1. foundationprogramme.nhs.uk twitter: @UKFPO
This presentation provides an overview of the process for applying to the Foundation Programme (FP) and Academic Foundation Programme (AFP) commencing in August 2020.
For the full details, you should read the UKFP 2020 Applicants’ Handbook.
Applying to UKFP 2020
foundationprogramme.nhs.uk

2. 20 Foundation Schools / Units of Application (UoAs)
15 Academic Units of Application (AUoAs)

3. Oriel
Applicants must select the Foundation STAFF GROUP by clicking on the UK Foundation Programme Office logo from the landing page on Oriel.
Applicants will be able to access the main FP application and the local AFP application forms by selecting the Foundation Programme staff group.

4. National Timeline FPP is new for 2020. No interviews for foundation.
Group Matching (local timeline) and Match to Programme Results
(Thursday 9th April 2020)
National Allocation : Thursday 12th March 2020
Foundation Priority Programmes (FPP): offers made one week prior to national allocation to foundation schools on Wednesday 4th March 2020
Academic Offers (if applicable): Wednesday 15th January 2020
Situational Judgement Test (SJT): Friday 6th December 2019 and Monday 6th January 2020
Academic Selection Processes (local timelines from 14th October 2018– 10th January 2020)
Educational Verification (verified scores released by Monday 21st October 2019 – please check your score)
Registration from Monday 23rd September and Applications from Monday 30th September until Friday 11th October 2019
Nominations and Eligibility
National Timeline
FPP is new for 2020.
No interviews for foundation.
Blue = national process
Green = medical schools
Purple = local process

5. Nomination
All UK graduates from the last two years are nominated by the medical school
You will receive an inviting you to confirm your nomination and register on Oriel – click the link and create a password
If you do not receive this , contact your medical school immediately
You must register with the address your medical school used to nominate you with
Nominations will include the decile score.

6. Registration
Applicants register for an account on Oriel – the registration pages ask for personal details. This information will be pre-populated in any future applications.

7. Vacancy Search
Select ‘vacancies’ from the toolbar across the top of the screen. I am applying to: must be set to ‘Foundation’.

8. Application Form
11 sections to the application form (competences and employment sections are not applicable for FP).
Standard application form. You will apply for core and specialty jobs through the same system.
Important things to remember – deadlines are deadlines – no exceptions.
You must complete and submit your application form on Oriel between Monday 30th September and midday UK time on Friday 11th October 2019.
Late applications will not be accepted under any circumstances.

9. Application Sections Section Information Required 1) Personal details
Contact information and disability and special arrangements
2) Eligibility
Professional registration and right to work in the UK
3) Fitness
Criminal record checks and data protection declarations
4) References
Referee details (can be amended)
5) Competences
Primary medical qualification
Referee contact details can be amended up until the point at which the referee has submitted the reference or the closing date for references to be submitted in April 2020.

10. Application Sections (2)
6) Employment
Not applicable
7) Evidence
Additional educational achievements
8) Supporting
9) Preferences
Rank foundation schools in order of preferences
10) Equality
Equality and diversity monitoring information (optional)
11) Declarations
Declarations, linked applications and document upload

11. Application Score
Educational Performance Measure (EPM) Score (43 for decile + 7 for additional educational achievements (EA) = maximum of 50) +
Situational Judgement Test Score (SJT) (maximum of 50)
= Total FP Score (maximum of 100)
Your application score will be made up of two scores.
SJT is taken in invigilated conditions. The range of SJT marks across all applicants is translated to a point scale of 0 – 50. The scaling method is designed to reflect 50:50 weighting between the SJT and EPM score.

12. Educational Performance Measure (EPM)
Decile
Score 1 43 2 42 3 41 4 40 5 39 6 38 7 37 8 36 9 35 10 34
Decile score calculated by medical school (max. 43) plus any additional educational achievements (max. 7). Max. total = 50.
Verified scores released by 19th October 2019.
It is your responsibility to check your verified score. There is a short window to submit an appeal. Scores will not be amended after this time.

