Medical Education and Training Pathways

Medical Training 

After graduating from medical school, doctors in the UK complete two Foundation years of training and then usually continue training until they become a Consultant, GP (general practitioner) or SAS (staff grade, associate specialist and specialty) doctor. 

Below is a diagram giving an overview of the various stages of training required before becoming a consultant or GP. 

Supervision 

In all your posts you should have a named Educational Supervisor is responsible for overseeing your educational progress.

You should also have a named Clinical Supervisor for each post responsible for  ensuring you have appropriate clinical supervision day-to-day, with regular assessment and feedback to both you and your Educational Supervisor. 

All training programmes also have a Training Programme Directors (TPD) or Foundation Programme Directors (FPD), who have oversight of their training programmes, manage the rotations and provide advice and support.

Appraisal 

You will receive an ARCP (Annual Review of Competence Progression) at least every year.  It is the formal process by which a trainee's progression through their training programme is monitored and recorded. This ensures you are gaining all competencies required by your training programme at an appropriate rate and through appropriate experience.

Information is available in the Gold Guide

To demonstrate you are gaining competencies required in your training programme, you will have a portfolio. This is an electronic tool for doctors to store and record a collection of evidence that demonstrates their learning achievements and abilities. 

Portfolio can help you to keep documents together to evidence your progress and learning, reflect on your learning, record a personal development plan (PDP), prepare for an interview, and develop your CV. The type of portfolio you use will depend on your training programme. 

Medical Education and Training Pathway Checklist

Click here for the Medical Education and training pathway checklist.

This page was last updated on: 03.07.2024 at 12.42