Foundation programme

Scottish Foundation School

In Scotland, foundation training is managed by the Scottish Foundation School, which is part of NHS Education for Scotland. 

The programme builds on everything you learnt in medical school and will prepare you for specialty training. It also offers skills development and placements in the following:

• a range of medical specialties, including psychiatry
• a variety of geographic locations, including remote and rural settings

Discover more about the Scottish Foundation School.

Provisional registration

When you graduate from medical school, you’ll need to apply to the General Medical Council (GMC) for provisional registration with a licence to practise. This will allow you to take the next step in your medical training and apply for a place on a foundation programme.

Learn more about provisional registration.

Foundation training in Scotland

Foundation training in Scotland bridges medical school and specialist training. This 2-year programme offers diverse rotations, including psychiatry placements. You will build essential clinical skills and professional capabilities across varied healthcare settings.

Foundation programme recruitment

Securing a place on a foundation programme is a crucial first step in your postgraduate psychiatry education. It's part of a national recruitment process with important deadlines you won't want to miss. Check out the recruitment timeline to get all the key dates.

You'll use Oriel, the national online recruitment system, to apply for all stages of your postgraduate medical training. Find out more about Oriel.

Foundation year 1

In your first year as a resident doctor, you’ll strengthen the knowledge, skills, and competencies you gained in medical school. 

According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), around 50% of doctors complete a psychiatry placement during foundation training. 

Getting hands-on psychiatry experience in FY1

To get invaluable hands-on experience, you could seek a psychiatry placement early in your foundation training. You can also explore foundation programmes that include a psychiatry rotation or discuss your interest with your training programme director.

Find out how to make the most of your psychiatry placement.

Turas Training Portfolio

You’ll record all your learning in your Turas Training Portfolio. Your progress will be assessed against the curriculum outcomes using various workplace-based assessments.

FY1 Certificate of Completion

When you successfully complete your FY1 year, you’ll be issued a Foundation Year 1 Certificate of Completion document. The Scottish Foundation School will send a certificate of completion to the GMC so you can apply for full registration. You’ll also progress to the second year of the foundation programme.

Foundation year 2

During your FY2 year, you’ll continue to develop your clinical and professional knowledge. In your Turas Training Portfolio, you’ll continue to record your achievements, reflections, and evidence of meeting the required competencies.

It’s a good time to explore different psychiatry subspecialties by doing the following:

• attending taster days
• seeking advice from other doctors
• reflecting on your interests and strengths

This will help prepare you for the next stage of your medical training.

Choosing your preferred medical specialty

During your FY2 year, you can choose psychiatry as your preferred specialty. This is a significant decision, which will be influenced by your experiences, interests, and career goals. 

You must meet the eligibility criteria for the core psychiatry training programme by the end of FY2. Your process will be reviewed by an ARCP panel, which will determine if you’re ready to progress.

Discover more about core psychiatry training.

Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion

At the end of your FY2 year, you’ll be issued a Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion (FPCC).

Learn more about the FPCC.

Core psychiatry training recruitment process

Applying for core psychiatry training is done through the national online recruitment portal, Oriel. There are 2 recruitment rounds per year, for posts starting in August and February.

As you get ready to apply for core psychiatry training, revisit your psychiatry rotations and brush up on core knowledge. Connecting with core trainees or your educational supervisor can offer invaluable insights. Core psychiatry training is your chance to gain broad experience before specialising.

Here's an outline of the recruitment process for core psychiatry training:

1. Check you meet the national person specification for CT1 psychiatry—This includes the following:
   • a recognised medical degree
   • full GMC registration with a licence to practise by the start date
   • evidence of achieving the foundation programme competencies or equivalent
2. Register on Oriel—If you haven't already, create an account on the Oriel recruitment portal.
3. Complete your online application—Fill in the application form on Oriel during the national application window. This includes:
   • personal details
   • qualifications
   • employment history
   • referee details
4. MSRA—If your application is longlisted and meets the eligibility criteria, you will be invited to book and sit the MSRA. It’s a computer-based test assessing clinical problem-solving and professional dilemmas. Your score on the MSRA is a primary factor in ranking candidates for offers.   
5. Preferencing posts—After the MSRA, you will rank the available core psychiatry training posts in your preferred locations or deaneries on Oriel.   
6. Offers—Offers are made based on your MSRA ranking and post preferences. You’ll receive notifications and manage offers through Oriel.   

Check the National Medical Speciality Recruitment website and Oriel for specific dates and detailed guidance for each recruitment round.

Preparing for the MSRA

The MSRA is a key step in your journey to core psychiatry training, so make study time a priority in your routine. Think of it as an investment in your future psychiatry career.

Smart study habits and good time management will help you build on your existing knowledge and strengths. Good preparation will also give you the focus you need for more challenging topics.

Think of the MRSA as the chance to apply your clinical knowledge and show the compassionate and ethical doctor you are.

The BMJ Guide to the MSRA

The British Medical Journal’s Guide to the Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA) provides tips and advice on:

• revising for the MRSA
• the professional dilemmas paper
• the clinical problem-solving paper

The guide also provides access to:

• sample and practice questions for both papers
• a demo of the PearsonVue online exam platform
• online question banks

Find out more about the MSRA.