The Educator’s Portfolio
USU Family Medicine Go-By
CLINICIAN-EDUCATOR PATHWAY
Teaching Portfolio Content
In general, these are the content areas for your Educator’s Portfolio. When moving
towards academic promotion, the Educator’s Portfolio takes your CV to the next level.
It is a much more in-depth compilation of your academic history.
Section 1: Philosophy of Education/Educational Philosophy
Section 2: Curriculum Development & Instructional Design
Section 3: Educational Skills
Section 4: Clinical/Educational Advisor (Mentor)
Section 5: Documentation of Clinical Competence
Section 6: Regional/National Scholarship
Section 7: Continuing Education
Section 8: Honors and Awards
Section 1: Philosophy of Education
State explicitly your educational goals and philosophy of teaching
Integrate personal experiences, training and reflection to support your philosophy
May include your perspectives on:
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Learning theory
Goals of instruction
Roles and responsibilities of the learner
Roles of the teacher
Description of the variables which promote learning
Section 2: Curriculum Development and Instructional Design
Description:
Curriculum review in the portfolio should include the following instructional design
elements:
1) Definition of educational objectives in measurable terms (Who will do how much of
what by when?)
2) Development and sequencing of instructional units keyed to the objectives
3) Selection of educational strategies: lectures, small groups, PBL, clinical rounds,
consistent with objectives
4) Preparation of instructional materials, handouts, and supplemental resources
5) Evaluation of program/curriculum Documentation:
This section should include curriculum projects for which you have had primary
responsibility. Curriculum development/review includes the elements outlined above, and evidence
which supports the value merit and/or worth of the curriculum:
• peer review
• review by education specialists
• student evaluations
Section 3: Educational Skills
Description:
Educational skills are your ability to deliver instruction using techniques that maximize
learning. Examples include your ability to present and reinforce information; stimulate
thinking; encourage scientific discussion and synthesis of information, and the ability to
respond to a variety of teaching environments.
Documentation:
1. Sample teaching activities:
• A summary of the diversity of audiences you teach and the types of teaching
methods you utilize
2. Evidence for Teaching Competency:
• Learner reviews, ratings of instruction, unsolicited student comments/letters
Section 4: Clinical and/or Educational Advisor
Description:
The goal of any instruction is to change learner's knowledge, attitudes, and/or
behaviors. Instruction occurs in both formal and informal settings. One-on-one
involvement with learners (coach, guide, mentor) impacts their development as
professionals. This section provides the opportunity to the impact of your informal
educator endeavors.
Documentation Types:
• List of formal advisees and projects
• List of informal advisees. Consider asking advisees to write a 1-2 page summary
of how they have been "changed" as a result of candidate's interactions
• Examples of advisee work while under your guidance
Section 5: Documentation of Clinical Competence
Description:
As a clinician-educator, you must demonstrate documentation of clinical competence
and expertise.
Documentation:
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Clinical credentials (verification)
Patient Letter’ of support/appreciation
Clinical letters of appreciation (command or national societies)
Section 6: Regional/National Scholarship
Description:
Promotion on the clinician-educator path requires documentation that your efforts have
helped to advance educational or clinical knowledge. Examples of this include
documentation of:
I. Regional/National Presentations and Publications
o publications and presentations related to education using publication
style reference
o invited presentations
o serving as a discussant at a meeting
o peer reviewer for education
o reviewer for regional/national education-related conferences and/or
journals
II. Grant or Contract
o title
o source of funding
o P.I.
o position
o dates
o amount
III. Membership and Service in Medical Education-Related Professional Organizations
• Leadership roles in professional organizations (Committees; Boards, …)
Section 7: Continuing Medical Education
Description:
You must provide documentation that you have maintained your continuing medical
education requirements for your medical specialty. AAFP Members: The AAFP CME
Center has a nice summary printout of 3 year aliquots of CME.
Documentation:
•
I would advise using the AAFP CME Center (or other professional society
equivalent) here
Section 8: Honors and Awards
Description:
Awards, certificates, and honors provide evidence that your peers hold you in high
academic esteem. These recognitions can be included in a portfolio as peer recognition
of expertise.
Documentation: (could include both recognition as an "educator" and as a "clinician" or
"scientist")
• awards; certificates; honors
Selected References for the Educator’s Portfolio
Beasley BW, Wright SM, Cofrancesco J, Babbott SF, Thomas PA, Bass EB. Promotion
Criteria for Clinician-Educators in the United States and Canada. JAMA 278:723728,1997.
Beecher AC, Lindemann JC, Morzinski JA, Simpson DE. Use of the Educator's
Portfolio to Stimulate Reflective Practice Among Medical Educators. The Educator's
Portfolio. Teaching and Learning in Medicine 9:56-59, 1997.
Beecher A, Simpson D, Morzinski J, Lindemann J. Meeting the Challenge to
Document Teaching Accomplishments: The Educator's Portfolio. Teaching and
Learning in Medicine 6:203-206, 1994.
Challis M, Mathers NJ, Howe AC, Field NJ. Portfolio-based Learning: Continuing
Medical Education for General Practitioners - a Mid-point Evaluation. Medical
Education 21:22-2, 1997.
Edgerton R, Hugchings P, Quinlan K. The Teaching Portfolio: Capturing the
Scholarship in Teaching. Washington, DC: American Association for Higher Education,
1992.
Rothman AI, Poldre P, Cohen R. Evaluating Clinical Teachers for Promotion. Acad
Med 64:774-775, 1989.
Seldin P. The Teaching Portfolio: A Practical Guide to Improved Performance and
Promotion/Tenure Decisions (2nd edition). Boston, MA: Anker Publishing Co., 1997.