilities for a child or children under the age of 18

Criterion 2: The applicant is the primary carer for someone who is disabled (expected to be a partner, sibling or parent)

Criterion 3: The applicant has a medical condition for which local follow up is an absolute requirement, as confirmed by a report from an Occupational Health physician or an appropriate medical specialist

Applications and supporting evidence must be submitted to your medical school by 30 Sept 2010

Applications - 100 points (max)

Academic Ranking - 40 points (maximum)

• Academic ranking is calculated by each medical school:

•First quartile (the top 25% of the year) = 40 •Second quartile = 38 points•Third quartile = 36•Fourth quartile = 34 points

• Applicants will be able to see their academic ranking on their account once they enrol online.

Application questions - 60 points (maximum)

• There are six questions to answer

• Each answer is worth a maximum of 10 points

•Word limit = 200 words per answer

Part 1

Part 2

Question 1: Educational Achievements

PART 1A – Additional postgraduate degrees (max. 5 points)

Additional degrees include Bachelors, Masters and Doctorates, no matter the subject of studyYou can only get credit for one additional degree.

If you have an MA and a PhD, you get credit for the PhD as it attracts the highest number of points

The better you did in a degree, the higher the number of points available

A 1st class BSc degree will give you more points than a 3rd class degree, for example

Question 1: Educational Achievements

PART 1B: Publications, prizes and presentations (max. 5 points)Up to two points in each category for:

Publications (must have a PubMed ID (PMID) Oral or poster presentations at national or

international conferences Prizes at a national level (this must be a 1st prize)

Only 5 points are available in total, with a maximum of 2 points from each category

PLEASE NOTE: Don’t worry if you don’t have any additional educational achievements. Fewer than 50% of medical students score points on this question.

Questions 2 - 6

Questions 2 to 6 relate to the essential criteria described in the Person Specification for FP 2011

You must demonstrate through your answers that you meet the person specification in order to be allocated to a foundation training place

All questions have a maximum score of 10 points You will only be able to see the questions once

the application period opens. They will not be published in advance

Person specification

The applicant must be familiar with and be able to demonstrate an understanding of the major principles of the GMC’s Good Medical Practice (2006) including:

•Good clinical care Good clinical care •Maintaining good medical practiceMaintaining good medical practice•Teaching and training, appraising and assessingTeaching and training, appraising and assessing•Relationships with patients, and can apply this understandingRelationships with patients, and can apply this understanding•Working with colleagues, and can apply this understandingWorking with colleagues, and can apply this understanding•ProbityProbity•HealthHealth

The applicant must demonstrate an understanding of the outcomes to be achieved in the Foundation Programme as set out in The New Doctor (2007).

The application processNATIONAL 1. Eligibility checking 2. Online registration and

enrolment3. Submission of online

application form4. Applications scored5. Allocation to foundation school

LOCAL6. Applicants choose programme

preferences7. Matching to a programme within

the school8. Pre-employment checks

Getting started (from 4 Oct 2010)

Registration and enrolment

Applicants must register online before they can apply: www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk

You must type your details in exactly as you supplied them to your deanery/medical school

Once registered, an activation code link will be emailed to you. After clicking on the link to activate your account, you can enrol in the FP 2011 recruitment round

Application form (11–22 Oct 10)

The application form is divided into 8 sections:Personal (name, contact details, etc)Qualifications (educational qualifications)Clinical skills (self assessment of your own practical

and clinical skills)Equal opps (equal opportunities monitoring

information)References (details of 2 referees)Questions (6 questions which will be scored)Preferences (ranking all foundation schools in order of

preference)Submit

Foundation Programme Application: FP 2011

Application form (11-22 Oct 10)

The application form is divided into 8 sections:Personal (name, contact details, etc)Qualifications (educational qualifications)Clinical skills (self assessment of your own practical

and clinical skills)Equal opps (equal opportunities monitoring

information)References (details of 2 referees)Questions (6 questions which will be scored)Preferences (ranking all foundation schools in order of

preference)Submit

This is the only section that will be seen

by the scorers. Each panel only scores

one answer.

