A resident learning portfolio is a valuable tool that can be used to collect materials about resident performance and efforts and to assess a resident’s’ progression toward competency.
The Benefits of a Resident Portfolio
- Compiles narrative feedback from multiple sources and organizes it in support of the Core Outcomes of Family Medicine Residency Education
- Provides a holistic performance assessment as learners move through complex tasks requiring the integration of multiple competencies
- Creates space for learner reflection and self-identification of strengths and learning gaps
The Formative Portfolio
- Assessments provided by multiple team members (preceptors, peers, etc.), in varied forms (procedure logs, direct observation, OSCES, etc.) are collected by the resident from multiple clinical settings.
- Frequent informal, interactive sessions are held between the resident and the faculty advisor, during which the resident reflects on their experiences to identify trends and formulate learning goals and objectives. The faculty advisor guides the resident through this reflection, trend identification, and goal setting.
- Formative portfolio reviews provide dynamic interactions between residents and advisors, individualized to the learner, and focused on the ongoing narrative of progress, not specific grades.
The Summative Portfolio
- Summative portfolios pull information from the formative portfolio, along with a brief essay.
- Advisors review the summative portfolio to ensure that the resident has demonstrated achievement for each Core Outcome.
- Advisors review the summative portfolio to ensure that the resident has demonstrated achievement for each Core Outcome.
- Faculty and residents need education and instruction on how to use summative portfolios.
Other Helpful Tips
- Organize the evidence by Core Outcomes.
- Ask reflection questions to fill gaps in assessment.
- Engage the resident at every step to evaluate their own learning.
Other Resources
Please refer to the following documents:
