A teaching portfolio (TP) is a document containing a factual description of a teacher's teaching strengths and accomplishments, allowing clinicians to display them for examination by others. The primary aim of a TP is to improve quality of teaching by providing a structure for self-reflection, which in turn aids professional development in medical education. Contents typically include a personal statement on teaching, an overview of teaching accomplishments and activities, feedback from colleagues and learners, a reflective component and some examples of teaching material. Electronic portfolios are more portable and flexible compared to paper portfolios. Clinicians gain the most benefit from a TP when it is used as a tool for self-reflection of their teaching practice and not merely as a list of activities and achievements. This article explains why and how anaesthetists might use a TP as a tool for professional development in medical education.
Bannard-SmithJ., BishopS., GawneS., HalderN.Twelve tips for junior doctors interested in a career in medical education.Med Teach2012; 34: 1012–1016.
2.
SeldinP.The teaching portfolio concept. In: Successful Use of Teaching Portfolios.Bolton, Massachusetts: Anker Publishing1993.
3.
SimpsonD., HaflerJ., BrownD., WilkersonL.Documentation systems for educators seeking promotion in U.S. medical schools.Acad Med2004; 79: 783–790.
4.
KuhnG.J.The educator's portfolio: its preparation, uses, and value in academic medicine.Acad Emerg Med2004; 11: 307–311.
5.
WeeksP.A.The teaching portfolio: a professional development tool.Int J Acad Dev1996; 1: 70–74.
6.
O'MaraL., CarpioB., MaletteC., DownW., BrownB.Developing a teaching portfolio in nursing education: a reflection.Nurse Educ2000; 25: 125–130.
7.
SmithK., TillemaH.Long-term influences of portfolios on professional development.Scand J Educ Res2001; 45: 183–203.
8.
TigelaarD.E.H., DolmansDHJM, De GraveW.S., WolfhagenIHAP, van der VleutenC.P.M.Participants’ opinions on the usefulness of a teaching portfolio.Med Educ2006; 40: 371–378.
9.
CorryM., TimminsF.The use of teaching portfolios to promote excellence and scholarship in nurse education.Nurse Educ in Pract2009; 9: 388–392.
10.
SimpsonD., MorzinskiJ., BeecherA., LindemannJ.Meeting the challenge to document teaching accomplishments: the educator's portfolio.Teach Learn Med1994; 6: 203–206.
11.
The Royal College of Anaesthetists.CCT in Anaesthetics -Teaching and training, academic and research (including audit) quality improvement, and management for anaesthesia, critical care and pain medicine (Annex G),2nd ed.London: The Royal College of Anaesthetists2010.
12.
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.Anaesthesia training program - Curriculum.Melbourne: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists2012.
13.
AhearnD., BishopS., AgiusS., DuffyK., JonesA.Educator appraisal - occurrence and experience of hospital consultants in NorthWest England.Med Teach2013; 35: e908–e912.
14.
MuirF.The understanding and experience of students, tutors and educators regarding reflection in medical education: a qualitative study.Int J Med Educ2010; 1: 61–67.
15.
MannK., GordonJ., MacLeodA.Reflection and reflective practice in health professions education: a systematic review.Adv Health Sci Educ2009; 14: 595–621.
16.
AronsonL.Twelve tips for teaching reflection at all levels of medical education.Med Teach2011; 33: 200–205.
17.
PinskyL.E., MonsonD., IrbyD.M.How excellent teachers are made: reflecting on success to improve teaching.Adv Health Sci Educ1998; 3: 207–215.
18.
PinskyL.E., IrbyD.M.“If at first you don't succeed”: using failure to improve teaching.Acad Med1997; 72: 973–976.
19.
BeecherA., LindemannJ.C., MorzinskiJ.A., SimpsonD.E.Use of the educator's portfolio to stimulate reflective practice among medical educators.Teach Learn Med1997; 9: 56–59.
20.
TigelaarD.E.H., DolmansDHJM, De GraveW.S., WolfhagenIHAP, van der VleutenC.P.M.Portfolio as a tool to stimulate teachers’ reflections.Med Teach2006; 28: 277–282.
21.
Orland-BarakL.Portfolios as evidence of reflective practice: what remains ‘untold’.Educ Res2005; 47: 25–44.
22.
DriessenE.Portfolio critics: do they have a point?Med Teach2009; 31: 279–281.
23.
TigelaarD.E.H., DolmansDHJM, WolfhagenIHAP, van der VleutenC.P.M.Using a conceptual framework and the opinions of portfolio experts to develop a teaching portfolio prototype.Stud Educ Eval2004; 30: 305–321.
24.
SnyderJ., LippincottA., BowerD.The inherent tensions in the multiple uses of portfolios in teacher education.Teach Educ Quart1998; 25: 45–60.
25.
LewisK.O., BakerR.C.The development of an electronic educational portfolio: an outline for medical education professionals.Teach Learn Med2007; 19: 139–147.
26.
BrodellR.T., AlamM., BickersD.R.The dermatologist's academic portfolio. A template for documenting scholarship and service.Am J Clin Dermatol2003; 4: 733–736.
27.
DriessenE.W., van TartwijkJ., OvereemK., VermuntJ.D., van der VleutenC.P.M.Conditions for successful reflective use of portfolios in undergraduate medical education.Med Educ2005; 39: 1230–1235.
28.
MezirowJ.How critical reflection triggers transformative learning. In: JackMezirow and Associates ed. Fostering critical reflection in adulthood: a guide to transformative and emancipatory learning.San Francisco: Jossey Bass1990. pp. 1–20.
29.
DriessenE.W., MuijtjensA.M.M., van TartwijkJ., van der VleutenC.P.M.Web- or paper-based portfolios: is there a difference?Med Educ2007; 41: 1067–1073.
30.
WalkerM., PeytonJ.Teaching in theatre. In: PeytonJ. ed. Teaching and learning in medical practice.Rickmansworth, UK: Manticore Europe Limited1998. pp. 171–180.
31.
RobertsN.K., WilliamsR.G., KimM.J., DunningtonG.L.The briefing, intraoperative teaching, debriefing model for teaching in the operating room.J Am Coll Surg2009; 208: 299–303.
