Your F3 & SHO Options explained

You are reaching the end of your Foundation Training. What next? We have put together all your options.

This includes staying in the UK or going abroad, for all clinical (patient contact).

If you are considering an F3 year – check out our article “To F3 or not to F3?” here.

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Option 1: Staying in the UK

Training (Specialty/Core)

Round 2 of specialty applications open in July 2019 for training starting in February 2020

ACCS/Anaesthetics ST1 & Anaesthetics ST3
GP ST1
Psychiatry CT1
Medicine ST3
For general information regarding specialty training, click here.

Non-Training (Locum)

Bank & Agency Doctor

Joining a Trust Bank or Locum Agency is a popular choice for the F3 year.

A Trust Bank is a group of doctors registered to a trust, that can book locum shifts directly with any hospital in that trust. Trusts are in the process of combining Banks so you can work at hospitals in different trusts under one Bank.

A Locum Agency is a private company that supplies doctors to hospitals directly, by doctors registering to the locum agency. There are multiple locum agencies and depending on the hospitals they work with, depends on the hospitals you are able to work for.

Staff grade post (LAS/LAT)

Locum Appointment for Training (LAT)

Formal, approved specialty training usually in the early years of specialty curriculum
Used by doctors looking to: prepare for further specialty training, prepare to work in career grade post, gain further experience and competencies
Does not grant right of entry to specialty training but can help count towards specialty training.
Usually one-year contracts (minimum of 3 months)

Locum Appointment for Service (LAS)

Role is for service delivery, not training
Will not be able to demonstrate educational progression
Short-term contracts to fill a rota gap
No competency assessment is required
Have a clinical supervisor but not an educational supervisorFor more information about either of these, please click here

Clinical fellowship

Taking on the role of a SHO or junior Registrar
Generally more research and less clinical work
In terms of clinical responsibility, it is dependent on the job title itself, some expect SHO work, other registrar work.
It is closely associated with the Staff grade posts.
Depending on the clinical fellowship role, they will dedicate a certain amount of time to research over clinical work

Research & Teaching fellowship

Research Fellow

Taking on the role of a SHO or junior Registrar
Generally more research and less clinical work
In terms of clinical responsibility, it is dependent on the job title itself, some expect SHO work, other registrar work.
It is closely associated with the Staff grade posts.
Depending on the clinical fellowship role, they will dedicate a certain amount of time to research over clinical work
Generally a year contract
Mix of Research & Service provision
Research can include all areas of medicine depending on the specialty/organisation sponsoring the role
The mix depends on the job, some are majority service provision, others are majority research.
Opportunity to use the Research Fellowship to contribute towards a PhD, where in some roles one is expected to enrol for a PhD

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Teaching Fellow

Minimum a year contract (can be up to 3 years)
Focus on educational projects linked with a medical school
- Assessment – writing, reviewing & standard setting medical school examinations & supporting the delivery of practical assessments
- Teaching – facilitating sessions about clinical examination, professional skills and preparation for practice
- Curriculum development – designing new curriculum content and reviewing old content
- Admission – interviewing prospective students
Regular professional development session

Specialty training in the UK — *There is a growing trend amongst doctors to take a year out following F2, rather than going straight into specialty training. However 90% still go into specialty training within 3 years.. Source:* *BMJ*

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Option 2: Go Abroad

The availability of training and non-training jobs is dependent on each country. In most cases training and non-training roles are available to UK junior doctors.

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Training

EU

Currently, any EU or Swiss doctor with full GMC registration (post-F1) is entitled to train in any other EU country (and Switzerland). However, due to Brexit, this may change – to stay up to date on latest Brexit implications for doctors, check out our Brexit article here. It goes without saying, but to train in these countries, you will be expected to speak the local language to a suitable level.

For more information, please click here.

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‍Ireland

Doctors that have completed the Foundation programme are eligible to jump into specialty training. Specialty training in Ireland is similar but not identical to the UK training scheme. For more information, click here.

Check out more, please click here.

USA

Training for junior doctors is available in the USA, however it is quite an arduous process You need to obtain the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) to apple for a residency (a training role). Depending on the specialty, specialist training can take 3 to 7 years. You’re required to complete the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination), a 2 part exam. The first one focussing on basic medical and clinical knowledge. The second part focuses on clinical skills.

There are however some research and fellowship posts to avoid the examinations.