AFP

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Is an AFP actually for me?

AFP Introduction to the AFP Is an AFP actually for me?
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We hope that this module has given you a little insight into what an AFP entails and that our doctor  testimonies have given you a realistic view of what to expect. Like I said before, although an AFP is a fantastic opportunity, it is not the be all and end all. Research, education and leadership are parts of every doctor’s life and you can decide where and when to fit them in.

What does our team say?

We thought we’d share some of our own experiences and thoughts as to why we, the team at BecomingaDr, chose to apply for an AFP. Maybe some of this will resonate, maybe you have the complete opposite opinion! In any case, we hope it makes you think a little.

 

“The AFP’s protected research time can be a great thing during a 24-month intense foundation training. Personally, I intend to utilise the time mainly on research, but it can also add much-needed flexibility to my overall career plan. For example, I can delegate time for my postgraduate exam preparation, higher training interview preparation and recharging! For someone like me who loves variety, I thought to myself ‘The question is why would I not want to apply to the AFP?” ~ Tanya


Photo by National Cancer Institute On Unsplash

“Over the years in medical school, I have found that conducting research alongside clinical work is both motivating and inspiring. Our clinical knowledge is underpinned by evidence-based practice, and the AFP offers an insight into both worlds.”  ~ Angelica

 

“Another more practical reason for choosing to apply for an AFP is that it gives you slightly more control over where you are applying to, the majority of AFPs are associated with teaching hospitals in large cities. Knowing where you’ll be in January, rather than waiting until April to find out your rotations, is a big weight off your shoulders, especially going into finals.” ~ Lieze

Things we wish we had known

“Although I was really enjoying being involved in research and medical education, I didn’t seriously consider applying for an AFP until the summer before applications opened. This might sound like I was unprepared, but our final year had started one week after the previous academic year finished and there was a lot going on in both medical school and my personal life. Time goes faster than anticipated so, if an AFP job is something you really want to pursue, start preparing your application early.”

 “You will learn a lot of you practice in groups, not just knowledge but also different styles for how to approach questions. Reach out to as many previous applicants as possible and ask them a lot of questions.”

“You don’t need an AFP to be a successful researcher and many excellent applicants get

rejected. It also takes a lot of time and effort to apply – the application itself, whitespace

questions, travelling/time, preparing for interviews and you may even end up with a jobs that you ranked quite low. I found it challenging to balance the application process with the final year of my course (you still have to sit your SJT, PSA and do finals!).”

“I wish I had known the criteria for point-based system earlier so I can get more letters published before the deadline and be more prepared in terms of doing more in fifth year rather than sixth year.”

“Do your preparation for interviews – this can be difficult but ultimately the revision for interviews helped me to prepare for finals. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. It’s very difficult to prioritise interview practice when finals are less than a month after interviews, but it will pay off in the long run!”

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Elliot

Elliot is a St George’s graduate currently working as an F1 Doctor in East London. As the first in his family to apply to university, Elliot is well aware of the barriers that can be faced in trying to get to medical school. He is passionate about widening access to medicine for underrepresented groups.
 
 He was the representative for St George’s on the BMA Medical Students Committee, and has done lots of work with local schools and colleges to raise awareness of medicine as a career, as well as working on admissions policies with the widening participation team St George’s. Elliot is part of the @BecomingaDr outreach team and National Health Careers Conference Team.