Timeline and Deadlines

27 February 2024

STEP webinar for applicants takes place at 18:00-19:00 (GMT)

Refer to our events page for full details of the webinar.

Questions should be submitted ahead of the webinar via the online form. The deadline to submit questions is Thursday 15 February (17:00 GMT).

18 March 2024

STEP online form is published and available for completion by UK medical school students/applicants.

STEP offline Word version of the form is published and available for Eligibility applicants to complete.

Between March and April

UK medical schools liaise with their students about the STEP process and completing the form.

Completed forms are sent to a named contact at the medical school for approval.

Note: Each UK medical school will have its own local timeframes for managing the STEP form completion process between March and May and UK medical students should follow this.

Between April and May

Medical schools review the information their students have submitted in their online form. The form is signed and approved by an appropriate member of the medical school’s staff who are able to verify that information contained in the form is correct.

Occasionally a medical school will want to add additional information to a STEP form to support their student. A member of staff at the medical school should meet with the student to discuss what relevant information they believe they should transfer and why. Information should not be included without the student/applicant’s consent.

By the deadline of 10 May 2024

UK Medical schools submit all completed and approved STEP forms via the online portal and the forms are securely transferred to the allocated foundation schools.

Eligibility applicants email their completed STEP form to their allocated foundation school.

Between May and June

Foundation School Director’s (FSDs) in each foundation school review the STEP forms for their incoming F1 doctors.

FSDs may contact an applicant if they have ticked the box to confirm that they are happy for the FSD to contact them about the information they have declared in their form.

FSDs pass the STEP forms on to the Foundation Training Programme Director’s (FTPDs) who look after foundation training in each allocated employing Trust/Health Board/Local Education Provider (LEP).

Between May and July

Foundation schools liaise with employers to ensure that any reasonable adjustments that an applicant requires can be made in time for the start of the training programme.

Where required (and where consent has been provided by the applicant for the sharing of information) applicants will be contacted by the Medical Staffing team and/or the Occupational Health department at the employing organisation about organising reasonable adjustments ahead of the start of the training programme.

During the initial meeting with the Educational Supervisor and during the induction meeting with the Clinical Supervisor, there will be opportunities for the applicant/F1 doctor to discuss the contents of their STEP form if they wish to.