UKFPO Bulletin

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March Bulletin

The words 'Hello March' written in colourful writing

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

National Non-smoking Day – 12 March

Other national campaigns this month

Action for happiness calendar – ‘Mindful March’

Introduction

Welcome to the March edition of the UKFPO bulletin. For many of you currently in the Foundation Programme, this is the last month of your current post. I hope that you have learnt a lot during this time, from and with your colleagues. Please make sure that you get your named clinical supervisor report completed before your post finishes and reflect on what you’ve learnt and how you can evidence this through writing your Summary Narrative. 

Foundation Programme allocation day 

Last week applicants to the Foundation Programme, both in the UK and abroad, found out to which Foundation School they have been allocated. This will be the second year where we have used computer-generated ranking, which when introduced last year generated much comment and discussion. This was introduced because previous ways of ranking were considered to be unfair to many groups of applicants. 

The UKFPO team fully realises that this is of great importance to all of our applicants and is a stressful time for them. Our aim is to allocate as many applicants as possible to their first choice Foundation School but realise that some applicants will be disappointed as not everyone can go exactly where they want to. Because Foundation Programme doctors are so important in ensuring high-quality and safe patient care, it is important for the NHS that foundation doctors are distributed around the country as equally as we possibly can. Foundation training everywhere follows the same curriculum and must meet the same standards of training, and it is thanks to the dedication and hard work of supervisors across the four UK nations that we can say that applicants will be trained to become excellent doctors wherever they are allocated. 

I would recommend that applicants keep in touch with the Foundation School to which they have been allocated, regardless of whether this was their first choice or not. There is lots of guidance on the UKFPO website about what follows allocation to a foundation school, and I would recommend applicants keep their eye out for new announcements there too. 

Humans of the Foundation Programme 

One of our UKFPO fellows, Jei Fei Lau, has done a great piece of work setting up a scheme for Foundation Programme doctors to submit pieces of creative writing, poems and other forms of art, to showcase the wide range of skills and personal experience that our amazing foundation doctors have. I recommend that you have a look at this and if your creative juices are flowing, please submit a piece to go on the Humans of the Foundation Programme section of our website.

As ever, look after yourselves and each other. 

Best wishes 

Dr Mike Masding, Co-chair of the UKFPO

Reflection

Elearning 

There are many free evidence-based resources available to support each of the curriculum’s foundation professional capabilities (FPCs). Our Curriculum resource will help you to improve your knowledge and understanding of the competences in the foundation programme curriculum. 

Summary narrative 

Have you thought about how you can use this tool reflect on your achievements and challenges throughout your foundation training? What questions do you have for your educational supervisor about this tool? 

UKFPO resources to support your reflection: 

  • Factsheet and examples (scroll to “Curriculum factsheets and guides” > “The foundation doctor” > “The summary narrative”) 

Spotlight on educational resources

ARCP preparation 

ARCP is approaching—now is the perfect time to review your e-portfolio and ensure all required evidence is in place or you have a plan for how you will obtain it in the next 2-3 months. For further information and guidance, see our ARCP microsite. Make sure to refer to the ARCP checklist, and come to our ARCP webinar later this month (see section below for details)!  

NFDPD 2025 Abstract Book 

The UKFPO are pleased to welcome you to view the NFDPD 2025 Abstract Book. 

Rare disease charity and learning 

Medics for Rare Disease is a registered charity driving an attitude change towards rare diseases amongst medical students and doctors in training. They deliver a number of exciting projects working closely with patients, industry specialists, medical schools and rare disease advocates. The board includes three doctors as well as a rare disease patient. Rare Disease 101 is e-learning aimed at medical professionals with little prior knowledge in rare disease covering the basic principles of what rare disease is, how you may suspect a rare disease, challenges faced by those living with a rare disease and how to support them. 

Webinars

Coming up 

Recordings 

To view any of our previously held webinars or to see any upcoming webinars, visit our webinars webpage.  

The recording of our most recent webinar ‘National Foundation Doctors’ Presentation Day 2025 – winning presentation and reflections’, held on Friday 28 February 2025, will be uploaded to our website soon. 

If there are any specific topics you think we have missed or you wish for us to cover, please send your suggestions to foundation.educationandsupport@nhs.net   

Opportunities and events

Humans of the Foundation Programme 

See our ‘Humans of the Foundation Programme’ webpage for details of this exciting creative writing initiative, including the submission form for articles of your own, and published articles. 

New articles published this month: 

UKFPO Fellowship – Recruitment for August 2025 closed  

Thank you to all those who submitted an application for the UKFPO Fellowship. We are reviewing all applications and will be in touch with applicants in due course. To find out more about what the Fellowship involves, visit our UKFPO Fellows webpage. 

Elearning for healthcare update

Review the February 2025 elfh update