using the eportfolio to maximise learning

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using the e-portfolio to maximise learning

• Dr. Ramesh Mehay
• Programme Director (Bradford VTS)

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Who Is The e-portfolio for?

• Think
• ARCP panel assessment
• Public clinical governance
• YOU most importantly to help you reflect and
  learn

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Implications of This

• E-portfolio serves several purposes
• We need to satisfy all stake holders
• Trainees
• The Educational Team COs/PDs
• The Assessment Team ARCP, Deanery, PMETB
• The Public ensuring structure training to
  produce safe and competent docs

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So, How Do We Do That?

• Your entries have to satisfy that they have
  ticked the right boxes satisifies the
  assessment team and the public
• Your entries have to be put in a way that is
  meaningful for you and that you can refer to in
  the future if needed i.e. it helps YOU

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What they say.(RCGP)

• Above all else the ePortfolio is where the GPStR
  records their learning in all its forms and
  settings. Its prime function is to be an
  educational tool that will record and facilitate
  the management of the journey of clinical and
  personal development through learning.
• It might be described as the glue which holds
  the curriculum learning and assessment together.
  

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The Curriculum Headings

• Can tell you which areas you are covering well
• Which areas you need to concentrate on more
• Hence helps you prepare for the AKT
• And makes you more rounded when you go out
  there on your own

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Adding Entries

• Dont get too hung up about where to put what (ie
  what title to log the entry under). Most things
  go in the shared learning log
• If youre stuck, consider the lectures/seminars
  or professional conversations subtitles.
• Failing that, put it somewhere, anywhere!
• Remember, its about quality of information not
  quantity! A trainee with 300 log entries might
  not have recorded them to the right depth to make
  an informed judgement about them

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Types of Things to Add

• The things in red below give some idea of what
  you are like to the reader. They also help you
  reflect and develop professionally.
• Assessments (obviously) COTs CBDs etc
• OOH session
• Lectures/Tutorials
• Stuff youve read
• Clinical conundrums/dilemmas eg things from
  consultations you wish to discuss with your
  trainer later on (PUNs and DENs)
• Ethical issues
• Dysfunctional consultations
• Team working problems
• Your feelings

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Example

• you could write felt cheesed off today because
  blah blah blah and then the district nurse
  hassled me about blah blah blah. Will talk with
  trainer re how he handles this on a day to day
  basis
• (obviously, stronger words like the F word are
  not encouraged.
• Its a tool to help you reflect and develop
  (although, yes, it does help inform the
  assessment process)
• This is not an EXAM!

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Shared Log

• Useful storage space
• Helps you get into reflective mode
• Can add in detailed stuff that you might want to
  refer to in the future (eg during consultations)
• Some people say they do the reflective stuff in
  their heads, but this is likely to be at a
  superficial level. Mapping it out encourages
  depth AND informs you of new links and
  associations you might not have previously
  conceived (trust me on this one).

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Not So Helpful Entry

• Title
• migraine tutorial
• Things you learned
• diagnosis, treatment guidelines, referrals,
• What will you do differently
• Manage according to set guidelines
• ?SATISFIES PANEL/PUBLIC
• ?SERVES LITTLE PURPOSE FOR YOU

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A better way

• Title
• migraine tutorial
• Things you learned
• diagnosis, treatment guidelines, referrals,
• Must remember that hi dose aspirin (900mg) with
  metoclopropramide can stop an acute attack if
  taken early and is a simple measure
• What will you do differently
• Manage according to MIPCA protocol guidelines,
  and encourage the aspirin regime when someone
  presents early
• ? SATISFIES PANEL/PUBLIC
• ? SATISFIES YOU eg the next time a patient
  comes in with migraine but a) you cant remember
  who wrote the protocol and where it is and b) if
  you forget the aspirin regime ? you can search
  for it

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Recording entries a summary

• So, there are TWO main things you need to enter
  for each learning activity
• General stuff
• to show the breadth of what was covered
• Satisfies the ARCP panels/assessment process
• Specific stuff
• to highlight the key messages for you
• Helps you in your continuing professional
  development

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Searching the e-portfolio

• Easy peasy
• Put in keywords into the search box on the
  Shared Log page
• Click search

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But, For This To Work

• You need to use good headings
• Be Concise
• Include Key words
• eg Migraine tutorial
• eg RCA oral contraceptive pill

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Dont forget to make use of your PDP

• Shared log entries in which you have describe
  some tasks you need to do can be sent to you PDP
  section
• Whats the advantage? Instead of trawling through
  all the log entries to see what needs to be done,
  the PDP section collates it all
• You can then tick them off when done
• Makes organisational management (and thus your
  life) easier
• Also maximises learning
• One snag for it to work, trainer/supervisor has
  to have read entries too youll find a submit
  to PDP box once both ticks show in the learning
  log i.e. you have shared, trainer has read

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OOH sessions

• Use the COGPED OOH work booklet to help add
  structure to an OOH session (available on Deanery
  and Bradford websites www.bradfordvts.co.uk )
• Then transcribe the important bits to the
  e-portfolio
• Record under shared learning log section,
  subtitle OOH

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Evidence

• Remember, numbers are the MINIMUM
• This means you should have done more than that
  as
• CBD and COT are meant to be happening on a
  weekly/fortnightly basis
• No good saying at the 4m ARCP panel meeting
  weve done 4 and planning to do the next two in
  the next 2 months. They want to see at least 6
  by the 4m stage.
• You may need to talk to your trainer/PM/hospital
  consultant to devise an organisational process to
  make this happen.

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How Often?

• Continue to visit the e-portfolio regularly.
• Why not open it up just before you start your
  consultations so you can add to it seamlessly.
• For those in hospital posts why not just have a
  go once a week. It will become habitual ,
  youll end up reflecting naturally and probably
  end up WANTING to log into more often. Youre
  never too far from a PC connected to the net so
  you can even do it daily if youre organised and
  motivated enough.

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Summary

• If you want to add something, do! Dont worry
  where.
• The content should mean something to you
• Add it in your own natural style makes it more
  believable too and gives a more accurate
  impression of you
• Visit it regularly to make it useful
• Log your OOH sessions

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E-portfolio Pearls how to start loving the
e-portfolio and making the most of it.

• An e-portfolio guide (not the mechanical guide
  from the RCGP) on www.bradfordvts.co.uk (click
  nMRCGP ? eportfolio )
• Its meant to show you how you can use the
  e-portfolio in a way to help you (ie as an
  educational tool) as well as satisfying the ARCP
  panel
• It will also detail some common troubleshooting
  problems and mistakes to help you avoid falling
  into the same trap
• And its dead easy to read