ABSTRACT
The second foundation year (FY2) will normally consist of three 4-month placements in a variety of specialties, as described in the Rough Guide. Whereas the GMC is responsible for the education of foundation year1 (FY1) doctors, in FY2 the responsibility falls to the recently formed Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board. While the FY2 year builds on the competences acquired during FY1 in accordance with ‘spiral’ learning, it also focuses on the identification and care of the acutely unwell patient. And as the management of chronic disease is an ever-growing area of medicine, the relationship between this and the presentation of acute illness will also be a theme of FY2. Many postgraduate courses are available to occupy your study leave, and the details of several are listed on the British Medical Association website. The new placements available to trainees in FY2 fall into three categories -shortage specialties, general practice and academic medicine.
