How the Foundation Training Year works
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The FTY brings together a small number of connected elements designed to support students’ transition into professional practice.
✔️ Two 24-week clinical placements
Students complete two extended placements that:
- provide experience across different practice settings and patient groups
- support progressive development across the year
- expose students to different supervision and practice styles
- encourage experience in different geographic areas, supporting national workforce priorities
✔️ Integrated independent prescribing training
Independent prescribing training continues throughout the year, supported by:
- Simulation-based learning
- Teach & Treat clinics, where students opportunities consolidate prescribing knowledge and apply it safely in practice.
✔️ Weekly protected development time
One protected day each week supports:
- reflection and consolidation
- academic and prescribing activity
- ongoing professional development
✔️ Workplace-based assessment
Assessment focuses on:
- clinical reasoning and decision making,
- professional judgement, and
- safe and consistent patient care
The emphasis moves away from completing tasks and towards demonstrating capability in real clinical practice.
Together, these elements create a supported, practice-focused final year that prepares students for independent professional practice.