Minimum Requirements for Satisfactory Completion of the Foundation Programme

The following list sets out the minimum expected level of performance for satisfactory completion of the Malta Foundation Programme. The Malta Foundation School may also include additional requirements. A Foundation Year 2 doctor must meet the following minimum expected level of performance for satisfactory completion of the Foundation Programme:

1. Provisional Registration with the Malta Medical Council
2. Signed probity and health declarationson e-portfolio.
3. Completion of 12 months F1 and 12 months of F2 training (taking account of allowable absence). The Foundation School Directors’ Sub-Committee have agreed that the maximum permitted non-statutory leave (includes sickness, maternity, etc.) during F2 is 4 weeks (i.e. the same as F1). NB. Statutory leave includes Vacation leave and Study leave. (see Study leave Guidance and Study leave Policy at www.fpdoctors.info Malta Foundation Programme > Publications and Policies). Performing on-calls is a mandatory part of training.
4. A satisfactory End-of-placement Report by the Clinical Supervisor and a satisfactory End of Placement review form by the Educational Supervisor for each placement on e-portfolio.
5. A satisfactorily mapped Curriculum on the e-portfolio for each training year and certified ‘Fully met’ by the Educational Supervisor. Trainees should be able to demonstrate how they satisfied each item of the Curriculum with relevant activities during foundation training such as Supervised Learning Events, Assessments, Lectures attended, Conferences, Courses, and E-learning modules. (A useful tool to help in mapping the Curriculum may be found on the FP Malta website www.fpdoctors.info).
6. Evidence that the foundation doctor can safely perform the procedures listed below:

Core procedures (F1)

• Venepuncture
• IV Cannulation
• Prepare and administer IV medication and injections and fluids
• Arterial puncture in an adult
• Blood culture (peripheral)
• IV infusion including the prescription of fluids
• IV infusion of blood and blood products
• Injection of local anaesthetic to skin
• Subcutaneous injection
• Intramuscular injection
• Perform and interpret an ECG
• Perform and interpret peak flow
• Urethral catheterisation (male and female)
• Airway care including simple adjuncts

In F2, trainees are expected to perform other procedures, examples of which are given below:

• Aspiration of pleural fluid or air
• Skin suturing
• Nasogastric tube insertion
• Abdominal paracentesis
• Joint aspiration
• Lumbar puncture
• Bone marrow aspiration

7. Satisfactory completion of the required number of supervised learning events, as set by the Malta Foundation School. The Malta Foundation School requires that Foundation doctors complete a minimum of: 6 Mini Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX), 6 Case-Based Discussion (CbD) , 3 Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS), 1 Developing the clinical teacher assessment and 2 Multi-Source Feedback (MSF) (and an additional MSF if concerns are identified) each year 
8. An acceptable attendance record at foundation teaching sessions. Trainees should attend a minimum of 70% of the weekly teaching sessions. An acceptable attendance record at the training days or training sessions organised by the Foundation School is also required.
9. A valid Advanced Life Support certificate or documented equivalent
10. Achievement of Certificate in Infection Prevention issued by the Infection Control Unit of Mater Dei Hospital.
11. Satisfactory performance at Clinical Simulation training.
12. The Malta Foundation School may ask a minimum expected completion of specified e-learning modules to supplement evidence of completion of the curriculum.
13. Attainment of a Competence Certificate in Medical Reporting.
14. Evidence of involvement in and completion of an audit or quality improvement (QI) project. The Foundation Programme Curriculum requires that F2 doctors have been actively involved in undertaking a clinical audit, and recognise how it relates to the improvement of clinical standards and addresses the clinical governance agenda. The audit or QI project should be presented as per the Audit and QI guidance issued by the Foundation School.
15. A satisfactory pass mark in the Prescribing Safety Assessment test. This is mandatory to be able to progress from Foundation Year 1 to Foundation Year 2.