EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Contouring Your Career: A Brief Guide to Highlighting Achievements in an Educator Portfolio By Jessica L. Nelson MD, David Manthey MD, Muhammad Waseem MD, Suzanne Bentley MD, MPH on behalf of the SAEM Education Committee
SAEM PULSE | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
What is an educator portfolio?
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An educator portfolio (EP) is a valuable tool for emergency physicians in academic careers, although it can be helpful regardless of practice setting. An educator portfolio is used to collate and highlight an individual’s educational philosophy, goals, and accomplishments; document scholarly activities and teaching; and cultivate multiple sources of educational expertise and progress. An EP serves as a summary and personal statement of the strengths and innovations in an individual educator’s work. In contrast to a curriculum vitae (CV), an EP is designed to be more narrative in format and capture more comprehensive evidence of educational performance; this includes documenting a wide range of teaching and education program details (e.g. teaching methods utilized,
“An educator portfolio serves as a summary and personal statement of the strengths and innovations in an individual educator’s work.” curricular examples, and representative learner evaluations and feedback).
How is an educator portfolio used?
An EP can serve a multitude of purposes depending on an individual’s position and desired advancement. For example, an applicant for a faculty position at a new site can utilize an EP to document his or her teaching effectiveness. Established faculty can utilize their EPs to demonstrate the
scholarship of their educational work as they progress along the tenure track. As a career evolves based on a physician’s opportunities, talents, and mentors, an EP will similarly evolve. Many medical schools and academic institutions require faculty to provide their professional achievements in an EP as part of the promotions process. The EP is often also used during annual performance reviews, grant proposal submissions, and award applications.
