Foundation Year 1 and 2

Academic Programme
Medicine
Surgery
Neurosciences & Neurosurgery
Oncology
Neuro-Critical Care & Pain
Translational Medicine and Therapeutics
Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Clinical Radiology,
Medical Microbiology, Haematology

To commence August 2013

Information Pack for Applicants

Contents
East of England Deanery/East Anglian Foundation School ......................................................... 3
The University of Cambridge ........................................................................................................ 4
Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ....................... 5
Bedford Hospital NHS Trust ......................................................................................................... 5
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust ................................................... 6
West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ............................................................................. 7
The Posts ..................................................................................................................................... 8
Background .............................................................................................................................. 8
Foundation Year 1 .................................................................................................................... 8
Foundation Year 2 .................................................................................................................... 8
Rotations ...................................................................................................................................... 8
The Academic Curriculum .......................................................................................................... 10
Background ............................................................................................................................ 10
Research curriculum............................................................................................................... 11
Other elements .......................................................................................................................... 11
Teaching and training ............................................................................................................. 11
Attendance at relevant courses .............................................................................................. 11
Presentations, Journal Clubs .................................................................................................. 11
Audit ....................................................................................................................................... 11
Assessment and ePortfolio ..................................................................................................... 11
Research ................................................................................................................................ 12
Supervision ................................................................................................................................ 12
Educational supervisor ........................................................................................................... 12
Clinical supervisor .................................................................................................................. 12
Academic supervisor .............................................................................................................. 12
Learning outcomes: ................................................................................................................... 13
Person Specification .................................................................................................................. 14
The Application Process ............................................................................................................ 16
Interviews ............................................................................................................................... 16
Interview travel expenses ....................................................................................................... 17
Application outcomes ............................................................................................................. 17
LIST OF ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS AND INTERESTS ........................................................ 18
Division of Anaesthesia .............................................................................................................. 18
Department of Clinical Neurosciences ....................................................................................... 20
Department of Haematology ...................................................................................................... 21
Department of Medicine ............................................................................................................. 21
Department of Oncology ............................................................................................................ 22
Department of Paediatrics.......................................................................................................... 23
Department of Pathology Medical Microbiology ...................................................................... 24
Department of Psychiatry ........................................................................................................... 25
Department of Radiology ........................................................................................................... 26
Department of Surgery ............................................................................................................... 27
Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (TMAT) ..................................................................... 28
General Information ................................................................................................................... 30

East of England Deanery

The East of England Multi-Professional Deanery is the regional centre of excellence for the
development, commissioning, and quality management of education and training of healthcare staff.
Our vision: Towards the best, together
The Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (PGMDE) team reflect this through:
"First class education for first class healthcare"
The deanery is recognised nationally for the excellence of postgraduate medical and dental education in
the East of England. Our ethos is to engage trainees, trainers and other stakeholders, involving them at
all stages in the planning and delivery of education. It encourages a multi-professional approach to the
delivery of training and patient care, and aims to provide comprehensive support and encouragement to
providers, trainers and trainees.
As a Deanery we support around 4,000 medical and dental trainees in the region serving a population of
5.6 million. We seek to attract the best doctors and dentists to this region, to ensure high quality training
and thereby produce the excellent future healthcare that the patients we serve need and desire. We aim
to inspire excellence in all our trainees to ensure our patients receive the highest standard of safe clinical
care. The Deanery also maintains effective quality management of postgraduate medical and dental
education and training, and promotes faculty development for our trainers.

The East Anglian Foundation School

The East Anglian Foundation School (EAFS) sits within the East of England Multi-Professional Deanery
and has responsibility for the delivery of Foundation Training in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, East
and North Herts and Bedfordshire. It extends across a wide geographical area including the beautiful
Suffolk coastline, rural Norfolk broads, and cities with many amenities and transport links to London. It
has close undergraduate links with the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine and the
University of East Anglia Medical School, and includes two large teaching hospitals in the historic cities
of Cambridge and Norwich, a supra-regional cardiothoracic unit in Papworth, and 10 district general
hospitals with an excellent and established reputation for postgraduate medical education and training.
Further information about the EAFS can be found on our website, please click here

The University of Cambridge

We are one of the world's oldest universities and leading academic centres, and a self-governed
community of scholars. The University comprises 31 Colleges and over 150 departments, faculties,
schools and other institutions. The mission of the University of Cambridge is to contribute to society
through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence.
The School of Clinical Medicine is one of the UKs leading Medical Schools. Its strength is built on
close relationships with pre-clinical science on the one hand, and on translational partnerships with NHS
organisations on the other. It comprises 15 formal Departments (Clinical Biochemistry, Haematology,
Medical Genetics, Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oncology, Paediatrics, Public Health and
Primary Care, Psychiatry, Radiology, Anaesthetics, Surgery and Clinical Neurosciences) which map onto
service delivery within the University Hospital and undergraduate and postgraduate clinical teaching. For
further information, please visit: http://www.medschl.cam.ac.uk/.
Excellence in Partnership
The School is a member of Cambridge University Health Partners, a partnership between the
University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (the main acute hospital
trust for Cambridge), Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (a specialist Cardiothoracic hospital) and
the Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (the regional Trust responsible for Mental
Health).
Cambridge University Health Partners has been awarded Academic Health Science Centre status in
recognition of its excellence in research, education and clinical service, and of the close working
relationships between the partners which enable this excellence to be achieved.
Cambridge University Health Partners is based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. This campus
hosts activities of all four of the partners, and is the main physical site for two of them. It also hosts
Institutes and Units run by other bodies which make major contributions to the richness of the
environment. These include the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK and GlaxoSmithKline.
Together, the partners intend to double the size of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2020. New
developments will include additional clinical space to accommodate expansion and improvement of
healthcare, including the relocation of Papworth Hospital onto the campus, new research space
associated with the clinical developments, and a commercial biomedical science park.
Through the University of Cambridge, CUHP has access to a wealth of pre-clinical excellence, both in
Clinical School Departments and Institutes, and in the School of the Biological Sciences.
Excellence in Research
The Schools research strategy has identified a number of strategic themes, which are aligned with the
strategic themes of the School of the Biological Sciences and our NHS partners. These are:
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular science and medicine
- Developmental and regenerative biology and medicine
- Epidemiology and public health
- Functional genomics, systems biology and genetic medicine
- Infection and immunity
- Medical Imaging
- Metabolic medicine, integrative and comparative physiology
- Neuroscience, psychology and mental health
- Womens health
Further information may be found at: http://www.biomed.cam.ac.uk/research/

Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS

Foundation Trust
Addenbrookes is a thriving, modern NHS teaching hospital based in Cambridge, with more than 7000
members of staff, 1000 beds and a budget of 577 million.
Addenbrooke's is a national flagship NHS hospital having achieved NHS Foundation Trust status in July
2004. It works in partnership with the University and other major scientific and charitable organisations,
and is developing as The Cambridge Biomedical Campus, an enhanced biomedical centre for research
and scientific development.
The Trust is a key member of the Cambridge Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC). This partnership
brings the member organisations together in pursuit of outstanding excellence in clinical care, clinical
education and health research in order to improve services to patients. It will also work to accelerate
innovation and generate wider economic and social benefits in the Greater Cambridge area as well as
nationally.
The hospital shares its site with a range of other organisations including the University of Cambridge
Clinical School, the National Blood Service, and laboratories funded by the Medical Research Council
(MRC), the Wellcome Trust, GlaxoSmithKline and the University of Cambridge Hutchison/Cancer
Research UK (CRUK) Cancer Centre, which houses 30 research groups using the latest techniques to
target cancer.
Addenbrooke's provides emergency, surgical and medical services, and is a centre of excellence for
specialist services for organ transplantation, bone marrow transplantation, neurosciences, renal
services, cleft lip and palate reconstruction, treatment of rare cancers, medical genetics and paediatrics.
The Trust also includes the Rosie Hospital, which provides a full range of womens and maternity
services. The hospital has 33 operating theatres, 5 intensive care units, 14 clinics and 40 wards. Last
year 67,787 men, women and children were treated as inpatients, 93,523 people attended accident and
emergency, and there were 458,141 visits to outpatient clinics.

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust is a 403 bed, high performing acute district general hospital committed to
providing a caring and safe environment for patients and staff. The Trust provides a range of services to
over 270,000 people living predominantly in north and mid Bedfordshire and is the vascular hub for the
county.
Bedford Hospital has earned a reputation for the high quality of its services. The Trust has been named
as one of the top 40 hospitals for eight successive years by the independent data analyst CHKS, was
rated 'good' in this year's PEAT (Patient Environment Action Teams) assessment by the NPSA and was
given a 'good' rating for quality of services by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The
Trust consistently scores well in the annual Dr Foster Hospital Guide and has won many prestigious
awards for the quality of food, cleanliness and operational performance.
Bedford Hospital has over 2000 members of staff and a current turnover of approximately 121million.
The hospital enjoys strong community support with over 200 volunteers at the Trust and over 6 million
being raised by the independent Bedford Hospitals Charity over the past 10 years. The fantastic support
from the hospital charity has enabled the Trust to build a dedicated cancer centre (the Macmillan
Primrose unit), the women's and children's services wing (Cygnet wing) and a new midwife led birthing
unit (the Acorn Suite).

The Trust's planned capital spend over the next five years is 38.5 million and it will be investing in a
number of service developments to respond to the changing needs of the local community. Recent
developments include:
A bowel cancer screening centre;
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention services;
New vascular services including endovascular aortic repair;
A refurbished delivery suite and midwife led birthing unit funded by the Bedford Hospitals Charity;
There are also plans for future developments in orthopaedic, stroke and radiology services.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust (QEH) provides services at The
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, a 514-bed acute hospital, which opened in 1980 and is located two miles
outside King's Lynn town centre.
It provides healthcare to more than 240,000 people in West Norfolk, north-east Cambridgeshire, south
Lincolnshire and part of Breckland via the hospital and a number of outreach services at community
hospitals and medical centres in the area.
It became a Foundation Trust in 2011, a reflection of their high standards and expertise in healthcare.
It is rated highly for the following services:
Trauma care - one of the top Trusts in England
Critical care - one of the top two Trusts in England
Day surgery - one of the top ten Trusts in England
Value for money/operational costs - one of the 12 most efficient hospital Trusts in England (Dr
Foster Hospital Guide)
Staff engagement - in the country's top 20% of Trusts
In 2010/11 the hospitals income was 1645 million, and it finished the financial year with a trading
surplus of 2.7 million. During 2010/11 the Hospital:
Treated over 50,000 patients in our Accident and Emergency department
Saw local people in over 250,000 outpatient appointments
Achieved all quality targets related to patient safety and infection control
Delivered its financial targets
It employed 2,562 full-time equivalent staff at 31 March 2011 in a range of roles including:
1,086 nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants
185 consultants and doctors
216 healthcare scientists and technicians
173 allied health professionals, for example physiotherapists, audiologists and occupational
therapists

West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The West Suffolk Hospital NHS Foundation Trust came into being in 1993, achieving foundation status in
November 2011. It serves an area of approximately 600 square miles, which extends to Thetford in the
north, Sudbury in the south, Newmarket to the west and Stowmarket to the East. This encompasses a
population of approximately 275,000.
The West Suffolk Hospital itself was founded in 1832, moving to its new site in Hardwick Lane in 1973. It
was the first of a new design of hospitals to be known as Best Buy hospitals. This was the first standard
design to combine a compact and economical hospital to meet modern purposes.
A major extension providing facilities for elderly patients opened in 1977, the Day Surgery Unit opened in
1994, the Education Centre was completed 2003, the Eye Treatment Centre in 2004 and the new
Macmillan Centre opened in 2005.
March 2006 saw the completion of a 3.4m Radiology scheme that delivered a new X-ray facility in the
A&E area to aid throughput of patients, a new nuclear medicine department, an additional CT scanner
suite and new waiting areas. The final phase of the scheme is to provide a covered walkway to the MRI
suite.
The West Suffolk Hospital has around 480 beds. The hospital provides a full range of acute services and
has four specialist medical units; a Special Care Baby Unit, a six bed Intensive Therapy Unit, a 24-hour
Recovery Unit, and a six bed Coronary Care Unit. A High Dependency Unit has been developed and
there is a 12-bedded Dialysis Unit. There are eight operating theatres in the main theatre complex and
substantial investment for a Diagnostic and Treatment Centre has allowed for the development of two
extra day theatres, an ophthalmic unit and a ninth operating theatre.
Specialty services such as plastic surgery and radiotherapy are provided by visiting consultants from
Cambridge.
There is a wide range of radiological diagnostic facilities provided by nine consultant radiologists,
including spiral CT, ultrasound, isotope imaging and MR. Other supporting services include the
Pathology Department staffed by two Histopathologists, a Microbiologist and a Clinical Haematologist.
On site is the stand-alone Day Surgery Unit, St Nicholas Hospice, which is a ten-bedded unit, and 91
mental health beds, which form part of the local Community Healthcare NHS Trust. Suffolk West Primary
Care Trust (PCT) currently provides 78% of the WSHT account with lesser purchasers in South Norfolk
and Essex.
There is an excellent working relationship between the Hospital and local General Practitioners, many of
whom have graduated through the General Practitioner Vocational Training Scheme.
The West Suffolk Hospital receives both first and final year students from the current standard University
of Cambridge Course.
Set in a 19-hectare parkland site on the edge of Bury St Edmunds, the hospital has scope for
expansion to meet the developing health care needs of the people of West Suffolk.