13. Educational Achievements (EA)
Additional Degree
(one only)
Evidence to be uploaded as part of application form
Maximum: 5 points
Publication
(maximum of two)
1 point per publication
PUBMED ID
Maximum: 2 points
Evidence provided as part of the application form is reviewed by independent verifying panels on national verification day.
If you choose a degree classification that is worth less points i.e. you achieved a 2.1 but mistakenly chose a 2.2 from the drop down list your application, your score will NOT be increased even if your evidence supports that you achieved a 2.1.
PUBMED ID numbers must link to the article cited with just one click.
Maximum of 7 points in total for EA

14. Additional Degree Awarded / ratified by application deadline
Evidence of Level 7 Masters for 4 points
Upload evidence as a single document
No transcripts
No Higher Education Achievement Reports (HEAR)
Transcripts are only required in support of Cambridge degrees as the classification is not included on the degree certificate.
If the evidence you provide for any educational achievements is in a different name to the one given on your application for, the question ‘previous family name/surname’ will be verified point(s) will not be awarded. You are not required to add any more evidence.

15. Publication(s) Publication must be published and available on PUBMED
Include PUBMED ID on application form
Author and title on application form must be identifiable on PUBMED
Points will not be awarded for collaborators
No DOI, ISBN or PMCID numbers
Avoid copying and pasting PMID numbers
Double check your PUBMED ID before submission
Publications must link with one click through to the PUBMED site. If the PMID does not link directly to your paper, no further searches will be carried out.
If the evidence you provide for any educational achievements is in a different name to the one given on your application for, the question ‘previous family name/surname’ will be verified point(s) will not be awarded. You are not required to add any more evidence.

16. foundationprogramme.nhs.uk twitter: @UKFPO
Your UK medical school will contact you to let you know which date/s is/are available to you.
It is your responsibility to know the time and venue of your SJT, and to arrive on time regardless of the mode of transport you use.
Situational Judgement Test (SJT) Friday 6th December 2019 / Monday 6th January 2020
foundationprogramme.nhs.uk

17. Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
The SJT is a measure of meeting the attributes required to be a foundation doctor, as defined in the national FP personal specification
It is not an assessment of your clinical knowledge
All applicants are required to sit the SJT, including AFP applicants and defence deanery
Reasonable adjustments
Extenuating circumstances
It is important to note the reasonable adjustments allowed may be different from those allowed at the university. This is because it relates to your employment as a doctor rather than as a student who is studying.

18. Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
Invigilated test
70 questions
2 hours 20 minutes
ID checked, no smart watches and no removal of papers
Scores marked national and translated to a 0 – 50 point scale
Practice papers, OMR answer sheet and resources, available on UKFPO website
Exceptionally low SJT scores will be reviewed and there is a possibility that applicants with a low score may be withdrawn. Details of the review process will be published as soon as possible, and no later than 6th December 2019 (i.e. prior to the date of the first SJT).
Applicants may be withdrawn on the basis of failing to demonstrate that they have met the person specification.

19. Preferences
Applicants must drag and drop all foundation schools listed (20) from the ‘no preference’ column to the ‘preference’ column. Applicants should list the schools in order of preference (most preference = top of the list / Rank 1).

20. Preferences (2)
Applicants can amend foundation school preferences until 13th February 2020 at 12:00 noon GMT
Applicants must rank all foundation schools (even if approved for pre-allocation)
Rank groups and individual programmes after allocation to foundation school
View local websites for details of individual programmes.

21. Linked Applications Preference in the same order
Link to FP applicants only, i.e. not military
Links will be severed if: -
Either or both accept AFP
Either or both are placed on reserve list
Preferences are changed
Both must be allocated to primary list
Allocated in accordance with the lower rank
Local policies vary at group / programme level
Both applicants must indicate that they are happy to link to each other on the declarations page of the application form.
Foundation schools might not guarantee that linked applicants will be placed in the same area.