Linked applications

You may link your application to another applicant’s in order for you to be placed in the same foundation school

They must also link to you You are both allocated based on the lowest scoring

applicant’s score You cannot “un-link” once your application is submitted Some foundation schools will not guarantee that linked

applicants are in the same area. Check foundation school websites for more information on their policies

Preferences: Ranking foundation schools

Check the Foundation Applicant’s Handbook for competition ratios for 2007-2010.

For the past four years, 90% or more of applicants each year got into their first choice foundation school.

Linked applicants must rank their foundation school preferences in the same order or the link is broken.

View the details of individual programmes within the foundation schools online from 4 October.

Scoring

Applications are scored by the applicant’s first choice foundation school

Each question will be scored individually by a panel of two people, at least one of whom is a clinician

Panels will not know the applicant’s identity, their academic ranking or scores they received for other questions

Verification

Some applicants will be asked to verify the answers they provide on their application form

If you are selected for verification, you will receive either an email or a letter asking you to supply proof to verify your answersSome schools will list exactly the information

they require, others will ask you to submit evidence of all your answers in whatever way you see fit

Verification (17 Nov – 5 Dec 08)

We need you to verify: Appropriate evidence would include: Question 1 Your Bachelor of Dental Surgery

(BDS) Certificate

Question 2 1. That you continued to work as a locum registrar, 2. That you have a teaching position at Dublin Dental School

1. Evidence of employment as a locum registrar at St James' hospital (payslip, headed letter from employer), 2. Evidence of appointment as a teacher at Dublin Dental School (letter of appointment)

Question 3 That your father in law was critically ill and you broke the news to your relatives

Copy of father in law's letter from hospital, Letter of Confirmation from GP regarding his illness, Personal letter from a relative confirming you broke the bad news to them which should be addressed and signed

Question 4 That your involvement with the diabetic patient whilst on elective was as you described

Evidence of your elective in a Paediatrics Hospital in Canada, Testimony from team member that you were involved in the care of this patient, Anonymised patient notes, Notes from reflective journal

Question 5 That you completed your elective in Southampton assisting in the resuscitation of a patient

Evidence that you undertook your elective in Southampton, Notes from reflective journal, Testimony from team member that you were a member of the response team with this patient

Question 6 That you interviewed a patient with depression whilst on your Psychiatry rotation

Evidence that you completed a Psychiatry rotation, Testimony from supervisor that you interviewed the patient with depression, Notes from reflective journal, Anonymised patient notes

Question 7 That you witnessed the two patients with headaches as you described

Evidence of the placement where you observed the care of the two patients, Testimony from the supervising consultant that you were observing, Notes from reflective journal

Please note that you would not have to provide all evidence listed, but just a selection.

Please note that foundation schools will have their own local process for verification.

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Verification

If you are unable to verify your answers, the foundation school director may require you to attend an interview to discuss your answers

Applicants unable to verify the veracity of their answers to the satisfaction of their foundation school will be removed from the recruitment round and referred to the GMC

Your work must be your own

Medical school staff, clinical tutors and former scorers have been told that they cannot give you direct coaching and advice as it is unfair to students at those schools who do not provide it Applicants must confirm that the answers to the application questions are their own before they submit the applicationThe situations you use in your answers must have been experienced by you personally – not something you heard about through colleagues or lecturers

Unfair practice

Unfair practice, including collusion and plagiarism, is not tolerated

Plagiarism software will check answers to ensure that answers have not been downloaded from the web, or duplicate other applications

If evidence of unfair practice is found, applicants will receive a letter asking them to verify their answers. If they cannot, they will be withdrawn from the recruitment system

Please note that if two people or more have similar answers, all those involved are considered culpable. Make sure you keep your answers confidential. This is not a group exercise

Allocation algorithm & matching process

Allocation to foundation school (8 Dec 2010)

Applicants are allocated based on their preferences first, then application score

Matching to programme (15 Feb 2011)

Foundation schools each have their own process for matching to programme. Check the foundation school websites for more information. (Most match to programme based on their score first, then preferences (highest scoring applicants get first pick)

