South Thames Foundation School

The provision of careers advice is a central tenet of MMC (Modernising Medical Careers).

“Rigorous counselling and career advice should be available throughout training.” Modernising Medical Careers, Department of Health, 2003

Within STFS trusts there are workshops to introduce trainees to career planning tools, linked into a four stage career planning framework:

• Stage 1 - self-assessment e.g. skills, interests, values
• Stage 2 - career exploration e.g. how to research different career options
• Stage 3 - decision making e.g. look at how you have made decisions
• Stage 4 - implementation e.g. application forms, CVs and interview preparation

A Careers Interviews and Specialty Selection Centres Presentation is available for you to download at the bottom of this page.

For specific one-to-one advice the first point of contact for trainees is their educational supervisor. Educational supervisors are able to call on other resources both locally and from the deanery where an established careers team is based. A career lead is also available in each Trust.

What you choose for the next stage of your career should be a personal decision, but you should ensure that you plan your approach and investigate career options fully before deciding.

A guide to career planning for Foundation Year One Doctors is available for you to download at the bottom of this page.

The ROADS to Success

Choosing the right specialty is a critical decision that all junior doctors face each year. Until now most trainees have had to fight their own way through the multiple labyrinths of opportunities, choices, written applications and interviews.

Dr Caroline Elton and Joan Reid have structured a handbook to support both trainees and their supervisors throughout the career planning process. This is a practical handbook packed with essential information, self-assessment exercises and insightful tips to ensure that every junior doctor is headed on ‘The Roads to Success’.

“Roads” is provided free to all STFS trainees via trusts, often at induction – please ask in the postgraduate centre if you do not receive one.

For further information see the careers website at www.kssdeanery.org/careers

Medical National Careers Website

A national medical careers website is now also available www.medicalcareers.nhs.uk

It provides:

• Interactive information and insight for doctors in training and all of those involved in careers advice.
• Comprehensive data on each medical specialty, workforce statistics, competition ratios, growth areas and projections about future opportunities.
• A book marking tool allows you to save key facts about specialties that interest you.
• Suite of career planning tools

A calendar of medical careers events is also available on the website at http://www.medicalcareers.nhs.uk/career_planning/career_exploration/medical_careers_events_calend.aspx

Trainee career planning and support models

A document detailing the trainee career planning and support models is available for download at the bottom of this page.