The Posts
Background
The rotations will ensure that all academic trainees achieve the core competencies of foundation training
as well as completing an academic curriculum. The rotations within the Cambridge programme will
combine a teaching hospital experience with some district general experience within the same Trusts.

Foundation Year 1
All trainees, academic or otherwise, will go through three 4-month rotations. The academic foundation
year posts start with a year out of Cambridge in rotations at a regional hospital.

Foundation Year 2
In year 2 all trainees will spend two 4-month rotations in a mix of specialties providing acute and nonacute experience. Academic FY candidates will spend the third 4 month block in a dedicated academic
placement.

Rotations
All F1 jobs will include a rotation in Medicine specialties/ Surgery specialties and acute care and be
based at a local District General Hospital as outlined below.
Placements: 1

General Medicine
QEH
Academic neuro
Addenbrookes

General Surgery
QEH
Neurology
Addenbrookes

General Medicine
QEH
Academic medicine
Addenbrookes

General Surgery
QEH
Hepatology
Addenbrookes

Urology
Peterborough
Academic TMAT
Addenbrookes

General Medicine
Peterborough
General Medicine
Addenbrookes

General Surgery
WSH
Academic oncology
Addenbrookes

General Medicine
WSH
Oncology
Addenbrookes

Academic Neurosurgery
F1
F2

General Medicine
QEH
Neurosurgery
Addenbrookes

Academic Medicine
F1
F2

General Surgery
QEH
DME
Addenbrookes

Academic TMAT
F1
F2

General Surgery
Peterborough
General medicine
Addenbrookes

Academic Rotation Oncology

F1
F2

General Medicine
WSH
General Surgery
Addenbrookes

Academic Rotation Choice

F1

General Medicine
WSH
F2
GP
(Practice attached to
Addenbrookes)
Academic Rotation Neurosciences
/Pain /Peri-operative care

General Surgery
WSH
Academic choice
Addenbrookes

General Medicine
WSH
Paediatrics
Addenbrookes

F1

General Medicine
WSH
Academic Perioperative
Addenbrookes

Urology
WSH
NCCU
Addenbrookes

General Surgery
Bedford
Academic Surgery
Addenbrookes

Acute Medicine
Bedford
Transplant Surgery
Addenbrookes

F2

A&E
WSH
General Medicine
Addenbrookes

Academic Rotation Surgery

F1
F2

General Medicine
Bedford
Urology
Addenbrookes

The Academic Curriculum

Background
The East of England Deanery created a number of two-year academic foundation training posts in
response to the need to enhance recruitment of doctors into academic career paths. Each academic
trainee will identify an academic mentor who will develop a personalised programme, based on the
academic curriculum. This will take into account previous experience and achievements, and draw on
the resources available throughout the University of Cambridge and the departments through which the
candidate will rotate.
The aim of the academic foundation curriculum is to combine clinical training with the opportunity for
trainees to develop skills and knowledge in research to equip them for future training and for an
academic career. Trainees will be expected to acquire the core competencies of foundation training, but
in addition will be offered a range of opportunities in research/research methodology and will be
expected to demonstrate attainment of competencies in these areas. Trainees will be expected to
continue to acquire clinical competencies throughout the two-year period and will be offered clinical
training rotations supportive of their goals. A central objective of the Academic Foundation Programme
is for trainees to leave the programme with evidence of achievement, in particular with the ability to
formulate a research question and to undertake the necessary background work related to that question.

Research curriculum
An academic mentor will supervise the trainee throughout their Foundation Programme. The precise
skills learnt will vary depending on the interests of the individual, but may include laboratory research,
clinical research, epidemiology or health services research. All trainees will be expected to demonstrate
that they have achieved the generic learning outcomes for research and to have achieved their clinical
competencies
The learning outcomes are to:

Essential
Demonstrate ability to formulate a research question
Demonstrate ability to undertake a systematic search, evaluation and synthesis of previous
research related to the chosen question

Desirable
Formulate and justify the research question as above
Demonstrate knowledge of study design and/or laboratory technique relevant to the planned
research
Describe study intervention or technique
Describe study population and outcome measures
Describe methods of data collection
Describe statistical techniques for determination of study sample size and analysis of results
Describe plan for obtaining ethical approval
Describe plan of study management
Describe study costing
Identify possible sources of funding
Demonstrate training in management and leadership skills.
Ability to learn and apply study methodologies or laboratory techniques to pilot work in the
chosen area of research (for example, description of use of a PCR technique, description of the
methods of a systematic review).
Ability to give a presentation of research plans and/or findings to scientific peers

10

Other elements
Teaching and training
This is part of the core curriculum. Academic trainees who wish to develop their teaching and training
skills further should discuss this with their academic mentor or the CATO office.

Attendance at relevant courses

There is a wealth of training opportunities available in the University through the Clinical Academic
Training Office (CATO) which are available to Academic Foundation post holders. These can be viewed
online at: http://cato.medschl.cam.ac.uk/. At the start of the rotation trainees should review courses with
their academic mentor to identify those that will be especially relevant. Attendance will be reviewed in
academic assessments.
If appointed, do make contact with CATO to be added to the mailing list.

Presentations, Journal Clubs

All academic trainees should prepare and present at least one medical or surgical grand round during
the rotation. They should expect to participate regularly at journal clubs and undertake case
presentations during the different elements of the rotation.

Audit
An understanding of audit is part of the foundation programme. Academic trainees should expect to
complete one audit project each year.

Assessment and ePortfolio

All foundation trainees will have regular training reviews. Academic trainees will have additional
assessments to evaluate progress through the academic curriculum which should be recorded on the
ePortfolio.

Research
Attainment of these learning objectives will be assessed by the academic mentor using a variety of
methods. The objectives will include:
Achievement of set goals such as completing a systematic review, formulating a research
question and developing a project proposal or grant proposal
A short written report of pilot work
Review of academic portfolio
Annual Research symposium
All Academic FY trainees will attend the annual AFY research symposium held in June. All yeartwo academic trainees will be expected to present and provide a poster and abstract of their work
at this event.

