FAQs about the Malta Foundation Programme

NB: FAQs about the Malta Foundation Programme application and recruitment process may be found here.

SECTION 01: GENERAL

What is the role of the Malta Foundation School Office (MFSO)?

The MFSO manages the Foundation School Faculty and the delivery of the Malta Foundation Programme. It also supports the Human Resources Departyment of the Ministry for Health in the recruitment process.

Where can I find out more about the Foundation Programme?

The Malta Foundation programme website as well as the  UKFPO website provide a wealth of information and resources to help you understand the Foundation Programme. As an introduction, the 2012 Foundation Programme Rough Guide provides a comprehensive overview of what you can expect. It is also a good idea to read the FP Curriculum (2012) and associated Resource (a list of freely available resources to help meet the Curriculum outcomes), and the FP Reference Guide (2012). These resources will help you understand what is expected of you, how the assessments and supervised learning events (SLEs) work, and the requirements for satisfactory completion of F1 and the Foundation Programme.

What salary can I expect as a foundation doctor?

The Malta Foundation Programme is a paid training programme. The salary attached to the position of House Officer (Foundation Doctor) is equivalent to Step 5 of Salary Scale 9 (which in the year 2017 is €21,735.32 per annum rising by annual increments of €447.33 up to a maximum of €22,630). A Foundation Trainee Specialisation Allowance of €2,800 in Year 1 and €3,200 in Year 2 which shall be paid to the House Officer (Foundation Doctor) in three-monthly installments in arrears. A Special Duty Allowance of €4,800 will be paid to Foundation Doctors who perform duties on roster basis in the Accident and Emergency Department, the Intensive Therapy Unit or at Health Centres. This allowance will be paid quarterly in arrears. Foundation Doctors performing duties in these areas will not be entitled to a shift allowance.

Is it possible to undertake foundation training less than full-time?

Less than full-time working is available for the Foundation Programme*. The main reasons include:

• a disability, which means the doctor needs individual arrangements • ill health • responsibility for caring for children  • responsibility for caring for ill/disabled partner, relative or other dependant.

Less than full-time training will still need to cover the equivalent of two years full time training.

What happens if I am ill during my training?

Foundation doctors should be aware of the employer’s sickness absence policy, including their responsibilities for informing the employer of illness and cover arrangements during absences. The maximum permitted absence from training, other than annual leave, during the F1 year is four weeks (see GMC guidance on sick leave for provisionally registered doctors).

What happens if I want to take time out during the Foundation Programme?

Foundation doctors may ask to take time out of their two-year foundation programme for a number of reasons, including:

• gaining clinical experience outside of the Foundation Programme • undertaking a period of research • a planned career break.

Foundation doctors who want to take time out of the Foundation Programme (TOFP) should first discuss this with their educational supervisor. The duration of TOFP is usually 12 months and taken between the end of F1 and the beginning of F2.

TOPFP in Malta is guided by the rules and regulations of the Malta Public Service. Please contact the MFSO for more details.

Can I complete the Foundation Programme in less than two years?

The Reference Guide explains the satisfactory requirements for completion of F1/the Foundation Programme. Completion of 12 months in F1 and F2 training is specified.

What happens if I require support during my foundation training?

If you require additional support during your foundation training you should discuss this with your Educational Supervisor in the first instance. Several people including your Foundation Training Programme Director and our Trainee Support Team will do their utmost to help you.

What assessments are used during foundation training?

The assessment tools used during foundation training can be found below:

What is a supervised learning event (SLE)?

There are supervised learning event tools to help you demonstrate engagement with the learning process and to gain valuable feedback to encourage development.

What should I do if I am asked to perform procedures which are inappropriate or beyond my competence?

Patient safety is of paramount importance and you should only undertake tasks in which you are competent or are learning under supervision. Foundation doctors must not be put in a position where they are asked to work beyond their competence without appropriate support and supervision from their clinical supervisor e.g. the prescription or transcription of cytotoxic or  immunosuppressive drugs.

Foundation doctors should raise concerns if they believe that there is not an appropriate balance between service and training, by feeding back in our quarterly anonymised surveys and directly with their Educational Supervisor or Foundation Training Programme Director.

Can I use study leave to prepare for specialty exams?

Study leave which is not used for Foundation Training is regulated by the Department of Health Study leave Policy.

What formal teaching do I get during foundation training?

F1 doctors are entitled to at least one hour of in-house, formal education as part of their working week which should be relevant, protected (‘bleep-free’) and appropriate to their F1 training. Foundation doctors must be released to attend and should give their pagers to someone else so that they can take part.

F2 doctors may receive at least one hour of in-house, formal education as part of their working week which should be relevant, protected (‘bleep-free’) and appropriate to their F2 training.

