Dr Isaac Jarratt Barnham

PATHWAY TO AN ASFP POSITION

I had some experience of undertaking research both prior to, and during, medical school, and I had really enjoyed developing new skills and working to address unanswered questions that impacted clinical practice.

I was keen for the opportunity to pursue this further!

WHAT DOES THE WORK INVOLVE?

During my ASFP, I had:

• day-release during in the second rotation of my FY1 year, and
• a 4-month academic block (in which I had no clinical work to do) in the second rotation of my FY2 year.

I used the day-release portion to take on a range of smaller projects, including working as Associate Principal Investigator on two surgical trials and publishing a letter to the editor (Spanish Journal of Psychiatry and Mental Health).

I had already chosen my main research project on applying to the ASFP, and this occupied the bulk of my time during my 4-month research block. The project focussed on using data from the UK Biobank to explore the interaction between two risk factors (genetic background and occupation) for developing Dupuytren’s Disease (a common hand condition).

Overall, the ASFP has been excellent. It’s given me the headspace and time to undertake academic work that both interests me and is necessary for progressing through medical training in the UK.

I’ve heard others worry that losing a clinical rotation to academic time might impact their clinical ability. Personally, however, I have felt that my 5 clinical rotations have been more than enough time to become a competent Foundation Doctor. 

WHY OXFORD?

The Oxford programme particularly appealed because of its flexibility. The opportunity to choose your own supervisor and project allows you to get the most out of academic time. In addition, the huge range of expertise available in Oxford means that almost any academic interest can be catered for.

June 2025