Surgical portfolios: A systematic scoping review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Digital Learning

Background:

• Portfolio use is crucial for developing surgical competencies but faces challenges in structure and impact.
• Existing portfolios show variations, limiting their effectiveness in postgraduate surgical education.
• There's a recognized gap in the effective use and design of electronic portfolios (e-portfolios) in surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map current data on portfolio use in postgraduate surgical education.
• To address the lack of e-portfolio utilization in surgical training.
• To guide the design and structuring of e-portfolios for surgery.

Main Methods:

• A Systematic Evidenced Based Approach (SEBA) guided systematic scoping review (SSR) was employed.
• A constructivist ontological approach facilitated reflexive analysis.
• Analysis involved reviewing 13,092 articles, evaluating 839 full-texts, and including 37 relevant studies.

Main Results:

• Thematic and content analysis identified key themes: the role of portfolios, evaluation of their use, and e-portfolio implementation.
• 37 articles were included, revealing common categories related to portfolio function and adoption.
• The review mapped prevailing data on portfolio use in surgical education.

Conclusions:

• Lessons from traditional surgical portfolios can inform the enhanced design, support, and utility of e-portfolios.
• E-portfolios offer accessibility, portability, and convenience, improving user interaction and feedback.
• Further research is needed on systematic assessment tools for e-portfolios and mentor training for their effective use.