11

Supervision
Educational supervisor
Your educational supervisor will be a clinician responsible for the overall supervision and management of
your educational progress during your foundation training placement or series of placements. They are
responsible for your educational agreement as a clinical foundation doctor. Your educational supervisor
will help with your professional and personal development as a foundation doctor.
Your educational supervisor will:
meet with you around the beginning of each placement to agree how the learning objectives for
this period of training will be met and confirm how formative feedback and summative judgments
will be made;
make sure that your performance is appraised at appropriate intervals including providing the
results of multi-source feedback. If concerns are identified, the educational supervisor will ensure
that you have access to the necessary support to address these issues and involve the
Foundation Training Programme Director (FTPD) and Foundation School Director (FSD) as
appropriate;
make sure that you have the opportunity to discuss your career intentions and planning;
make sure that you have the opportunity to discuss issues or problems, and to comment on the
quality of the training and supervision provided;
make sure that doctors and other health and social care workers who have worked with you have
an opportunity to provide constructive feedback about your performance;
undertake and/or facilitate workplace-based assessments and supervised learning events for
you;
inform the clinical director, head of service or medical director and the clinical supervisor, FTPD/T
and FSD of serious weaknesses in your performance that have not been dealt with and any
problems with training programmes. The educational supervisor should tell you the content of any
information about you that is given to someone else;
meet with you to assess whether you have met the necessary outcomes. The educational
supervisor will complete an end of placement review form for each placement and only confirm
satisfactory service if you have met the necessary outcomes. In addition, the educational
supervisor will complete an End of Year review form.
where appropriate and with your knowledge, ensure that relevant information is handed over to
the clinical supervisor for your next placement (and if necessary the educational supervisor) so
that appropriate training and supervision can be arranged.

Clinical supervisor
A clinical supervisor will be responsible for overseeing your clinical work and providing constructive
feedback during each training placement.
It may be appropriate for the clinical supervisor to delegate some supervision to other doctors although
he/she remains responsible for your supervision.

Academic supervisor
As an Academic Foundation Doctor you will be given the opportunity to engage with an academic
supervisor who will be responsible for overseeing your academic work and providing constructive
feedback during your placement. This supervisor will also act as your research placement supervisor.
Your academic supervisor should agree the academic learning objectives and how they will be achieved
at the beginning of the academic placement or programme. He/she will be responsible for the
assessment of academic progress and confirming what has been achieved within the academic
component of the programme.

12

Learning outcomes:
Education for those choosing to develop these skills
Educational training will be undertaken through a programme of group seminars, project development
and practical teaching opportunities. Each trainee will have a longitudinal educational mentor in addition
to their research mentor. The precise skills learnt will vary depending on the interests of the individual,
but may include such areas as bedside teaching, evidence-based medicine, communication skills or
science teaching. However, all trainees will be expected to demonstrate that they have achieved the
generic learning outcomes for education.
The generic learning outcomes are:
Curriculum design
Demonstrate ability to write learning objectives and describe principles of curriculum design
Assessment:
Demonstrate understanding of the following principles of assessment: blueprinting, validity,
reliability, standard setting. Be able to describe the sources of error in assessment and methods
for minimising them.
Demonstrate knowledge of the strengths and limitations of different forms of assessment in
medical education such as multiple choice questions, extended matching items and OSCE
stations.
Teaching and learning
Demonstrate ability to design, test, evaluate and produce a teaching or assessment package in
an area of interest (for example an e-learning package, a set of OSCE stations, a PowerPoint
presentation, an anatomy tutorial).
Demonstrate teaching skills in a specified area of interest.
Demonstrate ability to collect and act on feedback on teaching (for example, through peer
observation or collection of student feedback data).

Assessment
Attainment of these learning objectives will be assessed by:
A presentation during an educational seminar
Submission of the trainees teaching or assessment package
Submission of feedback on teaching skills
For more information on the curriculum please visit http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/pages/home

13

Academic Foundation Programme Commencing August 2013

Person Specification
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

DEMONSTRATED
BY

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the requirements set out in the

Foundation Programme 2013 Eligibility Criteria.

Eligibility
checking

Qualifications

The applicant must have achieved, or expect to

achieve, a primary medical qualification as recognised
by the General Medical Council (GMC) by the start of
the Foundation Programme 2013.

Eligibility
checking

Clinical
Knowledge &
Skills

The applicant must be familiar with and be able to

demonstrate an understanding of the major principles
of the GMCs Good Medical Practice (2006) including:

Application/ preemployment
screening

Good clinical care;

Maintaining good medical practice;
Teaching and training, appraising and assessing;
Relationships with patients, and can apply this
understanding;
Working with colleagues, and can apply this
understanding;
Probity;
Health.

Clinical assessment
(where appropriate)

The applicant must demonstrate an understanding of

the outcomes to be achieved in the Foundation
Programme as set out in The New Doctor (2009).

Language &
Communication
Skills

The applicant must have demonstrable skills in

listening, reading, writing and speaking in English that
enable effective communication about medical topics
with patients and colleagues, as set out in the GMCs
Good Medical Practice (2006).

Application/ preemployment
screening
Clinical assessment
(where appropriate)

14

Attributes

The applicant must demonstrate:

an understanding of the importance of the
patient as the central focus of care;
the ability to prioritise tasks and information and
take appropriate decisions;
an understanding of the importance of working
effectively with others;
the ability to communicate effectively with both
colleagues and patients;
initiative and the ability to deal effectively with
pressure and/or challenge
commitment to learning and continued
professional development;
self-awareness and insight into the boundaries
of their own abilities;
an understanding of the principles of equality
and diversity.

Probity

The applicant must demonstrate appropriate

professional behaviour, i.e. integrity, honesty,
confidentiality as set out in the GMCs Good Medical
Practice (2006).

Application/ preemployment
screening
Clinical assessment
(where appropriate)

Application/ preemployment
screening

By the start of the programme, the applicant must

demonstrate criminal records clearance at the
appropriate level and complete all other pre-employment
requirements according to current government
legislation

15

The Application Process

The University of Cambridge & the East of England PGMDE Two Year Academic
Foundation Programme (2013-2015)
We are seeking to appoint 21 suitable candidates to these innovative two-year integrated Academic
Foundation Programmes. The first year of the posts will be in the regional hospitals at Kings Lynn,
Bedford, Bury St Edmunds and Peterborough, with the second year in Cambridge. We are keen to
encourage applications from talented candidates with academic potential who would like the opportunity
to work in an academic environment or who are already committed to an academic career path. These
posts will deliver the core competencies of Foundation Training and will be enhanced by an academic
curriculum.
Only candidates requiring provisional registration and who will not have completed a pre-registration
House Officer, Foundation year 1 or equivalent will be eligible. Candidates must NOT have full GMC
registration at the start of the programme (August 2013). Please refer to the person specification and
eligibility criteria on the UK Foundation Programme website.
Recruitment to the Academic Foundation Programme has two distinct stages, and applicants may apply
to only two Units of Application (UoA) this year:
1. First complete the nationally agreed generic online application form between 8th-19th October
2012.
After completing the generic online form, you will need to select up to a maximum of two UoAs.
You must check the Foundation School or Deanery websites of each of these UoAs for their
specific local recruitment processes including any additional information you must supply and the
local deadlines and interview dates. Each Applicant will be given RA number when they enrol on
the national online recruitment system. This RA number will be needed when applying locally to
each UoA.
2. The second is a locally-managed application, shortlisting and selection process week
commencing 29th October. Applications will be reviewed and scored on the basis of the answers
provided. Top scoring applicants for each of the rotations in the Cambridge UoA will be invited
for interview.
Further information regarding the national recruitment process and the Academic Foundation
Programme can be found on the UKFPO website.

