UK internships

The purpose of the 12 month internship

The purpose of the Foundation Programme year 1 (F1) is to enable you to

• Put into practice the key skills that you have learned
• Apply knowledge you have gained during undergraduate medical education
• Show that on completing F1 training, you have demonstrated the outcomes set by us
• Show you are ready to accept with confidence the duties and responsibilities of a fully registered and licensed doctor

AND

• Show you are ready to begin training for specialist medical practice.

Delaying the start of your F1 post

When you are completing your application online you will be asked what date your F1 post will start. You can apply for provisional registration with a licence to practise up to three months in advance of that date.

If you need to re-sit your exams

Granting your application for provisional registration with a licence to practise is dependent upon confirmation from your medical school that you have successfully passed your medical exams and secured the relevant medical degree(s). You can defer an application for provisional registration with a licence to practise pending a requirement to retake any exams.

The role of your medical school

Universities are responsible for approving hospitals and posts for completion of the Foundation Programme training.

As you approach the completion of your Foundation Programme training you will need to submit an application for full registration with a licence to practise and download the Certificate of Experience to verify the completion of your training. You should send the Certificate of Experience to the institution where you secured your medical degree. They are responsible for verifying that you have satisfactorily completed your F1 experience

The university completes a Certificate of Experience which certifies that the requirements for full registration with a licence to practise have been met.

You should consult the postgraduate dean of your medical school about arrangements for Foundation Programme training and make sure that any combination of posts in which you propose to be employed is acceptable to your medical school and university. The postgraduate dean will also be available to help and advise you throughout your F1 training.

Where deaneries have matching schemes, the suitability of posts for Foundation Programme training will already have been addressed. Some deaneries will recognise another UK deanery's approved F1 post and associated documentation. However, you should confirm this with your deanery.

If you are thinking of undertaking your F1 year outside the UK, it is important that you obtain the approval of your post graduate dean. Some deaneries have a policy of not accepting non-UK posts. If you undertake your F1 year outside the UK in a post that does not have the approval of your university you will not be eligible to apply for full registration with a licence to practise.

Completing the internship

To be eligible for full registration with a licence to practise, you will need to complete satisfactorily 12 months approved post graduate training in a post approved by your university.

• At least three months of this time must be spent in medicine, and
• At least three months should be spent in surgery and
• The remaining six months must be spent in a recognised clinical specialty (which can include up to four months in general practice).

From 1 August 2007 doctors in the first year of Foundation Programme training will be required to demonstrate the outcomes for F1 in The New Doctor 2007 (opens in a new window) before full registration with a licence to practise is granted.

After completing each post you should obtain a Certificate of Satisfactory Service from the hospital authorities and send these to your medical school. If your medical school is satisfied that the outcomes for F1 have been met and the Foundation Programme training has been satisfactorily completed, they will issue a Certificate of Experience to enable you to apply for full registration with a licence to practise. (You can download this from MyGMC when you log in and apply to move from provisional registration with a licence to practise to full registration with a licence to practise).