Hello,
I have spent the past 4 months or so slowly gathering information regarding registration, what exams to take, etc, but in the end, I still have some questions regarding the application process of the Foundation Programme and would also like to hear about the FY1/FY2 experience.
A little background: I am a doctor from Taiwan, graduated in 2020 after 6 years of medical school. After graduation, I am currently working (and plan to complete) my 2 years of General Medicine PGY training (similar to FY1-FY2?). Unfortunately, as of right now, my two years do not qualify for the GMC's definition of an acceptable internship lasting 18-24 months, and so my main goal is to apply for the full FY programme. I figure this way I can also get used to how the NHS works. There is a small possibility that my internship WILL qualify and therefore I can look to apply to a standalone FY2/WASP job, but that's on the backburner.
My questions:
Application Process:
I have spent the past 4 months or so slowly gathering information regarding registration, what exams to take, etc, but in the end, I still have some questions regarding the application process of the Foundation Programme and would also like to hear about the FY1/FY2 experience.
A little background: I am a doctor from Taiwan, graduated in 2020 after 6 years of medical school. After graduation, I am currently working (and plan to complete) my 2 years of General Medicine PGY training (similar to FY1-FY2?). Unfortunately, as of right now, my two years do not qualify for the GMC's definition of an acceptable internship lasting 18-24 months, and so my main goal is to apply for the full FY programme. I figure this way I can also get used to how the NHS works. There is a small possibility that my internship WILL qualify and therefore I can look to apply to a standalone FY2/WASP job, but that's on the backburner.
My questions:
Application Process:
- I understand that health education is managed by region. Is this a definitive list of these regions? Is there a list of hospitals each deanery/foundation school covers?
- Is the allocation a matching process? If so, do you match into the deanery or do you match into a hospital?
- Are you able to choose which specialties to rotate through during the Foundation Programme? How long is each rotation? Could a kind soul care to share their schedule during the 2 years of FY?
- What is an FY1 expected to do? I know this is a really general question, but I would like to hear the day to day tasks of an FY1. For example in Taiwan, we are expected to:
- Write all the notes (Admission, Progress, Discharge)
- Formulate and execute treatment plans (bloodwork, imaging, refer for colonoscopy/endoscopy, prescriptions of IV fluids/antibiotics/etc.)
- Do procedures (ABG, Foley, NG, CVCs, double lumens)
- In surgical specialties, scrub in and act as 1st/2nd assistant
- What is the rota like for a typical two week period for say, internal medicine? For example in Taiwan, a typical schedule would look like below. We would on average have 6 25 hour shifts per month.
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Off 7:30-5 7:30-5 7:30 - 8:30 (25 hr) Off 7:30-5 Off Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 7:30-8:30 (25 hr) Off 7:30-5 7:30-5 7:30-5 7:30 - 8:30 (25 hr) Off - How is each medical team constructed? Here, we usually have 1 consultant and 1 junior doctor (registrar OR PGY1/PGY2). Of course, a PGY may sometimes be with up to 4 consultants, depending on patient number. The largest teams would at most have 1 consultant, 1 registrar, 1-2 PGYs, and 1-2 NP/PAs.
- How many beds is a FY1 expected to care for daily?
- What are the advantages of having a trust grade job? It seems you have the same exact responsibilitis and work description of say, an FY2 without getting the "training credits" to apply for specialist training.