Interviews
Shortlisted candidates for interviews will be informed via e-mail and post and interviews will be held
during the week commencing 26th November 2012 at The School of Clinical Medicine, University of
Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0SP. On the day of interviews, each applicant will
be interviewed and scored by a panel comprising both clinical and academic personnel using
standardised scoring criteria. You will not be required to bring a portfolio with you, but should ensure you
have proof of identity (preferably a passport).
Members of the interview and scoring panels will not have access to personal details or national
preferences sections of your application form.

16

Interview travel expenses

Applicants must obtain written authorisation from the Deanery prior to booking any accommodation and
purchase of flight ticket. For full details please refer to the East of England Deanery Recruitment Office
on 01223 743333.

Application outcomes
Short-listed applicants will be contacted during the week commencing 5 November via the FPAS system.

Please remember that any applications submitted via FPAS past the deadline of 19
October 2012 will not be considered

17

LIST OF ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS AND INTERESTS

F2 rotations can be found under the section called rotations in this document. This information is to
provide an overview of the departments where you might undertake your four-month academic block in
year two.
All the major academic departments of the University are keen to offer mentors who would support
candidates through the two-year Academic Foundation Programme.
Please note the list below is not exhaustive. Further information can be found on each departmental
website.

Division of Anaesthesia
Neuro-Critical Care & Pain
Introduction
The purpose of the Academic FY2 rotation in Neuro-Critical Care and Pain is to combine clinical training
in an acute medical specialty and critical care with an introduction to research. We encourage
applications from candidates with academic and clinical aspirations in a range of specialties, including
perioperative care, intensive care medicine, emergency medicine, acute medicine, neurology and
neurosurgery. Successful candidates have the choice of participating in one of the on-going research
themes within the University of Cambridge Division of Anaesthesia.
Clinical Duties and Working Patterns
During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but
will be required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at a clinic or a
documented case discussion and will be outlined when you start. Incumbents have arranged short
attachments to departments or divisions pertinent to their chosen projects, however we encourage you to
dedicate this stage of the rotation to research.
Research
The Acute Brain Injury Program involves clinical and basic scientists from the Wolfson Brain Imaging
Centre. The program provides access to multimodality bedside monitoring, magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI), spectroscopy (MRS) and positron emission tomography (PET) for acutely brain-injured patients.
Our research programmes address acute brain injury, neural function in coma, anaesthesia and the
vegetative state, and cognitive function following brain injury. Broader connections within the Cambridge
neuroscience community (MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, the Cambridge Centre for Brain
Repair, and Wellcome/MRC Brain and Cognitive Neurosciences Institute (BCNI) provide a context for
additional clinical and experimental studies.
The Pain Research programme affords the opportunity to undertake a project examining genetic causes
of pain and exploring potential new targets for treatments. Our studies involve healthy volunteers,
patients and clinical trials. A pain genetics clinic treats patients with rare Mendelian pain disorders. We
collaborate widely with other researchers in Cambridge, including molecular and cell biologists,
geneticists and other clinical pain researchers.
Learning Opportunities
Successful candidates have the choice of participating in one of the on-going research themes within the
Division of Anaesthesia, or working in the labs of one of our research collaborators, providing a range of
research opportunities that spans laboratory and human research, and can involve studies in healthy

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volunteers or critically ill patients. Past appointees have gone on to a range of posts, including NIHR
Academic Clinical Fellowships, ACCS schemes, core medical training, fellowships in intensive care, and
run through neurosurgical training.

Department of Clinical Neurosciences

Introduction
Neuroscience in Addenbrookes Hospital enjoys a long and formidable academic history. The recently
established Department of Clinical Neurosciences comprises Neurology, Neurosurgery and the Centre
Cambridge for Brain Repair. From the clinical perspective both the Neurology and Neurosurgery are
leading academic units with international reputations.

Clinical Duties and Working Patterns

During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but
will be required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at a clinic or a
documented case discussion and will be outlined when you start. Incumbents have arranged short
attachments to departments or divisions pertinent to their chosen projects, however we encourage you to
dedicate this stage of the rotation to research.

Research
In Neurology, areas of clinical research expertise include the academic memory clinic supporting a
sustained programme of clinical, neuropsychological, pathological and molecular biological research into
the dementias. The MS research group produced the first genome screen of multiple sclerosis and has
pioneered novel monoclonal antibody treatments. There is an active programme of stem cell
transplantation in Huntingtons disease and plans for a trial of bone-marrow-derived stem cells in multiple
sclerosis. These projects are supported by laboratory research in the neurology department and in the
Clinical Neurosciences Centre for Brain Repair.
In Neurosurgery, research into neurovascular disorders, traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus, brain
tumours and spinal disorders complements a wide ranging clinical practice which includes both adults
and children. Current projects include the application of advanced cerebral imaging (MRI, XeCT, PET
and 3D CT) and multimodality monitoring (e.g. intracranial pressure, microdialysis, brain oximetry,
transcranial Doppler, near-infrared spectroscopy These methods are used to evaluate head injury,
stroke, brain tumours and other cerebral disorders.

Learning Outcomes
Each trainee will be expected to:
1. Participate in a new and/or ongoing research project under a named supervisor. This work may
form part of a higher degree or pave the way for an application to do so.
2. Contribute to abstracts, peer reviewed publications and grant applications as appropriate.
3. Present at Neuroscience meetings.
4. Participate in the research/ laboratory meetings of the research supervisors group.
5. Attend Clinical Departmental and Academic meetings.
6. Attend outpatients as appropriate.
7. Foster links with senior members of the Department with the aim of considering a future academic
career

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Department of Haematology
Introduction
The University Department of Haematology provides a superb research environment with world class
programmes in haematopoietic malignancies, stem cell biology, transcriptional and epigenetic
regulation, the structural biology of blood coagulation and transfusion medicine. In addition, the
Department also has close links with other departments and Institutions within the University and with
the nearby Wellcome Sanger Institute and has an enviable recent track record in developing successful
independent clinician scientists. Applicants will be based in existing research groups within the
department, where they will be able to expand their research experience, which will occur in in 3
distinct blocks.

