Supervision: what the foundation year doctor needs to know

The foundation programme, introduced in the UK in August 2005, is a 2-year training programme that equips the medical graduate with all necessary clinical and professional skills required of a doctor in the NHS. Thus, on completion of foundation year training, a doctor will be ready to enter a speciality training programme. Self-directed learning is a key feature of the programme, but this process is facilitated and the foundation doctor is closely supported by the educational and clinical supervisors (Figure 1) through regular supervision.