Academic Foundation Training is a recent initiative designed to introduce talented newly-qualified foundation doctors to academic research and provide opportunities for them to acquire the skills necessary to contribute to medical research programmes. Information about academic foundation programmes in the UK may be found on the UK Foundation Programme Office website. The North Deanery offer fifteen 2 year academic foundation posts: 3 x academic surgery, 3 x academic medicine, 3 x critical care and 6 x medical education. As well as acquiring clinical competencies expected of all trainees, each academic foundation trainee will have two personal academic mentors who are actively engaged in promoting and undertaking research at University and/or NHS level. Additional features of the programme would be the opportunity to engage in the following research activities depending on an individual's interests:
- regular seminars on research skills
- development of laboratory or clinical research skills
- attendance at internal and external scientific meetings
- teaching of senior medical students
- opportunities to write case reports, reviews and publish original research
- participation in X-ray meetings, journal clubs, grand rounds
- participation in audit projects, ongoing clinical trials
- regular meetings with University and/or NHS academics and other academic foundation trainees
The ultimate aim of the academic foundation programme is to prepare the best newly qualified 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. In addition to the activities listed above, the trainee will be encouraged to formulate plans for medium to long-term research opportunities which may include fellowship applications or MD/PhD studentships. The duty of the two academic mentors for each trainee would be to facilitate academic development at every opportunity and in every rotation within the 2-year programme. Although each trainee will have two dedicated academic mentors, all trainees will have access to guidance and mentorship from the many academic mentors participating in this programme.
The AFP was designed with the vision of creating highly motivated, clinically outstanding and research minded individuals. Aberdeen University and NHS Grampian are determined to provide every opportunity for these individuals to compete at the highest level. The choice of the surgical, medical, critical care and education rotations was made after consultation with aspiring clinical academics and is designed to cater for their clinical and research needs as well as their academic aspirations. The programme will be integrated with ongoing efforts to streamline post foundation clinical academic training at Aberdeen University. It is envisaged therefore that upon completion of the two-year programme, the trainees will have opportunities to continue their academic development through similar schemes currently being considered at the local and national levels.
Postgraduate Certificate of Medical Research Skills (PgCERT-MRS)
Since August 2010, the North of Scotland Deanery has introduced a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Research Skills (PgCERT-MRS) to its academic foundation programme entrants. This is the first such qualification in the UK designed specifically for AFP doctors. It provides training in generic research skills with emphasis on translational medicine. Training includes data handling, statistics and epidemiology, critical appraisal, scientific writing and publishing, effective presentational skills and a variety of laboratory techniques. These are all fundamental research skills required by individuals who wish to pursue a career in academic medicine. The PgCERT also allows trainees the opportunity to undertake a defined research project under the mentorship of their clinical academic supervisor. Further information about this unique opportunity can be found here (PgCERT-MRS)
Distance learning courses
Trainees may wish to consider undertaking a distance learning course during their academic foundation programme. A number of courses are available UK-wide but would need to be self-funded and completed in the trainee's spare time. Examples of courses available include:
Translational Medicine (University of Edinburgh) - online course leading to postgraduate certificate, diploma or masters qualification
Medical Education (University of Dundee) - online course leading to postgraduate certificate, diploma or masters qualification
Surgical Sciences (RCSEd and University of Edinburgh) - online course leading to postgraduate certificate, diploma or masters qualification
Clinical Trials, Epidemiology, Public Health or Infectious diseases (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) - online courses leading to postgraduate certificate, diploma or masters qualification