Your e-Portfolio is an online tool to gather and store evidence of progression throughout your time as a Foundation Doctor (FD). You can store clinical competencies, reflections on learning, interactions and any extra-curricula events or contributions that you feel demonstrate your progress in the Medical Career.

The purpose of the e-portfolio is to demonstrate that at the end of the Foundation Year (FY) 1 you have reached a level of competency in which you would be able to work safely, more independently and with greater responsibility. To ensure you have demonstrated this fully, your e-Portfolio will be audited at the Annual Review of Competency Progression (ARCP) at the end of the academic year.

• Horus – The e-portfolio platform used in England
• Turas – The e-portfolio platform used in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

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Key Dates

• e-Portfolio is accessible from your start date in August
• Each placement is automatically uploaded and updated every 4 months
• e-Portfolio closes in May, before ARCP (ARCP was 27th May in 2022)

Mandatory Forms for Each Placement

At the beginning of each placement

• 1st Placement: Combined Initial and Induction – with Educational Supervisor [ES] (who is also Clinical Supervisor [CS])
• 2nd and 3rd Placements: Initial Meeting with ES and Induction Meeting with CS
• Beginning of all 3 placements: Personal Development Plan (PDP) completed by the Foundation Doctor (FD)

Initial, Induction and Combined Meetings – these meetings give you an opportunity to meet your Educational and Clinical Supervisors and discuss any specific learning needs you may have, and explore opportunities within the department. Within these meetings, you will outline your proposed responsibilities in the department and also raise any perceived problems that may arise. It’s also a good opportunity to get a formal induction into the department.

PDP – this should be used to outline Specific Learning Outcomes in each placement that you want to achieve. It can be done with your CS/ES or independently. State what specific development needs you have and how these will be accomplished, then use them as evidence later to reflect upon.

At the end of each placement

• Clinical supervisors end of placement report (CSR) 
• Educational supervisors end of placement report (ESR), replaced by the Educational Supervisors End of Year Report in placement 3
• Your ES will have to do both CSR and ESR at the end of the 1st block 
• Placement Supervision Group (PSG) – local rules apply

CSR and ESR – both these forms must be completed at the end of each rotation (except for Block 3 in which the Educational Supervisors End of Year Report replaces the ESR). They demonstrate your progression within the department and within the Foundation Programme. They can also be used to outline any area for improvement moving forward and can be used to influence your next PDP.

PSG – this form is used to get anonymous feedback on your performance within a department. You initially fill it in then send it to your colleagues for their feedback. To complete the form you will need it filled in by: 

• 2 Consultants 
• 3 Middle Grades
• 2 FY1/2
• 2 Nursing Staff 
• +/- other staff 

Your CS has to open and close the form for it to be completed and you may be able to do one per year. If this is the case, we recommend completing it in a different rotation to your Team Assessment of Behaviour (TAB) to show progression if any problems are highlighted. However, check with your Teaching Department as local rules apply and you may have to complete one per block.

At the end of the placement, you should also complete the Curriculum Narrative for each HLO and make sure any evidence you have uploaded is mapped to the appropriate HLOs. Each Curriculum Narrative is only 100 words per placement so don’t worry about writing too much.

Mandatory Forms for the Year

• PSA
• TAB
• Quality Improvement (QI)
• Reflection
• Form R

PSA – upload your certificate once you have completed this.

TAB – much like the PSG, this is used to anonymously assess your performance in a placement. Again you will need to fill in the form initially and then send this to your colleagues to complete. We would advise completing this in a different placement to the PSG as they can be used in conjunction to show problem areas have been addressed.

QI – as an FD you must partake in 1 QI Project per year in FY1&2. For each project, you must have a named supervisor and be able to discuss the project and outcomes if asked. This can be a QI or Audit however, we would recommend that you do this in an area you are interested in or that is relevant to your career. This will give you the best chance of completing your project. We would also recommend starting early in the year to give yourself time to complete your project.

Reflection – you can reflect on any event – self, group, supervisor, other, personal or professional. You will need to assign to a specific HLO and will need to reflect and outline ‘Next Steps’. We would recommend aiming for one per block 

Form R – this form should be conducted at the end of the year (during placement 3). It will need to be ‘Opened’ by the Foundation School and is used to: outline any leave, sickness, maternity/paternity leave taken, outline any Significant Events, Complaints or Other Investigations that you have been involved in & is an opportunity to state any Compliments. Ensure you have discussed anything you are filling in this form with your ES.

