Other programmes

SE Scotland Specialised foundation programme

The SE Scotland specialised foundation programme offers opportunities to work alongside clinical academics and scientists undertaking world-class research in Edinburgh.

The South East (SE) Scotland Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP)

The SE Scotland programme is for those who are considering a career in academic medicine, including those who wish to pursue a career in research or medical education.

Details of current Academic Foundation programmes can be found here.

Below is the new link:
Foundation Groups and Programmes | Scottish Medical Training

Why the SE Scotland specialised foundation programme?

The SE Scotland programme offers opportunities to work alongside clinical academics and scientists undertaking world-class research in Edinburgh. We provide opportunities to undertake research projects and be mentored by experienced clinical academics in addition to clinical training. Research in most specialties can be undertaken, including academic primary care. In addition, we have 3 posts which focus on medical education projects and are supervised by experienced clinical educators from the Medical Education Directorate in NHS Lothian.

How does it work?

FY1: three clinical placements in SE Scotland, including Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Borders General, St.John’s Hospital Livingston or Victoria Hospital Kirkcaldy. The focus of FY1 is on obtaining a grounding in clinical medicine, therefore there is no protected time for research or study leave. However, trainees will be allocated mentors at the start of FY1, who will assist with developing projects and provide career advice.

FY2: The rotations are individually constructed by the Foundation Programme Director, taking account of the preferences and career intentions of trainees. There is a substantial breadth of available speciality placements for FY2 including surgical and medical specialties, intensive care/emergency medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry and general practice.

We recognise that some trainees will prefer to maintain 3 clinical posts in FY2, therefore we have adopted a hybrid approach to the academic activities, including either a 4-month block or ½ day each week throughout FY2.

a) Nine research posts comprising 2 clinical placements and 1 full time research block, with the only clinical activities being on-call commitments in either medicine of the elderly or acute medicine in Royal Infirmary Edinburgh. Trainees interested in undertaking a research block will need to prepare a competitive application during the first rotation of FY1, developing their project in conjunction with their supervisor. Trainees will need to show satisfactory clinical progression before undertaking these blocks. If more than 9 trainees wish to undertake a research block, the blocks are awarded following a competitive written application and interview process. This provides useful experience for subsequent applications for research fellowships.

b) Six posts comprising 3 clinical placements, with ½ day/week protected time for research activities throughout FY2. This may be more suitable for those wanting to do a clinical or longitudinal epidemiological project.

c) Three posts in medical education, supervised by facilitators from the Medical Education Department, NHS Lothian. These include 3 clinical posts, in each of which there is 1 day/week protected time throughout FY2 to develop a medical education project.

Academic Days

In line with all other FY programmes, there is no study leave in FY1. For both FY2 streams, in addition to the protected time for research/education, up to 8 days in total across the academic year will be approved as personal study days.

University Access

The SFP allows you to have honorary status with the University of Edinburgh, which enables access to library and electronic resources, allowing easy access to most clinical/biomedical science journals.

Mentoring

We aim to make our support for your academic development as personalised as possible. At the start of year 1 you will be assigned a mentor following discussions with you. Our mentors have an extremely strong academic track record and are chosen because they are engaged in supporting aspiring clinical academics. Although we will try to ensure that mentors will be in your area of interest there may be a small number of specialties in which we may not be able to identify an academic mentor. We advise that you ensure that the research being undertaken in Edinburgh fits with your interests before applying (www.ed.ac.uk). Additionally you are welcome to contact Dr Bryan Conway or Prof Malcolm MacLeod(see below) if you wish to discuss whether mentoring and research opportunities are available in your chosen subject.

If I am not successful?

The SFP is heavily oversubscribed. Applicants with foundation rotations in SE Scotland who were not successful in their application to the SFP but who remain interested in a clinical academic career can request a meeting to discuss mentoring and academic development opportunities in S.E.Scotland.

Further information

Further information on the South East SFP Programme can be obtained from the Academic (S12) Foundation Programme Directors, Dr Bryan Conway (bryan.conway@ed.ac.uk) and Prof Malcolm MacLeod (Malcolm.macleod@ed.ac.uk). Previous and current trainees are also happy to speak to prospective applicants – for information please contact Bryan or Malcolm.

Recent experiences of being an Academic F2

Sarah-Jane Reilly (2023-2025) – currently PGY3 / FY3 Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, South Australia
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience of the Edinburgh Clinical Foundation Programme. The programme provides mentorship, a strong sense of community and access to a wealth of academic expertise at the University of Edinburgh. The programme provided me with a unique opportunity to develop my skills in epidemiology which aligned closely with my passion for public health. I had the opportunity to design, co-ordinate and complete a research project examining the sales of soft drinks in Scottish convenience stores. I was fortunate to be mentored by experts in this field of research who supported me to develop fundamental research skills in epidemiology, data analysis using R programming and academic writing. Overall, I cannot recommend the programme enough. It is a fantastic opportunity to push yourself to pursue projects out with your comfort zone that are aligned to your clinical interest and future career goals.

David Henshall 2019 – 2021 (currently Senior Renal Clinical Fellow, Guy’s and St.Thomas’s Trust, London)
Academic Foundation in SE Scotland provides an excellent opportunity to launch an academic career. From the outset, I received helpful advice from the Programme Directors. Drafting and presenting a research proposal for selection to a 4-month academic block provides experience of the competitive nature of funding applications. The designated academic time, funding received for courses, and general supervision have helped me develop skills in bioinformatics, handling big data and clinical disease codes. I have enjoyed well-rounded clinical training and through the wide choice of Edinburgh-based FY2 jobs, I have been able to confirm a strong interest in Renal Medicine. These academic and clinical experiences have left me enthused to pursue academic medicine further.

Jac Williams (2017-2019)
The Edinburgh Academic Foundation Programme has allowed me the opportunity to broaden and build on my existing research experience. By discussing my research interests and academic goals with programme directors, I was supported to identify and connect with mentors within my field of interest. Being offered the opportunity to apply for a research post was a really valuable learning experience. The application process for the research post was well organised and I found that writing a research proposal and then being interviewed by a panel of researchers helped me develop skills that will prepare me for the rigour of academic medicine. The subsequent research post that I was awarded has allowed me to work closely with international experts and develop new research skills.
 

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