Pre-employment checks

Pre-employment checks include Criminal Records Bureau checks, registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (or PVG scheme in Scotland), occupational health checks. They may also include a structured interview or assessment of clinical skills

These checks are undertaken on behalf of the employing healthcare organisation. Contracts of employment will not be issued until the checks are successfully completed. These checks begin as soon as the applicant is matched to a programme

References

Applicants must provide details of two referees: one clinical and one from medical school

References and their content are not used in the scoring process, nor are they used in allocating you to a programme

References are passed to employers as part of their pre-employment checks

See Foundation Applicant’s Handbook for more information

Transfer of Information

Tomorrow’s Doctors, places an obligation on medical schools to ensure you meet the outcomes required and to transfer information to those who may need it during your foundation training

Your medical school will give you more details about the Transfer of Information (ToI) process. The national process and forms can be found on the UKFPO website under “Medical Students/Key Documents”

Employment contracts

The employing healthcare organisation is responsible for all contractual issues including:PayBanding RotasAccommodation (if applicable)

Planning and preparation

You should: Read the person specification and Foundation Applicant’s

Handbook available online now

Start collecting details of your relevant qualifications, publications, presentations and prizes

Ask one GP, consultant or associate specialist who can provide a reference about your clinical skills; and one lecturer, senior lecturer, professor or reader at your medical school to act as your referees. Request that they supply an email address they access regularly

Planning and preparation

Print a copy of the Foundation Applicants’ Handbook from the website

Download the Podcast on how to complete your form from the UKFPO website (from 30 June)

Book at least three sessions in your diary. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time and don’t leave it until the last minute

Write your answers first in MS Word, spell check, then copy and paste into the application form

Data security

The application website is secure and has undergone rigorous checks

Applicant data is protected under Data Protection legislation and will only be used by those involved in foundation training in the way specified on the application form

Scoring panels will only be provided with an applicants’ answers to the questions and their applicant number. All other information is held on a secure database and passed to employers for pre-employment checks once an offer of a training place has been made

Important dates

7 June 2010 * Foundation Applicant’s Handbook available

4 Oct 2010 * Applicants can register and enrol online* Programme information is available to view

11 - 22 Oct 2010 FPAS is open for applications** 8 Dec 2010 Foundation school allocations are made

By 25 Jan 2011 Preferences for training programmes are submitted (deadlines and methods will vary by foundation school)

15 Feb 2011 Matching to specific programmes is completed and applicants notified of results

**Late applications will not be accepted

What happens if . . .

. . . more people apply than there are vacancies available?

OversubscriptionThe top scoring applicants are placed on the primary

list and will be allocated to foundation schools using the current algorithm

Any applicants who do not score highly enough to be on the primary list will be placed on a reserve list

As vacancies arise (due to finals failures and withdrawals), applicants will be allocated to foundation schools based on their scores/preferences in batches at set intervals

Go to the Foundation Applicant’s Handbook for further information

What happens if . . .

. . . there are not enough applicants for all the vacancies?

UndersubscriptionPosts will be suspended on a pro-rata basis in each

foundation school based on a pre-determined formulaThe number of suspended posts will be dependent on

the number of vacancies Posts will be suspended in multiples of 3 per

foundation school (3, 6, 9, 12, etc.)This plan will only apply in England (Posts will not be

suspended in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland)

Where to go for more info

for further details on the application process

for answers to frequently asked questions

for a list of foundation schools with web links

to sign up for regular e-updates

Go towww.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk

2010 Application Numbers

Expected oversubscription for 2011 UKFPO ( UK Government) has stated no

new posts for 2011 Schools will continue batch allocations until

mid July to attempt to fill all places Unallocated applicants will be “Handed

back” to originating medical school if not placed by end of July

White space questions

Online application form available 11-22 Oct Designed to test Foundation Person

Specification 6 questions

White Space questions

Q 1 Educational achievements Q2-6

Different questions which are not mutually exclusive

Person specification elements covered by more than one question

Same format this year as last year! One will be a scenario based question All have core elements You add positive and negative indicators

