Postgraduate medical education

Two-year foundation training programmes form the bridge between medical school and specialist/general practice training. Allocations for foundation year one (F1) and foundation year two (F2) places at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust are coordinated by the North West Thames Foundation School (NWTFS).

The NWTFS also supports the delivery of foundation training and the development of trainees. It was set up by Imperial College London and the London Deanery, incorporating links with trusts and deaneries encompassing a wide geographical area.

Teaching and training 
You will have an educational supervisor who is responsible for ensuring that you receive appropriate training and education. You should have a minimum of two formal meetings with your supervisor during any six-month post. In the first meeting, which must take place within your first week of employment, you will discuss your specific training needs and sign the training agreement. In the second you will discuss whether your needs are being met. Foundation doctors will also have regular meetings with the F1 and F2 training programme directors.

MRCP(UK) examination
The Trust also offers free online training for the MRCP(UK) examination to our junior doctors through the Medical Masterclass website. The training has been developed by the education department of the Royal College of Physicians. To find out how to access the training please email the postgraduate education manager, Maggie McNamara, on maggie.mcnamara@imperial.nhs.uk.

Flexible (less than full-time) training
Deanery trainees who need to work less than full-time can request to be considered for flexible training. Trainees who wish to train flexibly at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust should contact Ellie Pattinson in the doctors' working lives team to discuss applying for approval and funding. Trainees who are already training flexibly at another trust should still contact Ellie directly, to ensure that the application paperwork is completed well in advance of any proposed placement at our trust. Please call 020 3312 7581 or email ellie.pattinson@imperial.nhs.uk. Please note this approval process is specifically for doctors in deanery training and does not apply to clinical attachments, medical students or non-training posts.

Additional information 
Postgraduate centres
Medical training is coordinated by the Postgraduate Medical Education Department in the Medical Services Directorate at each site in conjunction with the NWTFS. Postgraduate centre staff will assist with a variety of queries including those relating to F1 teaching sessions, core medical and core surgical teaching, e-portfolios, study leave, the GP training programme and the doctors' mess (PDF documents, require Adobe Acrobat Reader, free download).

Induction
New doctors are required to complete an online induction programme on the Training Tracker website.

Occupational health clearance
You must receive health clearance before you can do any clinical work. As a new starter you are expected to make an appointment with occupational health to complete the necessary paperwork before you start. You must also return the health clearance form to occupational health before starting (PDF document, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, free download). For more information please call 020 3312 6799, Monday to Friday from 08.00 to 16.30. 
    
Payroll/HR
You will need to sign on to our payroll and complete the medical staffing documentation. It is essential that you have your passport as well as any previous P45 forms. The paperwork can either be completed prior to starting, which is preferable, or in August, when a programmed appointment will be made for you. For more information please call 020 3312 1565.

Security/ID card
You will need to attend the security department for issue of an ID card. Much of the hospital is now access-controlled and you will need a valid ID card to enter clinical areas. For more information you can call security on 020 7886 1544.

ICT training
You will have training in the appropriate electronic systems in the Trust including PACS and electronic discharge. 

Doctors' mess
All junior doctors are invited to join the doctors' mess. This costs £10 per month, which is deducted via your salary. Facilities include:
• Lockers (a £50 deposit is required)
• Five computers with internet access, two printers and three telephones
• 50" plasma TV with Sky
• Plasma notice board and course advertisement notice board
• Kitchen area with catering supplies delivered daily
A swipe card access control system has been installed along with CCTV cameras over the entrance and lockers.

A mess committee is formed each year to maintain mess facilities and organise events. The mess president or vice-president will represent all junior doctors at six-weekly postgraduate committee meetings.