First year specialist trainees' engagement with reflective practice in the e-portfolio

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Professional Development
• Healthcare Training

Background:

• Specialist doctors in training are required to use electronic portfolios (e-portfolios) for documenting clinical learning experiences.
• Reflection on clinical practice is a key component of professional development for doctors in specialist training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how specialist doctors engage in reflective practice.
• To investigate the utilization of e-portfolios for documenting evidence of reflection.
• To assess the quality and quantity of reflection documented in e-portfolios.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi technique was employed to create a grading system for evaluating reflection levels.
• Qualitative analysis, including coding and categorization, was used to analyze transcripts of reflective accounts.

Main Results:

• Significant variation exists in both the quantity and quality of reflection documented by doctors.
• Key themes identified include clinical knowledge/skills, learning in practice, communication, emotions, and broader medical practice aspects.
• The extent to which doctors engage in and document reflection varies considerably.

Conclusions:

• There is a notable disparity in how doctors engage with and document reflective practice using e-portfolios.
• Further investigation is required to identify facilitators and barriers to effective e-portfolio reflection.
• The accuracy of documented reflection as a representation of actual cognitive processes needs further exploration.