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Pros and Cons of Doing an AFP

AFP Introduction to the AFP Pros and Cons of Doing an AFP
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We’ve been through what goes into applying for an Academic Foundation Programme. But what about actually doing one? Here we’ve highlighted some of the main pros and cons of doing an AFP, as well as including testimonials from doctors who have been through the programme and who are reflecting on their experiences.

Pros

You get dedicated time to conduct research as part of a well-established team

Amazing if you love research! Many Foundation Year Doctors struggle to find the time to get involved with research, so having protected time for this is very helpful. This is also useful for extra points on your application for speciality training.

You have the opportunity to work in Medical Education, helping to shape the learning experience of medical students

We’ve all just been through at least 5 years of medical school, and all definitely have our opinions on how we were taught. Now you could influence that!

You will become part of a national network of clinical academics, with mentorship from your project supervisor

Who knows what opportunities that will create in terms of further research or career progression.

You get a true taster of academic medicine

For most of us we have been exposed to a lot more clinical medicine than academic medicine. Actually doing an AFP gives you a 4 month insight into the world of academia. A way to experience the field without committing long term, allowing you to better decide if it’s for you.

You could have more control over where you will work after Foundation Years

If your application is strong you may have better control over where to work once you apply for specialty training, and what rotations you do than if you went through FPAS.


Cons

Less time for clinical work

One of the reasons most of us wanted to do medicine in the first place was for the patient interaction and the chance to impact people’s lives on a personal level. While you still create an impact with research, it may not be as direct and obvious.

You have less time to complete your Foundation competencies

You need to prove you are competent in certain clinical skills by the time you end your Foundation training. If you do an AFP you will have 4 months less in which to do that.

You miss out on a clinical rotation

By the end of your Foundation training you will have done 5 clinical rotations, rather than 6. This means that you have missed out on experiencing a different specialty before applying to further training programmes.

Potential for less pay

Doctors get paid more for working night and weekend shifts. If your academic block is a 9 to 5 job, Monday to Friday, then you might find that you are earning less than during your clinical rotations.

What next?

In this article we have tried to summarise the main pros and cons of doing an AFP. Now having had the chance to listen to the experiences of some of the doctors who have been through the AFP training programme next we will be looking at whether the AFP is something for you.

Testimonials

Have a read of some of the testimonies written by doctors who have done an AFP.

 I’m James, an Academic Clinical Fellow in General Surgery. I undertook an Academic Foundation Programme post in General Surgery in the North West Thames Foundation Trust

What are the pros of an AFP?

The AFP is a great time to gain both research experience and exposure to the life of an academic. The AFP gives hands-on experience of research from formulation of a meaningful question to publication in a peer-reviewed journal, allowing you to make a real impact on clinical care and the future of healthcare provision. Whilst research is certainly possible without an AFP, the AFP allows the dedicated supervision and incorporation of a junior trainee into an academic team with regular meetings and insights into ongoing projects, allowing for realisation of the life of an academic.

What are the cons?

There is a steep learning to become a junior doctor which at times can be difficult and requires dedication and hard work. The main downside to the AFP is the added commitment of research which may mean that your supervisor and laboratory are counting on you to engage in both academic and clinical work, which can be difficult to manage. However, when incorporated to your team there is an understanding that different members will be busier at certain times and from my experience collaboration and teamwork are key to overcoming busy periods.

Hover on me for a top tip

My advice for current students is to keep your mind open to all opportunities which come your way and to especially look for opportunities which allow you to build academic, management, and leadership skills, regardless of speciality or subject. You will become an asset to whichever teams you join in the future and this will become apparent in the AFP application process.”

Dr Ashcroft’s full testimony

James Ashcroft, Academic Clinical Fellow in General Surgery, I undertook an Academic Foundation Programme post in General Surgery at Imperial College London/North West Thames Foundation Trust

The AFP is a great time to gain both research experience and exposure to the life of an academic. The AFP gives hands-on experience of research from formulation of a meaningful question to publication in a peer-reviewed journal, allowing you to make a real impact on clinical care and the future of healthcare provision. Whilst research is certainly possible without an AFP, the AFP allows the dedicated supervision and incorporation of a junior trainee into an academic team with regular meetings and insights into ongoing projects, allowing for realisation of the life of an academic.

There is a steep learning to become a junior doctor which at times can be difficult and requires dedication and hard work. The main downside to the AFP is the added commitment of research which may mean that your supervisor and laboratory are counting on you to engage in both academic and clinical work, which can be difficult to manage. However, when incorporated to your team there is an understanding that different members will be busier at certain times and from my experience collaboration and teamwork are key to overcoming busy periods.

The aspect I enjoyed most about the AFP was the opportunity to join and contribute to an academic department as a core member of a team as opposed to previously as a visiting student. I began my time by discussing with my supervisor my research question and then moved on developing protocols, standard operating procedures, information for research participants, and developing my own methodological knowledge and planning. Afterwards, I started to develop my skills in directing a surgical trial and completed work was then incorporated into the department’s research output. To have great supervision and guidance in my own research learning in addition to the responsibility for a piece of work which ultimately will improve patient outcomes was a fantastic experience.

The AFP continued my interest in the complex and wide reaching specialty of general and transplantation surgery, where I aim to develop my own ability further and contribute to the field’s fast moving advances. I gained a number of clinical and research skills through the AFP which will maximise my output in my current role as an ACF, allowing me to balance my clinical practice and academic time in order to work towards justifying a doctoral research fellowship.

The primary work of my AFP post revolved around investigating cognition and neuroenhancement in early learning of technical skills in surgery. I joined the Imperial Neuroergonomics Laboratory having completed my MRes in neuroenhancement application to non-technical skills https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2017.07.012

I collaborated with my supervisors, engineers, clinical researchers UK (ICL, UCL) and USA (UoFlorida) and with commercial manufacturers to design a novel pilot randomised control study to trial neurostimulation in surgical novices. This work is currently undergoing peer-review and has been further informed by a meta-analysis of the motor impact of neurostimulation https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2019.01213, a meta-analysis of neuroimaging techniques in tissue oxygenation https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000002437 and a cutting edge review of neuroenhancement in surgeons https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs.11601

My advice for current students is to keep your mind open to all opportunities which come your way and to especially look for opportunities which allow you to build academic, management, and leadership skills, regardless of speciality or subject. You will become an asset to whichever teams you join in the future and this will become apparent in the AFP application process.

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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.