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ACADEMIC FOUNDATION PROGRAMME EFFECTIVE APPLICATIONS ELAINE DENNISS CAREERS CONSULTANT

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Aims Examine different types of questions you might encounter Provide hints and tips on how to approach questions and structure answers How to present your evidence effectively

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How can you stand out?

– Understand recruiters’ hopes and fears – Allay fear and confirm hope – ATIC = Ability To Identify Criteria

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What have you done already? Downloaded application form Read and understood the person specifications for your preferred Units of Applications Read through the applicant handbook Looked at the Academic Compendium and Rough Guide Updated your cv and e-portfolio Talked to F1/F2 doctors on AFP Reflected!

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What are selectors looking for? Besides good clinical skills and consistently high academic achievement, selectors are looking for An understanding of the principles of medical research An understanding of the importance of effective teaching An understanding of the principles of ethical research

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Personal Attributes Patient focused Ability to prioritise tasks and take appropriate decisions Ability to work effectively with others Ability to communicate effectively Initiative and ability to deal with pressure/challenge Commitment to learning/professional development Self awareness and insight into boundaries of own abilities

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Different types of questions Understanding questions Scenario questions Competency questions Experience questions Reflective Learning questions Motivation questions Achievement questions

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What type of question? We recognise that applicants will have had varying levels of research, management and teaching experience. Please give one example from your post-secondary education career to date, of a research project, management or teaching experience and its significance to your application for an academic foundation programme

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What’s being assessed? Provide an overview (list) of your contribution(s) to academic life during your medical school career. Using one of these examples, describe your contribution to academic life during your medical school career and how it will be relevant to an academic medical career.

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Competency question example Academic medicine requires an individual to work successfully in a team. Describe a time that will be relevant to your foundation training when you have worked as a member of a successful team and define your role and contribution to this success

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Verbs not adjectives Supporting Enabling Encouraging Explaining Responding Assessing Respecting Listening Requesting Sharing Demonstrating

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Think about team roles Plant (creative) Resource Investigator Monitor Evaluator Co-ordinator Implementer Completer Finisher Shaper Specialist Based on Belbin’s Team Roles

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Your evidence laid BARE(R)

– Background – setting, situation, objective – Actions – what you did, how you did it – Rationale– your thinking and choices – End result – achievements and outcomes – Reflection – learning and lesson

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Evidence for motivation What’s your story? How does it link to the AFP? Past Present Future Understanding the role, making links

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Evidence for motivation Research — What have you discovered about the Academic Foundation Programme and how? What’s involved? What challenges might you face? Decisions — What choices have you made leading up to this stage? Actions and Behaviour — What have you done to gain relevant experience, knowledge and skills? Interests — What do you devote time to inside and outside medicine? Goals — How will this programme help you to achieve your longer term aims and ambitions?

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Sample Answer 1 - Motivation Please identify your reasons for applying for this academic programme of Foundation Training (150 words)

Academic medicine is integral to the development of clinical medicine and to making advances in patient care. I developed skills in research analysis and methodology during my intercalated BSc for which I received a first class degree. As an AHO at Mayday Hospital I was also involved in an audit into X which allowed me to see the direct application of research and critical analysis to the improvement of clinical activity. I also believe in the importance of communicating the results of research and medical developments through effective teaching, and have had various opportunities to become involved in teaching, including anatomy and clinical skills demonstrating, peer-led PBL teaching and organizing revision sessions for finalists through the GP Society. I aspire to an academic career where I can combine my passion for research and teaching with my clinical interests.