Scoring

Scottish school scoring 10th November QA by standard 8 questions that are

scored by every school in UK Plagiarism checks and validation if required Results returned to UKFPO by 20th

November

Question scoring procedure

Basic element(s) to the question Additional quality features to answer

PositiveNegative

How to do it

Read the question Answer the essential elements of the

question Aim to add quality to your answer

2 (non foundation) examples

“I was elected to the position of president of the

conservation society during my final year at

university. The society consisted of fifty members

with a five person committee. We set objectives for

the year which had to be achieved by the committee. I

had to effectively manage the committee which was a

hard task but necessary for success”

Example (leadership)

 I was elected to the position of president of the Conservation Society during my final year at the university. The society consisted of fifty members with a five person committee. My objectives were to double the number of members, increase the number of social events and increase awareness of conservation and environmental issues amongst university students.

 In order to meet these targets I had to motivate the committee and held regular team meetings to check we were achieving our objectives. I particularly enjoyed working with the university’s environmental officer to promote a paper recycling scheme on campus using student volunteers and designing publicity for use in the student newspaper and on posters around campus. In addition to our usual meetings I also organised a series of themed social events which were increasingly well attended throughout the year.

 By the end of the year our objectives were fulfilled and I was particularly thrilled that the membership had risen to 120.

Better

As a volunteer at a local children’s charity, I was given responsibility for organising an activities week for children. We organised a week of sporting events which proved to be a large job. However, due to a lot of detailed planning and organisation the activities came together and the week was a great success.

Planning and organisation

As a volunteer at a local children’s charity, I was given responsibility for organising an activities week for 70 children aged 6-12. My initial objective was to recruit a team of 10 student volunteers and design a programme of unusual activities. I identified and approached local companies for sponsorship for outings and prizes for the final mini sports day. I was responsible for health and safety including training the team in child protection policies, budgets, venues, transport and the allocation of roles within the team to ensure the best use of individual skills and abilities. I used an excel spreadsheet for personal time management and a weekly email to all team volunteers to keep them up to speed with what other team members had achieved.I also formed a contingency plan to provide indoor activities for wet days. My presentation of the aims and objectives of the week, describing the target group of children from a particularly deprived area of Glasgow, resulted in grants of £500 from the Common Good Fund and sponsorship by Asda of small toys for prizes and daily consignments of fruit for snacks. 68 children attended and tried sports such as grass sledging, indoor lacrosse, rockwall, kayaking and ultimate frisbee. They enjoyed the week hugely.

Better

Scottish School process

•Applicants allocated to Scottish Foundation School early December 2010•Applicants to rank 10 programmes within Scotland•Applicants reply to UKFPO with their rankings•Data downloaded to Scotland and run through SFAS algorithm to allocate students to programmes eg. W1, W12•Students allocated to programmes on basis of national application score and their rankings

•No CV to be submitted•No ranking process by FPDs•Agreed by Scottish Foundation Board to bring Scotland in line with rest of UK

•Data on allocations to programmes input into UKFPO computer system by NES•UKFPO send e-mail to students with their programme allocation inFebruary ie. W1, W12 etc

Scottish School process

•Allocation to Individual Programmes by FPDs

•NES send FPDs list of who is in their programmes plus contact details for each applicant•FPDs undertake allocations to individual programmes after around March, same process as in previous years ie. FPDs sent new trainees list of Individual Programmes to rank in order of preference•FPDS allocate students to IPs•FPDs send allocations to NES

Best approach

Carefully read what is asked Structure your answer to cover the core

elements of the questionLOOK AT THE VERBS!

Don’t just state that you did something, tell how you did it

Make sure (if asked) you relate it to Foundation

Preparation STARTS NOW

•Start thinking about your application now – if you haven’t already started

•Think self-promotion…this is your chance to sell yourself

•Identify referees and seek permission to use them

•Start now to answer the questions and come back to them at least three times before submitting

•Read and understand the requirements of the National Person Specification (Foundation web site, now!)

•Don’t cheat / copy this will be picked up

•Don’t leave it to the last minute…. H1N1 may be on the way!!

GOOD LUCK!

Any Questions?