Why the survey matters

Your views count The survey is your opportunity to help improve the quality of postgraduate and foundation training across the UK. It is an important part of the work the GMC does to monitor the quality of medical education and training in the UK. Views you have about your training post will help identify areas of good practice and areas that need improvement. You can find detailed case studies of how survey results have influenced improvements at We recognise the substantial stresses and strains for doctors in postgraduate training at the current time but we urge you to complete the survey as usual, because your feedback is crucial to help make sure you are provided with high quality training.

Survey content

What the survey asks you Estimated time of completion minutes Generic training questions (multiple choice) General questions about your training post. Programme/specialty specific questions (multiple choice) Questions about your training programme (eg Foundation Programme or Cardiology) including academic questions if you are an academic trainee. Bullying and undermining (free text) If you have a concern about bullying and/or undermining, that hasn’t been resolved locally, you can report it here. Patient safety (free text) If you have a concern about patient safety, that hasn’t been resolved locally, you can report it here.

Confidentiality

Your answers to multi-choice questions on training are confidential. They will only be available in our online reporting tool after being aggregated. To protect your identity, the GMC only publishes results where three or more doctors in training have contributed responses. Your free text responses are treated differently. The GMC will share your verbatim comments with your LETB/deanery, who in turn may share them with your employer/training provider and other regulators. The GMC, your LETB/deanery, and your employer/training provider all have a duty to ensure any concerns raised are properly responded to, which may include a local investigation. For more information about this, please read the confidentiality page at

How to take part

Don’t wait for an invitation. Log on to GMC Online after 22 March Your survey will be waiting for you to complete – if it is not there, contact your LETB/deanery or the GMC survey team. The GMC and your LETB/deanery will send you reminder s and text messages during the survey period. You must complete your survey submission by midday on 4 May 2016.

Who takes part If you hold a GMC-approved training post, you will be invited to complete the survey. This includes: Foundation trainees Core trainees Higher specialty training, including SpR and GP trainees FTSTA trainees, LAT trainees Military trainees Trainees in Clinical Lecturer and Academic Clinical Fellowship posts

Who takes part (2) If you hold a GMC-approved training post, you will be invited to complete the survey. This includes: Out of programme training (OOPT) on an approved programme in the UK Post-CCT training towards a sub-specialty Trainees working for non-NHS organisations, e.g. occupational medicine, palliative medicine and pharmaceutical medicine Non-medical public health trainees*. *Non medical public health trainees will not access the survey via GMC Online. They will be invited to take part by their faculty.

Not taking part If you are not in a GMC-approved training post in the UK on 22 March, you should not take the survey. This includes doctors: On maternity leave on 22 March On out of programme training (OOPT) not in an approved programme On out of programme research (OOPR) On out of programme career breaks (OOPC) In medical training initiative (MTI) posts In locum appointment for service (LAS) posts Who have been awarded their CCT, but are in their period of grace.

Completion code  Once you have completed the survey, you should take a note of your completion code, which appears on the final screen.  This will be your proof that you’ve completed it.  Any time after the survey, you’ll be able to log back into GMC Online and look up your code in the My Surveys tab.

Key dates ASAP: Ensure you have access to your GMC Online account 22 March 2016: The launch date for the survey 22 March – 4 May 2016: Log on to GMC Online to take part 4 May 2016: Survey closes

Further information The national training surveys are developed and delivered in collaboration with local postgraduate deans and medical royal colleges and faculties. For additional information please visit the surveys website: If you have any comments or queries please contact