SECTION 02: F1 YEAR

What can I expect from my first year of foundation training (F1)?

In most cases, you will undertake four three-month placements in different specialties. Formal assessment of your progress will be made at the end of each placement, and at the end of F1 (and F2).

Assessments will be based on multiple sources of evidence including feedback from senior doctors who have observed practice in the workplace (Placement Supervision Group). Other important evidence will be provided through the e-portfolio including team assessments of behaviour (TAB), engagement with SLEs, reflective practice throughout the placement and satisfactory demonstration of the core procedural skills required by the GMC.

If you have not yet passed the Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA), you will need to do so within the F1 year. Failure to do this will mean that you will not be able to progress to F2 year without achieving a success in the PSA.

At the end of F1, your performance and development throughout the year will be reviewed and (if satisfactory) will lead to recommendation to certification for progression into F2.

Do I need to attend an induction or shadowing period at the start of my programme?

To ensure that all new appointees to the Foundation Programme are equipped with the local knowledge and skills needed to provide safe, high quality patient care from their first day as a F1 doctor, they will undertake a “shadowing” period. This will include ward-based shadowing of the F1 job that they will be taking up and corporate induction.

In addition to shadowing, there are three levels of inductions which may be offered:

• Foundation school • Employer• Departmental/workplace.

Is there any information I should disclose before starting the Foundation Programme?

Every foundation trainee must complete a Disclosure of information (DOI) form as part of the DOI process. This is a means of supporting medical students during the transition from medical school to foundation school, and during the F1 year.

Can I defer the start date of my foundation programme?

An applicant who has been accepted onto the Foundation Programme may only defer the start date of their training for a statutory reason (e.g. maternity leave, sickness). Wherever possible, applicants are asked to give their foundation school as much notice as possible of the need to defer the start date.

SECTION 03: F2 YEAR

Can I apply for an F2 programme?

Recruitment into F2 is via the annual recruitment into F1. You will be able to apply to join an F2 programme if you demonstrate that you have successfully completed an F1 programme in the UK. It should be noted that F2 programmes are only offered at the discretion of the Malta Foundation Programme and of the employer.

Is F2 structured differently to F1?

Like F1, your F2 rotation will typically consist of four three-month placements. Foundation doctors are expected to revisit the same areas of practice in F2 as for F1 but take on increasing responsibility for patient care. The outcomes for F2 include those for F1 to indicate that foundation doctors are building on previous experience and practising at a more sophisticated and increasingly independent level. Please see the Curriculum for details.

How are placements allocated in my F2 year?

The MFS allocates only the F1 year initially, with a process for allocation to F2 guaranteeing that the successful applicant will be allocated to a F2 rotation, subject to progression. The MFS each year undergoes a process of Foundation Programme ranking and matching so that the requirements of the Foundation Programme as well as those of the Malta Medical Council are met.

What are the requirements of the MCM for Full registration?

The placements within the Malta Foundation Programme are three month posts. In F1, all trainees are expected to rotate through at least three months each of Medicine and Surgery. Throughout the two-year period, they are then expected to do at least six months of Medicine (three months of which may be in a related specialty)  and at least another six months of Surgery (three months of which may be in a related specialty). Related specialties which count for Medicine are Cardiology, Haematology, Oncology, Neurology and Geriatrics. Related specialties which count for Surgery, are Orthopaedics, Urology, Cardiac Surgery, Plastic Surgery and Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

SECTION 04: E-PORTFOLIO

What is the Foundation Programme e-portfolio?

Your foundation e-portfolio will help you in planning your learning and to demonstrate progression. It contains:

• Personal and Professional Development Plan (PDP) • Meetings with your educational and clinical    supervisor(s)  • Assessments  • Supervised learning events (SLEs) • Reflective reports and other evidence  • Sign-off documents

It is your responsibility to keep your e-Portfolio up to date. Your e-portfolio will be reviewed throughout your training, and ultimately used to review evidence during the F1/F2 Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP). 

Who has access to my e-portfolio?

A list of who can access your e-portfolio is given in the Reference Guide 2012 (Appendix 11e Table 1).

section 05: CAREERS

What do I expect after Foundation Training?

Each year, around the first quarter of the year, applications open for Basic and Higher Specialist Training posts within the Government Service and within the Malta Post-graduate Medical Training Programme. These posts are usually open for EU nationals. Non-EU nationals may be offered posts according to the Call for Applications. If you are a non-EU national, you will need to check with the specific Call to see whether you will be eligible for that post.

Does Post-graduate Training in Malta lead to full specialisation?

Each specialty has a training programme which leads to full specialisation. Some programmes request a period of training abroad. For more details, go to the Careers section.