West of Scotland Academic Foundation Programme

Directors’ Introduction

Welcome to the West of Scotland Academic Foundation Training Programme website.

The aim of the programme is to provide young doctors with the best possible start to a career in clinical academia. To this end we offer a wide range of exciting opportunities designed for young doctors who are interested in research and teaching. The programme is entering its fifth year, and it has expanded in size and scope since its inception. We now offer 18 places every year to new medical graduates. The programme differs from conventional Foundation Year schemes in four key respects:

1. Geography
   Successful applicants undertake clinical training within the central teaching hospitals and academic General Practices in Glasgow. There is no peripheral attachment or district general hospital component of the programme.
2. Tuition
   A programme of teaching in generic research skills is delivered in FY1. This is largely provided by the Graduate School of the University of Glasgow, and includes coverage of biostatistics, ethics, scientific writing, principles of experimental and clinical trial design among many others. A comprehensive seminar programme is offered in FY2. Trainees are expected to attend as many of these sessions as possible, and to maintain a written record of their activities and associated reflective commentaries
3. Mentorship
   Each trainee will be assigned an academic mentor with whom they will meet on a regular basis over the course of the programme. The mentor will be a senior clinical academic selected on a bespoke basis, dependent on the career aspirations of the trainee. The mentor will provide guidance, review the trainee’s logbook and help to supervise their academic activities.
4. Project experience
   Each trainee is expected to undertake a short research project in FY2. This will address an area of interest to the trainee, and will be supervised by the mentor or another appropriate individual. The purpose of the project is to provide the trainee with an opportunity to apply their skills in the acquisition, preparation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. The projects will be presented at an annual research meeting held within the University. Many projects have also been presented at other national and international scientific meetings.

The academic tuition and mentorship supplements but does not replace the standard arrangements for clinical and educational supervision and teaching provided by NHS Education for Scotland as part of all Foundation Year programmes. Arrangements are in place for limited amounts of time away from clinical duties, within which to attend academic sessions and undertake project work. Each academic trainee retains a full complement of clinical duties and responsibilities and will play a full role in their respective clinical teams.

These pages contain more information about the application process, the structure of the programme, and the current group of AFY doctors in the West of Scotland.  We hope you enjoy reading them.