No more than five days per Taster will be allowed for this experience. Only one Taster can be taken per block and no more than five days can be taken per specialty. The maximum number throughout Foundation is two Tasters (N.B. not two Tasters per training year). If your supervisor agrees, you may take both Tasters in F1 or in F2 or you may wish to take one Taster in each training year.
Location
Ideally this would take place within your current employing Board, as this would facilitate both the organisation and monitoring of such an experience. It will be the responsibility of the foundation doctor to organise these Tasters.
The foundation doctor must obtain approval from the current supervisors that the dates for the Tasters are suitable and that there is acceptance from the supervising Consultant.
The Scottish Foundation School will only approve tasters within your current home region of training unless the experience cannot be provided locally e.g. remote and rural GP. The Foundation School will not approve Tasters abroad or out-with Scotland.
Application Process
This should take place after discussion with the foundation doctors Educational Supervisor so that the aspirations of the foundation doctor are likely to be met by the taster.
For leave to be granted, the following will be required:
- After first confirming with Service that the proposed taster days can be accommodated
- A Study Leave application must be completed via Turas by the foundation doctor giving at least 6-8 weeks' notice to the Service for this leave
- Please ensure that you specify as part of the application the location/hospital and specialty in which the taster will be undertaken
- All requests for a Taster MUST be made through the study leave applications process on Turas
- Leave must only be arranged when a foundation doctor is due to be working normal days
- The aims and objectives of the taster and the reasons for choosing the specialty should be detailed on the foundation Turas Training Portfolio as part of the Taster Form
- Written or e-mail acceptance from the supervising Consultant for the taster should be included in the foundation doctors Turas Training Portfolio
- No expenses will be given for taster leave
Approval/Rejection of Request for Leave
The foundation doctor will be informed by e-mail from their Foundation Programme Director whether their application has been approved or not through the study leave process.
The Process - how to apply
Step 1: The foundation doctor identifies the specialty in which they want to experience a taster
Step 2: The foundation doctor must obtain service approval from current placement that they can take the Taster in their current block
Step 3: The foundation doctor approaches the relevant Consultant and obtain written permission to spend time in their specialty, agreeing the number of days and dates
Step 4: The foundation doctor obtains approval from their current supervisor that the proposed dates are suitable for service
Step 5: The foundation doctor discusses this taster with their Educational Supervisor/Foundation Programme Director
Step 6: The foundation doctor completes a Study Leave Application via Turas which MUST include the specialty and location/hospital the taster will be undertaken
Approved: Following the taster the foundation doctor must complete the Taster Form in the Turas Portfolio - which can be linked to FPC13
Not Approved: The foundation doctor must cancel any arrangement made with the specialty Consultant and discuss with your Educational Supervisor/Foundation Programme Director why the leave has not been approved
Post-Taster
After the taster the foundation doctor will need to provide the following:
- they must reflect upon their experience and complete the Taster Form in the Turas Portfolio which can be linked FPC 13
- they must consider whether their original aims and objectives were met by the taster
Process Flowchart
This process must be followed even if the taster takes place during annual leave and weekly leave. This is due to insurance reasons as some locations incur "hidden" costs to NES.
Regional and Speciality Contacts
Details of individuals to contact for more information or to discuss arranging a taster are available here.
Please also see the link to the pages on the UKFPO website here.