Research
There are a number of world class programmes of research within the department of haematology. For
specific details the applicant is referred to http://www.haem.cam.ac.uk/ or to contact Dr Brian Huntly
bjph2@cam.ac.uk or Professor Tony Green arg1000@cam.ac.uk for further information.
Clinical Duties and Working Patterns
During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but
will be required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at a clinic or a
documented case discussion and will be outlined when you start. Incumbents have arranged short
attachments to departments or divisions pertinent to their chosen projects, however we encourage you
to dedicate this stage of the rotation to research.

Learning Opportunities
Applicants will gain exposure to the research groups currently working in the department of
Haematology and their collaborators and to the techniques which they are applying. Exposure to a
number of groups will expand the research experience of the applicant and allow them to make an
informed decision about which research group to partner with for future research/PhD.

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Department of Medicine
Introduction
The Department of Medicine comprises of several Divisions each involved in research related to
human disease. Primary investigators, research associates, postgraduate students and technical staff
work on common problems within the Departments large and active research programme whose
broad aim is to understand disease processes at the molecular level and apply this knowledge to
clinical management.

Clinical Duties and Working Patterns

During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but
will be required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at a clinic or a
documented case discussion and will be outlined when you start. Incumbents have arranged short
attachments to departments or divisions pertinent to their chosen projects, however we encourage you
to dedicate this stage of the rotation to research.

Research
The four-month academic placement within the AFY programme may be chosen from any of the
research themes within the Department of Medicine. Upon entry into the AFY programme, personal
counselling is offered to discuss opportunities in the context of the specific interests of AFY trainees
and help selecting appropriate academic attachments. Research within the Department of Medicine is
organised within the following Divisions:
Anaesthesia: Current research focuses on metabolic imaging of brain injury and inflammatory
processes in acute brain injury.
Diabetes and Endocrinology: Genetic endocrinology including nuclear hormone receptors and
human disease.
Cardiovascular Medicine: The study of the cellular and molecular aspects of vascular disease.
Clinical Pharmacology: The pathogenesis and genetics of high blood pressure.
Gastroenterology and Hepatology: Study of genetics and mechanisms of inflammatory bowel
disease, Barretts oesophagus, and chronic liver disease.
Immunology: In vivo and in vitro studies of T cell memory.
Infectious Disease: The molecular virology, immunology and pathogenesis of persistent virus
infections - including herpes viruses and retroviruses.
Metabolic Medicine: The biochemical genetics, molecular pathogenesis and treatment of inborn
errors of metabolism.
Renal Medicine: The study of immune regulation and autoimmune disease (both basic
immunobiology and a translational medicine programme), and endothelial cell biology, in relation to
renal disease.
Respiratory Medicine: Inflammatory lung disease in particular granulocyte biology, -antitrypsin
structure/ function and pulmonary vascular remodelling, and the role of conformational transitions of
proteins in disease.
Rheumatology: The immunology and pathogenesis of inflammatory joint diseases.

Learning Opportunities
During their four-month attachment, AFY trainees will be embedded within a thriving, world-class
research environment. They will work on a specific research project and receive formal training
relevant to the context of the chosen research.

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Department of Oncology
Introduction
The Cancer Division of Cambridge University Hospitals is the clinical arm of the Cancer Research UK
Cambridge Cancer Centre. It is a busy regional cancer centre providing comprehensive research-led
care to the local population and attracting increasing numbers of patients from outside the region.
An important part of the mission of the Cancer Centre is to train the next generation of oncology
clinician scientists. To this end, we have worked with CATO to convert our medical oncology training
programme wholly to an academic model and our clinical oncology programme partly to this model.
We are therefore very excited to offer Academic Foundation Year posts to allow trainees to
experience oncology practice and research in Cambridge. Given the oncology facilities and people in
Cambridge, we are extremely well placed to offer further clinical and research training opportunities to
gifted trainees.

Clinical Duties and Working Patterns

During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but
will be required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at a clinic or a
documented case discussion and will be outlined when you start. Incumbents have arranged short
attachments to departments or divisions pertinent to their chosen projects, however we encourage you
to dedicate this stage of the rotation to research.

Research
Cambridge has research strengths ranging from the very basic to the fully clinical. Two examples are:
1) the CRUK Cambridge Research Institute, which is a world-class institution focusing on translational
oncology research and
2) the Cambridge Cancer Trials Centre, which forms the largest component of the West Anglia Cancer
Research Network and has been in the top quartile of Cancer Research Networks for many years
in terms of recruitment of patients to clinical studies and randomised clinical trials.
During the AFY, the post-holder will have an excellent opportunity to experience clinical and
translational oncology research both in the in-patient and out-patient setting.

Learning Opportunities
During the AFY post, the trainee will become familiar with the management of oncology emergencies
and with the key components of the medical care of cancer patients.
There is a wide range of academic and clinical seminars available which the AFY will be encouraged
to attend. Attendance at the weekly radiological review meeting and at the weekly Oncology Seminar
is expected.
Every 6 months there is an Oncology Fellows Day at which Clinical Research Training Fellows, who
are usually studying for a PhD, present their work to their peers and the faculty in order to receive
constructive feedback in a semi-formal setting. The AFY will be expected to attend one of these days,
but will not be expected to present at this stage.

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Department of Paediatrics
Introduction
The Department of Paediatrics is an internationally recognised centre for research in physiological, genetic and
endocrine/metabolic studies of child growth and development. The last UK Government Research Assessment
Exercise awarded us the best possible of 5* rating for our research over the previous 5-year period. The
Department was established in 1979, and the current acting Head of Department is Professor David Dunger.
Other senior academic staff include:
Professor Ieuan Hughes, Foundation Chair of Paediatrics
Dr Carlo Acerini (University Senior Lecturer)
VACANT (University Senior Lecturer)
Dr Katherine Beardsall (University Lecturer)
Dr Roman Hovorka (Senior Research Associate Institute of Metabolic Science)
Dr Ken Ong (Affiliated Lecturer MRC Epidemiology Unit)
3 x Clinical Lecturers (equivalent to ST6+ level trainee)

Clinical Duties and Working Patterns

During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but will be
required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at a clinic or a documented case
discussion and will be outlined when you start. Incumbents have arranged short attachments to departments or
divisions pertinent to their chosen projects, however we encourage you to dedicate this stage of the rotation to
research.

