Foundation Programme deanery preferences ranking

You get a EPM score out of 50 based on your decile (34-43 points), 2 points for any PubMed publications, and up to 5 points for additional degrees (PhD = 5, Masters/1st class bachelors = 4, 2.1 Bachelors = 3, 2.2 Bachelors = 2, and one less than the bachelors for a BMedSci that isn’t an intercalated year, e.g. I think Nottingham’s).

Then you get your SJT score out of 50, which crucially you don’t get to see until after deaneries are allocated - this means you can’t re-tank your deanery preference based on what you might get into if you do better or worse than expected in the SJT.

Deanery places are then allocated to everyone in order of combined EPM + SJT score. Each person will receive a place in the highest preference deanery that still has places available at the time they’re allocated.

Because of this, there’s no way or reason to try to game the system - if you much prefer one location, it’s better to rank that deanery at the top even if you think you’re unlikely to get into it. The only qualifier to that really is if you would be equally happy to be in two different deaneries, but have a strong preference for getting certain jobs - allocation to jobs within deaneries is done in the same fashion, so going to a less competitive deanery may give you a better chance of ranking higher within that deanery‘s cohort and thus getting the job of your choice.

In the case your tutor gave, if the two people had the same grades and thus the same EPM, it’s likely that one did better on the SJT. Grades matter as far as deciles & extra degree points are concerned, but the SJT is an unpredictable exam and can change whatever advantage or disadvantage you may have through your EPM in a pretty unpredictable fashion.

Thanks for all the information.

So just to clarify lets say as an example I wanted to get into the Peninsula deanery, and had enough points to be accepted onto the programme. Would it have mattered if I had put it as my first choice or as my third choice after the two London deaneries (assuming I hadn't met the points needed for the London deaneries)?

Basically what I'm trying to figure out is that it doesn't matter if you put way more competitive deaneries at the top of your ranking preferences (if your not worried about jobs)- am I right in saying that?

Where you rank deaneries doesn’t matter at all for being allocated one. The main implication of your ranking would be if you actually preferred Peninsula over the London deaneries - no point in ranking more competitive deaneries highly if you would rather be somewhere else.

I haven't been able to find out the answer to my question anywhere about how the ranking your deanery preferences on the Foundation Programme works. (maybe since its a bit complicated to ask)

Basically I want to know if there is any method to how you rank your deaneries. Say if you put a region first in your preferences and someone else puts it second and you have the same points, is that first person more likely to get in?

My tutor was telling me how one of his mates didn't put their home deanery as his first preference and they had the same grades, he ended up getting into the deanery but his friend didn't. So it made me wonder if there is any logic or science behind the ranking process.

If there is no harm in your preference order, could you just put all the competitive deaneries as your top choices for the sake of it if it doesn't effect your chance of getting into other less-competitive deaneries just cos they're lower down your preference list?

If you meet the points required for a deanery will it matter what preference you have ranked that deanery in order to get accepted to the programme (unless you already get into one of your higher ranked ones)?