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Critical commentary Academic medicine is integral to the development of clinical medicine and to making advances in patient care. But why are YOU interested in academic medicine? I developed skills in research analysis and methodology (such as?) during my intercalated BSc for which I received a first class degree. As an AHO at Mayday Hospital I was also involved in an audit into X which allowed me to see the direct application of research and critical analysis to the improvement of clinical activity. (but do you need to be an academic clinician to be involved in audit?) I also believe in the importance of communicating the results of research and medical developments through effective teaching, and have had various opportunities to become involved in teaching, including anatomy and clinical skills demonstrating, peer-led PBL teaching and organizing revision sessions for finalists through the GP Society. (What did you learn about effective teaching from these experiences? What skills would you like to develop as part of an academic career?) I aspire to an academic career where I can combine my passion for research and teaching with my clinical interests. (But you still haven’t told us WHY you want this kind of career)

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Sample Answer II – Academic achievement “I was very proud to have been awarded a prize for a research project that I did as part of a summer research studentship. The prize was an achievement because it proved that I could carry out high quality research alongside the pressures of being at medical school, and further developed the research skills gained during my BSc and clinical research projects The purpose of the research was to invesitigate the effect of xxxxx on xxxxx, to inform evidence based management options and emphasize ethical issues pertaining to this debilitating condition The experience also taught me skills relevant to being an academic trainee such as being focused and determined even when my results did not work out well during the early stages of the project. This did not dishearten me; only drove my passion for excellence and perfection. In collaboration with my research supervisor I improved on my initial attempt to reach a higher standard of data collection.”

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Critical commentary “I was very proud to have been awarded a prize for a research project that I did as part of a summer research studentship. The prize was an achievement because it proved that I could carry out high quality research alongside the pressures of being at medical school, and urther developed the research skills gained during my BSc and clinical research projects (what were these ‘skills’ – could you be more specific?). The purpose of the research was to invesitigate the effect of xxxxx on xxxxx, to inform evidence based management options and emphasize ethical issues pertaining to this debilitating condition (I’m not sure what this adds to your argument; you might be better using this portion of your word count to focus on skills that you have gained from the experience). The experience also taught me skills relevant to being an academic trainee such as being focused and determined even when my results did not work out well during the early stages of the project. This did not dishearten me; only drive my passion for excellence and perfection. In collaboration with my research supervisor I improved on my initial attempt to reach a higher standard of data collection.” You focus on your attitude towards the project, and developing the skill of resilience, but perhaps you could also talk more about other skills relevant to academic research – e.g. awareness of some of the stages of the research process e.g. ethics approval, formation of hypothesis, dealing with set-backs etc).”

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Scenario Questions What are the key words/red flags? What are the issues? What are the options? What factors do you need to consider? What would you do? Process – rationale – considered decision making

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Approach Break down questions into component parts Keep an eye on main themes Use TD and GMP to help if appropriate Be as specific as you can whilst remaining concise in your descriptions Explain what, how and why Focus on what you learnt from your experiences or observations And be clear about how you will apply this learning as an (academic) foundation trainee Be clear about what you want to gain from the programme and ALSO what you have to contribute

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CVs 2 pages usually sufficient (no more than 4) Clear headings and layout – use white space Think about appropriate headings to showcase what you have to offer Prioritise medical and academic experiences Include audits, research projects, presentations, teaching, conferences etc under clear headings Think about what sets you apart e.g. Anything different about the MBBS at UCL? … Any specific achievements or experiences?

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Sample Structure

 Your name as heading, not ‘Curriculum Vitae’  Contact details and GMC number (when received)  Education ◦ Medical

    

Degree title Awards Clinical grades Intercalated degree Electives/SSCs

◦ Other education      

Clinical experience Audits, research, teaching Other work experience IT Skills (software packages) Interests References

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Portfolios Suggested format: Lever arch file or similar Tabbed for easy reference Divided into relevant themes, e.g. ‘Publications’, ‘Audits’, ‘Nonacademic achievements’ etc Suggested Structure(s):  Following the key headings of your CV  Using the core themes within the GMC's Good Medical Practice Guide for Doctors More info: http://www.peninsuladeanery.nhs.uk/index.php?option=com_co ntent&view=article&id=468&Itemid=405

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