22. Linked Applications
Applicants can link applications on the ‘declarations’ page. One applicant must request for another applicant to link with them. If both applicants reach the ‘declarations’ page at the same time and select ‘yes’ to the question: ‘do you wish to link to another application?’, the system will not register this. One applicant must select yes and effectively send the request first to the other applicant, or one applicant should select ‘no’ and then they will receive a request from the other applicant, which they can accept or reject.

23. Special Circumstances
Four criteria: 1) parent or legal guardian, 2) primary carer, 3) medical condition, 4) unique circumstances
Applications to medical schools and national panel
Situation must be relevant at the time of application
Requested foundation school must be ranked first
Not applicable for AFP
Applicants cannot link
If you are applying for special circumstances at a particular Foundation School, you must rank this Foundation School first in your preferences during your application to the Foundation Programme. Failure to do so will result in your special circumstances application not being considered
You must provide all the information, including selecting the right school. You cannot choose a location. Important to discuss with your medical school.

24. National Allocation Applicants will be allocated in rank order
If all the places are filled at your first choice foundation school, the system will look at your second choice, and so on down your list of preferences until a space is available
Linked applicants will be allocated based on the lower rank of the linked pair
Your allocation results will only be released once you have completed the online survey
If you are on the primary list and have been approved for pre-allocation to a particular foundation school on the grounds of special circumstances, you will be allocated before other applicants.
Every applicant will be ranked according to score. Matching algorithm will use unique rank to allocate based on score and preference.
Where applicants have the same score, the EPM decile and then the SJT will be used as tie breakers.

25. Primary / Reserve List Allocations
Primary List
If there are more FP applicants than vacancies, the ‘n’ highest scoring applicants will be placed on the primary list (where ‘n’ is the number of vacancies across the UK).
Applicants on the primary list will be asked to rank groups and programmes. The same matching programme to allocate posts.
Reserve List
If, as anticipated, there are more fully eligible applicants than places, applicants who are not allocated to the primary list will be placed on a reserve list and will be allocated in batches on predetermined dates. Reserve list applicants will be asked to preference posts available at that time.
It is important that once you have been allocated to a school that you understand the local matching process. s will be sent advising you of the process, but it is important that you understand what you need to do.
There is no requirement to preference all the groups / programmes and you will be able to save without doing this. However, you will be allocated to a group / programme randomly if you don’t preference. You are advised to rank as many programmes as possible.

26. Supporting Trainees Entering Practice (STEP)
Supports transition from medical school to foundation training; two-way transfer
Health and welfare, educational progress and professional performance, and patient safety
Students complete STEP form
Medical school endorses information
Separate process for F1 to F2
The student has a responsibility to complete the form and the medical school has a responsibility for ensuring all relevant information is provided to enable to foundation school to make appropriate arrangements to facilitate training.
Timely completion and receipt of STEP forms is important. The foundation school is likely to have a better understanding of what adjustments can be made for training.

27. Employment Employer Responsibilities: -
Pre-employment checks, including occupational health and references
Pay
Banding
Rotas
Contract of employment
Accommodation (if applicable)
Shadowing and Induction
It is important to remember that foundation schools are responsible for your educational programme.
It is your employer, your Trust or Health Board that is responsible for your employment. They are different. The employer is responsible for all of the above, not the foundation school.

28. Timeline Registration on Oriel From Monday 23rd September 2019
National Application Window (AFP & FP)
Monday 30th September – Friday 11th October 2019 at 12:00 noon (BST)
Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
Friday 6th December 2019 at 10am
Monday 6th January 2020 at 10am
National Allocation to foundation schools
Thursday 12th March 2020
Match to Programmes (to a specific post)
Thursday 9th April 2020
Reserve list batch allocations will be scheduled at the earliest convenience once there are enough places due to applicant withdrawals and once all primary list applicants have been matched to programmes (April – July).

29. Useful Tips Read the Applicants’ Handbook
Start collecting evidence of additional educational achievements
Make use of SJT practice papers
Identify an academic referee
ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
One academic reference is required.

30. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Must register under ‘foundation’ staff group on Oriel to access application
Only one document upload for EA
Referee details can be amended once applications have been submitted
Preferences can be amended
No changes to other sections

31. Foundation Priority Programmes (FPP)
Opportunity to apply for priority programmes
Incentives such as free accommodation, master’s qualifications (please visit foundation school websites)
Separate application (same application window)
Rank individual programmes earlier
Offers prior to national FP allocation
If you accept an FPP offer, your FP application will be withdrawn
New for 2020.
Applicants can submit a maximum of 5 applications in total. All applicants must apply for FP, then there is the option to apply to a maximum of 2 AFP vacancies and for FPP and PFF (psychiatry).
1) Academic offers, 2) PFF offers, 3) FPP offers, 4) FP allocation to foundation schools and then match to individual programmes.

32. Psychiatry Foundation Fellowship (PFF) Programmes
Separate application (same application window)
Interviews at the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Offers prior to national FP allocation
If you accept a PFF offer, your FP (and FPP if applicable) application will be withdrawn
Posts available across all foundation schools in England
New for 2020.
Applicants can submit a maximum of 5 applications in total. All applicants must apply for FP, then there is the option to apply to a maximum of 2 AFP vacancies and for FPP and PFF.

33. Academic Foundation Programmes (AFP)
foundationprogramme.nhs.uk

34. Academic Programmes
Research, teaching and/or medical leadership and management skills
Explore academia as a career at the same time as developing their clinical and generic skills
Academic supervisor
Academic foundation training programmes offer less time in clinical practice. There is a separate selection process for academic training to ensure trainees have the capabilities to manage the balance between clinical practice and academia.

35. AFP Applications
Applicants will need to apply to each AUoA (up to a maximum of two) separately.
Each AUoA will determine what information it wishes to receive from its applicants which will consist of educational achievements and white space questions
Scoring criteria will be determined locally and may vary across the different AUoAs
You cannot submit AFP applications until you have submitted an application to FP application
Educational achievement needs to be entered again for AFP. There is more flexibility and you can add presentations and prizes as well as publications. The rules for FP do not apply, i.e. you do not necessarily have to have a PMID number and publications can be in press. You can input up to 2 degrees and up to 10 items for each of publications, presentations and prizes.

36. Preferences
You will need to preference the Academic programmes available in each AUoA you select before you can submit your application
You do not need to preference all the programmes if there are some that you know you will not accept
However, the fewer programmes you preference, the lower your chance of receiving an AFP offer
Highest scoring AFP applicants will receive offers first from each AUoA
If higher scoring applicants decline these offers, they will then be offered to lower scoring applicants during the cascade process

37. Selection
AUoAs shortlist and interview applicants within the nationally agreed timeframe
AFP match ranking score = educational / academic decile + AUoA score
AUoA score determined locally
Matching applicants to specific programmes will be managed by the AUoA via Oriel
All AFP offers are subject to a satisfactory SJT score

38. Any remaining posts are manually offered offline
Offers
‘Mop Up’ Offers
Any remaining posts are manually offered offline
Third Offers Cascade
Second Offers Cascade
First Offers Cascade
Initial Offers
Highest scoring AFP applicants receive offers first. If higher scoring applicants decline their offers, they will then be offered to lower scoring applicants as part of the cascade process.
48-hour window to accept or decline offers. Offers will automatically expire and will be declined once the deadline is reached.

39. General Information
Highest scoring AFP applicants will receive offers first
If higher scoring applicants decline these offers, they will then be offered to lower scoring applicants
Familiarise yourself with the AFP offers timetable
All AFP offers are subject to a satisfactory SJT score
If you accept an AFP offer, you are excluded from the FP allocation
If you do not secure an AFP post, you will be included in the FP allocation automatically
A satisfactory SJT score means that you are not withdrawn from the national process due to an exceptionally low SJT score.

40. Thank you for listening!
UK Foundation Programme Office
First Floor, East Wing
St. Chad’s Court
213 Hagley Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B16 9RG
Tel
Any questions?
Useful resources: FP Curriculum and Reference Guide.