Modernising medical careers – the new curriculum for the foundation years in postgraduate education and training
4 April 2005 - The launch of the new UK-wide curriculum for junior doctors on 4 April 2005, as part of the Modernising Medical Careers programme, signals a groundbreaking change in postgraduate medical training. The world-leading programme will provide graduates with far broader exposure to medical practice and specialties than was previously provided. The result of two years of research and development, it has been produced in conjunction with the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges and the four UK health departments, with input from a wide variety of stakeholder groups.
The new curriculum recognises that the next generation of doctors will need a far broader range of skills in order to provide the best care to patients. To meet this challenge the curriculum has identified a range of competencies that it will assess, in addition to the more traditional elements of medical training. Many of these competencies have never been set before, such as communication skills, leadership, quality and safety improvements, acute care and team working.
Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer for England, said, “The Foundation Programme curriculum marks a new era in UK medicine. For the first time, doctors will have the opportunity to explore a range of career options, while ensuring that their acute clinical and professional skills are secure and robust.
“This is very much a ‘curriculum for patient safety’, ensuring that at the end of their two years of training doctors are both confident and competent and we are delighted that the UK is leading the world in these innovations in medical education.”