Are you a PI interested in hosting an Academic Specialised Foundation Programme doctor?

OUCAGS is looking for expressions of interest from PRINICIPAL INVESTIGATORS iN THE MEDICAL SCIENCES 

Please read on if you are an Oxford Principal Investigator and would like the opportunity to:

• host one or more Academic Specialised Foundation Programme (ASFP) doctors, and
• act as their Academic Supervisor (AS).

The Oxford ASFP is a two-year programme across Foundation Years 1 and 2 (FY1 and FY2: the first two years after qualifying in medicine), although some doctors may join our standalone ASFP at FY2. Our programme selectively recruits talented research-oriented trainees and focuses on developing the skills needed to develop as a clinician scientist. We provide an opportunity for ASFP doctors to explore their enthusiasm for academic medicine by undertaking suitable research projects whilst still meeting clinical competencies. Often our trainees will have undertaken an intercalated BSc or MSc in a biomedical subject alongside their medical degree, and some have a PhD/DPhil already. The ASFP can be a stepping stone towards an Academic Clinical Fellowship, a DPhil /PhD application and a future career as a clinical academic. 

The programme structure is as follows:

• In FY1, the majority of ASFP doctors have weekly academic day-release during one 4-month rotation. Many use this time to identify a project of interest and an academic supervisor.
• In FY2, most ASFP doctors have a 4-month research block during which they carry out their research project. This is protected academic time (there is no clinical training).  A few have academic day-release during two 4-month rotations and this is instead of a single 4-month academic block.

Examples of Oxford ASFP doctors' profiles and projects can be found on the OUCAGS website and include those with a 4-month research block in FY2 and those with academic day-release.

Through OUCAGs, trainees have mentorship, access to skills training and opportunities to present their work. As their AS you will be expected to support their undertaking of a research project within your group, including provision of access to relevant facilities, consumables, protocols and guidance. You will also have to complete two short  forms, one at the beginning and one at the end of their academic time. ASFP salaries are paid by NHS England via the Oxford Foundation School

How to register your interest

Please complete our short expression-of-interest form to register your interest and indicate briefly one or more possible project areas that an ASFP doctor might work on. You will be a group leader in Oxford with experience of supervision and the capacity to host an ASFP doctor. There is no requirement for academic supervisors to be clinically trained.

The information you give will be circulated amongst OUCAGS Academic Leads and shared with ASFP doctors to support them in identifying a suitable research project. Projects posted now will be shared with (i) SFP doctors entering FY2 this August, but who haven't identified a research project yet and (ii) incoming SFP doctors entering  FY1 this August, but for whom their main academic time will be during FY2 (August 2024-25).

_{Photo copyright: Oxford Medical Illustration}