Research
The AFY trainee will rotate through studies selected to provide a wide range of Paediatric Research methods,
including clinical trials, physiological studies, epidemiology, genetics and laboratory-based research. Key
research areas of the Department of Paediatrics include (plus see website):
Genetic and Hormonal Control of Human Sex Development
Genetic and Hormonal Determinants of Fetal and Childhood Growth
Genetics of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM)
Artificial Pancreas Project
Epidemiology and Prevention of Microvascular Co-morbidities in T1DM
Mechanisms of Neurotoxicity and Endocrine Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury
Neonatal Insulin Replacement in Europe (NIRTURE) Study
Endocrine Disruptors and Sex Development
The Department also has close links with the MRC Epidemiology Unit, whose research themes include:
Genetics of Pubertal Timing and Childhood Obesity, Prevention of Rapid Infant Weight Gain (Baby Milk Trial); as
well as the many research active clinical Consultants within the Womens and Childrens Directorate, including:
Gastroenterology (Epigenetic mechanisms in regulating immunity and intestinal mucosa)
Neonatology (Neuroprotection; Haematology; Metabolism and Glucose control);
Neurology (Paediatric Health Surveillance Group; Epilepsy and Ketogenic Diet)
Oncology (Lymphoid Malignancies; Germ Cell Tumours)
Paediatric ICU (Brain Injury; Blood conservation; Immune response to Respiratory infection)
Respiratory Paediatrics (Non-invasive assessment of lung function; Cystic Fibrosis)
The AFY placement will be overseen by Professor David Dunger (Head of Department) and Dr Ken Ong
(Regional Academic Advisor) with day-to-day supervision by specific investigators. We will ask the AFY trainee
to write a short research proposal to include: scientific background, hypothesis generation, study design,
outcomes, and ethical and methodological issues.

Learning Opportunities
The AFY trainee will gain a valuable exposure to the whole scope of Paediatric Research and an understanding
of the ethical, governance, and study design issues particular to carrying out research in children and young
people. We anticipate that the AFY trainee will develop a keen interest in and enthusiasm to pursue a clinical
academic career in a particular area of Paediatric Research.

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Department of Pathology Medical Microbiology

Introduction
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) Public Health Laboratory Cambridge (CMPHL) provides a
microbiology service to Cambridge University Hospitals, Papworth Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital
Health Care NHS Trusts, local GP practices, and Health Protection Units including Environmental
Health. Specialist services are provided to Neurosurgery and Neurology, Oncology, Haematological
Medicine, Dialysis and to the Abdominal and Thoracic organ Transplant Programmes provided by
Cambridge University Hospitals and Papworth Hospitals. Extensive clinical liaison is undertaken to
provide advice on the diagnosis and therapy of microbial disease. The service also provides Infection
Control strategy and practice, and antibiotic and antifungal stewardship.

Clinical Duties and Working Patterns

During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but
will be required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at a clinic or a
documented case discussion and will be outlined when you start. Incumbents have arranged short
attachments to departments or divisions pertinent to their chosen projects, however we encourage you to
dedicate this stage of the rotation to research.

Research
In October 2009, Sharon Peacock was appointed to a chair in Clinical Microbiology in the Department of
Medicine, University of Cambridge. She also holds honorary consultant contracts with both the
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the HPA. Professor Peacock has secured
4m of external funding in the last 2 years, and is developing the mechanisms for translation of whole
genome sequencing into the patient care pathway, surveillance and public health. Research conducted
by clinical trainees will be broadly aligned with a programme of research that aims to understand how to
apply genomics to address the problems of infectious disease control scaled to local, regional or national
levels, and how to integrate this technology into on-going practice. Trainees will have the opportunity to
be trained in various aspects of this multifaceted programme.

Learning Opportunities
The Institution has a strong track record in the provision of training in clinical microbiology. The range
and complexity of patients seen at Addenbrookes, Papworth and Hinchingbrooke Hospitals provides a
broad range of patient experience required for microbiology training. There are 5 trainees, which provide
the flexibility required for research-active trainees to undertake blocks of research training and
experience. There are 7.5 wte consultant staff who have undergone training in educational and clinical
supervision. The application of microbial whole genome sequencing to diagnostic and public health
microbiology is at the forefront of research in this speciality. Although this technology is likely to become
widely disseminated and used in the future, there are very few clinical centres in the world where training
in its application can be gained.

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Department of Psychiatry
Introduction
The Department of Psychiatry in Cambridge has been highly successful in the Research Assessment
Exercises undertaken in 1996, 2001 and 2008, gaining top rankings in all of them. In the most recent of
these, Cambridges research in Psychiatry, Neurosciences and Clinical Psychology (Unit of
Assessment 9) was given the highest ratings amongst its peers in the UK.
The Department in Cambridge is particularly well placed to train academic psychiatrists in research and
teaching that can support the critically important goals of enhancing the practice and application of both
type 1 (bench to bed-side) and type 2 (bed-side to health-service) translational research. We have
strong links with both NHS and academic structures, including Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Foundation Trust, the local CLAHRC, BCNI, Department of Experimental Psychology and MRC CBU.
We have a strong clinical academic training tradition, and currently have several successful ACFs and
ACLs, and medically-trained MPhil/PhD students.
Clinical Duties and Working Patterns
During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but
will be required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at a clinic or a
documented case discussion and will be outlined when you start. Incumbents have arranged short
attachments to departments or divisions pertinent to their chosen projects, however we encourage you
to dedicate this stage of the rotation to research.

Research
Our department carries out world-leading research using several methodologies including
epidemiology, neuroimaging, neuropsychology, neuroendocrinology, psychometrics, psychopharmacology, health services research and randomised controlled trials. We carry out research in the
healthy population (including research into wellbeing) and with a wide variety of patient groups,
including psychosis, adolescent depression and behaviour disorders, intellectual disability, old age
psychiatry, autism and adult ADHD. AFYs will be welcome to carry out research in any of our areas of
research, with expert supervision by one (or more) of our senior academics. Trainees will receive
specific training in research methodology, appropriate to their areas of interest, as well as receive the
broader research training provided by the AFY programme. Trainees will be welcome to attend, and
expected to contribute to, local research meetings. Research support and supervision will be given
before and after the 4 month research project.
Please see our webpage (http://www.psychiatry.cam.ac.uk/) for more details.

Learning Opportunities
We hope that AFYs will gain useful training to help them in the start of their research careers. This
training will be both broad-based, providing transferable skills, and more narrow, to help them gain
expertise in one or two research techniques. We expect trainees to learn from research meetings and
more informal discussion with colleagues about research in other areas. In particular we hope that the
AFYs will be part of the departments ACF/ACL peer group, gaining support from clinical academic
trainees further into their careers.
We hope that following the AFY programme, trainees will progress and become the research leaders of
tomorrow. The Department of Psychiatry shall provide support for the next stage of academic training,
whether that be an ACF post or applying for funding for an MD/PhD.