Supervised Learning Events (SLE)

An SLE is an interaction between a foundation doctor and trainer (senior) which leads to feedback and reflective learning. They can be signed off by anyone who has completed their foundation (FY1 & FY2) training and by Pharmacists.
Whilst there is no minimum number to complete, aim for one of each SLE per placement. There are different SLE tools that are utilised in the portfolio:

• Mini-Cex: ‘Records a “patient/foundation doctor encounter” observed by a trainer for teaching purposes.’

These can be any encounter at any time, although ideally a history taking or patient assessment i.e. ward round, Medical/Surgical take, whilst conducting a procedure, calling a relative…

• DOPs: ‘Provides a structured checklist for giving feedback on the foundation doctor’s interaction with the patient when performing a practical procedure. This should be managed by the foundation doctor and observed by a trained trainer for teaching purposes.’

These can be done during any procedure and it does not have to be a new or exciting one! Venepuncture, cannulation, ABGs, ECGs, and lumbar punctures are all great examples.

• CBD: ‘Records a structured discussion for teaching purposes of a clinical case managed by the foundation doctor. It is usually based on case note entry, and takes place between the foundation doctor and a trained trainer.’

The ideal situation for completing a CBD is during the medical/surgical take, however, they can be done following ATSP/management of acutely unwell patients. To complete a CBD well, make sure you follow a structure – history, examination, bloods, scans, investigations and management. They will also usually require a little more time and forethought.

• DCT: ‘Aids the development of a foundation doctor’s skills in teaching and/or making a presentation.’

Any form of teaching can contribute towards a DCT. It does not have to be a formal sit-down teaching session or online presentation, but instead can be bedside student teaching, an interesting case, lessons learned, clinical or non-clinical. MDT, Grand Round, Board Round, FY1 Teaching, Medical Student Teaching, and PA Teaching are all key opportunities to get a DCT completed, just make sure you’ve discussed with someone that you want to be assessed.

• LEARN

These are relatively new forms, however, our general advice is anything you would use for a Mini-CEX, DOP, CBD or DCT can be a LEARN if it’s followed by a reflection. You will need to select what ‘Capability’ you are trying to demonstrate – therefore, demonstrate something you are currently lacking in your portfolio. Use a structured reflection and action plan tool such as SWOT and SMART.

• LEADER 

This is a new form this year and will take some time to complete. It is split into 6 domains:

1. Leadership in a Team 
2. Effective Services
3. Acting in a Team
4. Direction of Setting
5. Enabling Improvement 
6. Reflection 

Let your Assessor fill in the ‘anything especially good’ and ‘suggestions for development’ sections 

ATSP and Acutely Unwell Patient are your best opportunity to complete your LEADER form but if you are struggling, discuss it with ES/CS

Additional Achievements

Additional Achievements can be used for anything that doesn’t fit an SLE and that you feel would improve your ePortfolio or that you would like to record or discuss. They can also be used to record specific academic achievements i.e courses, tasters weeks, publications or research.

By using the Additional Achievements session you can really show engagement in FY1/ePortfolio and so try to complete them whenever you can.

Personal Learning Log (PLL)

Throughout each year of your FY1&2, you will need to record 60 hours of training. Make sure you keep on top of your PLL. It’s very easy to log 60 hours in 52 weeks however, it’s very difficult to log 60 hours in 7 days!

Core: FY1 Teaching sessions are the only “Core” teaching you can really log, therefore the Foundation School (Deanery) should ensure you are able to fulfil this. If you are struggling, discuss with peers what they have logged and discuss with Foundation School what you may have missed.

Additional examples for Core Teaching may include: 

• Simulation training (Core)
• Prescribing Training (Core)
• e-Modules that the Foundation School has specified (Core)

however, you will need to check this with your Foundation School.

Non-Core: any and every bit of additional formal learning you do you should be logging in your non-core teaching hours. Examples include:

• Departmental teaching (seminar or small groups)
• Audits/QI work
• MDT’s
• Balint Groups
• Grand Rounds 
• e-Learning Modules
• May be able to include some revision time

You can get very lucky with some jobs and non-core teaching if the department has a lot of teaching. However, once again make sure you check that what you are logging is correct and that if you’re struggling discuss it with your peers and ES/CS.

By Dr Dominic Quigley (FY2)