Welcome to the UKFPO Careers page
On this page, you will find signposting information to various organisations and resources that will help provide you with information about career development.
Careers webinar
See below recording of the careers webinar on 6 February 2024, focusing on careers support for doctors during their foundation years.
Tasters
A taster is a period of time, usually two to five days, spent in a specialty in which the foundation doctor has not previously worked. Its purpose is to enable the development of insight into the work of the specialty and promote careers reflection. See our guidance on specialty tasters for foundation doctors.
What happens before foundation training?
Some helpful resources available to support career exploration before deciding on what or where to study:
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors
https://www.ucas.com/
What happens after foundation training?
Once you have completed foundation training, you will have the option to continue your training into your chosen route. You may want to continue into a particular specialty, apply for GP training or take a different option depending on your personal circumstances. Please explore the pages below to find out further information.
Information specific to each of the four UK nations
Below are links to career information provided by each of the statutory education bodies (SEBs) of the four nations of the UK.
Health Education England – Beyond Foundation
Health Education England – Health Careers
Health Education England – Enhancing Doctors’ Working Lives
Health Education and Improvement Wales – Careers
Conference Of Postgraduate Medical Deans (COPMeD)
COPMeD is the Conference Of Postgraduate Medical Deans (UK). COPMeD provides a focus for those responsible for the strategic overview and operational delivery of postgraduate medical training in the four nations of the United Kingdom. The COPMeD website provides information on career development.
Specialty person specifications
Specialty training person specifications can be found on the Medical Specialty Recruitment website, as well as applicant guidance and timelines for specialty recruitment.
Medical Royal Colleges
A medical royal college is a professional body responsible for setting standards of training, education and professional practice for doctors in its specialty, and supporting their development throughout their careers. If you are interested in a certain specialty, the royal college will provide further information on membership and training in that particular specialty.
You can find links to each of the organisations on the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) website.
General Medical Council (GMC)
The GMC work to protect patient safety and improve medical education and practice across the UK. The GMC website provides career advice and in particular, pathways on how to return to work.
Specialty recruitment bitesize learning
This a recording taken from an FDAB meeting on 2 November 2023, focusing on what to think about when applying for a specialty training programme.