The document discusses the introduction of student learning portfolios at a medical school. It describes the contents and requirements of portfolios for different year groups. A survey of medical students found that while most had the required materials, few were actively maintaining their portfolios. Students saw benefits in staying organized but many felt the portfolio was unnecessary or a waste of time. Suggestions to improve portfolio use included clearer guidance, encouragement, and education on the purpose of portfolios.

1. The Ups and Downs of Introducing a
Student Learning Portfolio

2. A Portfolio
• A portfolio is simply a
collection of items
• Doctors in training are
required to maintain a
portfolio of evidence to
demonstrate their
development
• Medical Students also
amass a collection of
evidence
• The Portfolio group,
established in 2008 listed
the items students should
collect together

3. • Specific to each year
group, students were
given a laminated
sheet, listing the items
they should collect
together
– Entrants in 2008.
– Years 1-3 in 2009
Year 1 Portfolio
Please keep the following documents in an A4 ring binder and bring them with you
when instructed:
□ Criminal Record Background (CRB) copy
□ Conditions of Training (Student Agreement) copy – Year 1
□ Clinical Skills Self Assessments
□ Details of Medical Indemnity (e.g. MDU, MPS)
LUSID (Personal Development Plan)
□ Initial Semester 1 Reflection
□ Formative Exam Results and Reflection
□ SSM 1 Mark Sheet
□ Community Studies Family Presentation
□ Year 1 Personal and Professional Development Log
□ Additional evidence for feedback appraisal
PBL Evaluations
□ Semester 1 □ Semester 2
Spider Output
Exam Results
□ Summatives □ Resits
Other evidence of in-year academic activity/achievement (e.g., documentation of
professional posters/presentations/papers)
Record of non-academic contribution to the University (e.g., certificate of
attendance for Admissions Taster Days, tours, LMSS
participation/representation).

4. Year 3 Portfolio
Please keep the following documents in an A4 ring binder and bring them with you
when instructed:
□ Conditions of Training (Student Agreement) copy – Year 3
□ Details of Medical Indemnity (e.g. MDU, MPS)
LUSID (Personal Development Plan)
□ Semester 1 □ Semester 2
□ Formative Exam Results and Reflection
□ SSM 4 Mark Sheet □ SSM 5 Mark Sheet
□ Feedback from CTM □ Feedback from ethics reflective portfolio
□ Year 2 Clinical Logbook □ Additional evidence for feedback appraisal
□ Copy of elective application form and approval
□ Disability Reflection Presentation
Spider Output
Exam Results
□ Summatives □ Resits
□ Copies of signed off Core Presentation clerkings (handwritten is acceptable)
□ Other evidence of in-year academic activity/achievement (e.g., documentation
of professional posters/presentations/papers)
□ Record of non-academic contribution to the University (e.g., certificate of
attendance for Admissions Taster Days, tours, LMSS participation/
representation).
NB: Please ensure you retain your Year 2 documents (including your Year 2
PPD log)
It is your responsibility to keep this portfolio up-to-date, and to bring it to any meeting with the Director of
Medical Studies (or his deputies), your Year Director(s), or your Clinical Sub-Dean. On request, other
educational supervisors may also wish to review your portfolio.
• List includes
– ‘Professional’ items,
• Evidence of Indemnity cover
– Record of experience
• ‘Log book’
– Record of achievement
• Results of coursework

5. Status of Portfolio
• The Portfolio itself is not assessed, although
students are advised that they should be able
to produce the items listed on request (e.g. at
an interview with a year or component
director)
• Inability to produce the information on
request is recorded in the student file
• Recurrent evidence of poor recordkeeping
would be a cause for concern.

6. Evaluation
• Medical Students have an individual appraisal
during semester 2
• In March 2010, prior to reminding the students of
this, and before notifying them of their appraisal
dates, students in years 1-3 were asked, via an
individual email to complete an online
questionnaire about their Portfolio. They
received one reminder.
• The questionnaire comprised mainly of closed
response questions, but were also open response
questions asked about their views of the process

7. Responses to Questionnaire
• 163 students responded (about 20%)
– 17 (10%) from A101 (30%)
– 83 (51%) from year 3
• 36 (22%) year 1
• 44 (27%) year 2
• 86 (58%) remembered receiving the 2008 sheet,
but only 36(%) used it
• 159 (95%) reported still having this year’s sheet
• 31 (19%) had kept a portfolio before

8. So have they kept a portfolio, or even
the laminated sheet?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Started at the beginning of
year, and kept it uptodate
Started at the beginning of
year,but it is not uptodate
Have collected some of the
paperwork together, but
didn't start at the beginning of
term
Haven't done it, but have
most of the paperwork
somewhere
Not done anything but still
have the sheet
Not done anything and have
lost the sheet
Unrelated to student year (p=0.7), programme (p=0.5), or whether they had previously kept a
portfolio (p=0.25)

9. And what have they done with it?
• Not a lot!
– 6 shown it to their friends
– 5 shown it to staff

10. Views of Portfolio
Number of students agreeing with statement
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1.The portfolio is a
waste of time
2.The portfolio helps
me keep organised
3.I am an organised
person and would
have done it anyway
4.I don't like it, but
recognise it role
Significant association between views 1 and 4 and not keeping a portfolio!

12. Open Ended Questions
• Pros / Cons of an Electronic Version
• Suggestions for improvements
• Any other comments

13. Pros / Cons of Electronic
• Pros:
– Less likely to lose information
– Convenience
• Cons:
– Duplication of work / format of documents
– Reliability and ease of use

14. Pros / Cons Electronic
• ‘Loss of said portfolio would be somewhat
harder’
• ‘the medical school are crap at e-stuff so don’t
bother’

15. Suggestions for improvements
• Guidance / Instructions
• Encourage use
• Confusion by 3rd year students

16. Suggestions for improvement
• ‘We could be given more guidance on how to
keep a portfolio as I myself have never had to
keep one before’
• ‘if people knew you checked the portfolio like
you do the blue books they would be more
likely to keep it up to date’
• ‘better education on what it is and why it is
important!’

17. Any other comments
• ‘Only really beneficial for disorganised people.
Those of us who keep things in order anyway
don’t really gain anything from it.’