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Department of Radiology
Introduction
The University Department of Radiology is located on the Addenbrooke's site and is closely integrated
with the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Department of Radiology. The
department provides a wide range of research and educational activity along with clinical imaging
services within the NHS. We have access to some of the best imaging equipment available and
Radiology is now one of the most popular and competitive training programmes in the UK. We have
been running a highly successful Academic Clinical Fellowship programme in Radiology since 2006
and we are now offering experience in Clinical Radiology to more junior trainees as part of this new
AFY programme.

Clinical Duties and Working Patterns

During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but
will be required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at documented
case discussion and will be outlined when you start. There will be the opportunity to attend clinical
reporting sessions in plain films, CT, MRI, ultrasound as well as gaining experience in other aspects of
imaging such as nuclear medicine (including PET) and radiological intervention. Trainees can attend
multidisciplinary team meeting and clinic-radiological conferences as well as the weekly radiology
lecture series on Wednesday. However, given the short attachment to the departments we encourage
you to dedicate this stage of the rotation to research.

Research
Imaging has become an essential part of the biomedical sciences, not only for diagnosis and monitoring
of subsequent therapy, but also for providing unique insights into causation of disease, pathophysiology
and the translation of novel treatments from the laboratory into patients. We have world-class imaging
facilities both clinically and pre-clinically; the University of Cambridge is among the leading centres for
imaging research in the UK and undertakes world-leading research in many areas. The University
Department of Radiology has close links with many other departments/institutes to facilitate this
research e.g. CRUK Cambridge Research Institute, Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, Departments of
Clinical Neuroscience, Medicine, Oncology and Engineering. Mentorship will be provided within the
department to successful candidates.

Learning Opportunities
The department has a strong track record for research. Trainees will be given the opportunity to pursue
their own interests where possible and will be assigned a supervisor and a specific project during the
programme. Trainees will be encouraged to present their results at national conferences as well to
produce peer-reviewed publications from their work. This programme will be an excellent preparation to
consider an application for ACF training and/or a higher degree in medical imaging. Trainees will be
taught the skills to achieve their own publications in co-operation with the lecturers, professors and
consultant staff.

26

Department of Surgery
Introduction
The University Department of Surgery is one of the leading academic surgical departments in the UK
and offers a stimulating and challenging academic environment in which to gain experience of surgical
research. The major research focus of the department is organ transplantation and regenerative
medicine. This research interest is aligned to the world-renowned multi-organ transplant unit at
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Cambridge is the only fully integrated
abdominal organ transplant unit in the UK offering kidney, pancreas, liver and intestinal/multivisceral
transplantation. The transplant unit offers a fully integrated multi-professional environment for training
with close working relationships between consultant transplant surgeons, nephrologists, hepatologists
and gastroenterologists. The Department also has strong research programmes in orthopaedic
surgery and oncology aligned to major clinical activity in these areas.

Clinical Duties and Working Patterns

During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but
will be required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at a clinic or a
documented case discussion and will be outlined when you start. Incumbents have arranged short
attachments to departments or divisions pertinent to their chosen projects, however we encourage you
to dedicate this stage of the rotation to research.

Research
During the research attachment you will be expected to select a clinically based transplant-related
research project to undertake with help and guidance from the senior academics within the
department of surgery. There are many potential projects to choose from, including projects which are
already on-going and those which you will fully develop yourself. In addition you will be encouraged to
write up a case report or review. The experience will provide a stimulating introduction to clinical
research and is expected to lead to a publication and presentation of results both locally and
nationally. You will also have the opportunity of contributing to research meetings and journal clubs
within the department of surgery.

Learning Opportunities
You will gain excellent experience in the medical and surgical management of all types of abdominal
organ transplantation in a supportive and evidence based clinical environment. This includes the
management of patients with life-threatening and complex problems in the high dependency beds
within the transplant unit. Ward rounds are multidisciplinary and allow involvement in all aspects of
management of patients undergoing transplantation.
You will gain an excellent introduction to clinical research and an understanding of the scope and
nature of academic surgery.

27

Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (TMAT)

Introduction
Clinical Pharmacology won and hosts a 5.5M interdisciplinary academic training programme, funded
by Wellcome Trust and GSK, which provides flexible opportunities all the way from MB PhD to Clinician
Scientist. The aim of the programme is to create a cadre of senior clinical academics who understand,
and are inspired by, the endeavour of translating basic science into medical advances for patients. It is
anticipated that trainees considering long-term progress in the programme may wish to undertake
basic research in their early years, and become progressively clinical thereafter. A distinguishing
feature of TMAT is the opportunities we provide to learn how to undertake experiments with
investigational medical products (IMP) drugs, antibodies, radiotracers etc. in humans, and to relate
variation in response to genetic variation.

Clinical Duties and Working Patterns

During the academic phase of this rotation, Foundation Year doctors have no clinical commitments but
will be required to keep up with their training portfolios. This may include attendance at a clinic or a
documented case discussion and will be outlined when you start. Incumbents have arranged short
attachments to departments or divisions pertinent to their chosen projects, however we encourage you
to dedicate this stage of the rotation to research.

Research
This can be in a broad range of laboratories. While encouraging TMAT trainees to undertake
experimental medicine involving administration of an IMP to humans, non-clinical attachments in top
labs will also be on offer if there is an obvious link to the principles of TMAT. Some preference may be
shown to applicants wishing to undertake research in areas of interest to Clinical Pharmacology,
particularly Adrenal Endocrinology and Vascular Biology/Hypertension. We recognise that 4 months is
a short time to undertake clinical research projects, although these are achieved by many of our MPhil
students. An alternative is to learn some of the principles of studying drugs ex vivo, in a laboratory
specialising in use of interesting human tissues. An example is our use of fresh adrenal tissue, from
patients with adrenal causes of hypertension, to study how endogenous or transfected mutants of
novel K+ channels or GPCRs influence the response to stimuli/blockers of hormone release, and how
these responses relate to previous clinical measurements e.g. using novel adrenal PET CT tracers
and to a range of gene expression, and immunohistochemical analyses of the fresh-frozen adrenal
material.
(Burton et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2012; 97:100. Azizan et al. J Clin Endo Metab 2012; 97:819)

Learning Opportunities
The chosen research project will be to teach a range of laboratory techniques, and some of the theory
and practice of studying how drugs interact with their target molecule. The selected laboratory will
provide day-to-day by a post-doc and a weekly supervision with the principal investigator. The AFY will
present their project at the annual TMAT research day.

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General Information
East of England Multi-Professional Deanery/East Anglian Foundation School
CPC1
Capital Park
Fulbourn
Cambridge
CB21 5XE
Tel: 01223 743 300
Fax: 01223 743 301
https://www.eoedeanery.nhs.uk/

Trainee FAQs Page - http://cato.medschl.cam.ac.uk/clinical-academic-programmes/academicfoundation-year-programme/afy-programmes-in-cambridge/

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