Students’ perception of portfolio as a learning tool at King Abdulaziz University Medical School

Abstract

Background: Medical education has a longstanding tradition of using logbooks to record activities. The portfolio is an alternative tool to document competence and promote reflective practice. This study assessed the acceptance of portfolio use among Saudi undergraduate medical students.

Methods: Portfolios were introduced in the 2nd through 5th years at King Abdulaziz University over a two-year period (2013–2015). At the end of each academic year, students completed a mixed questionnaire that included a self-assessment of skills learned through the use of portfolio.

Results: The results showed a difference in focus between basic and clinical years: in basic years students’ focus was on acquiring practical skills, but in clinical years they focused more on acquiring complex skills, including identifying and managing problems. The questionnaire responses nonetheless revealed a positive trend in acceptance (belief in the educational value) of portfolios among students and their mentors, across the years of the program.

Conclusions: Using portfolios as a developmental learning and formative assessment tool in the early undergraduate years was found to contribute to students’ ability to create their own clinical skills guidelines in later years, as well as to engage in and appreciate reflective learning.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Professor Reginald Dennick of Nottingham University for his valuable contribution, Professor Enas Hamid of Cairo University for her input regarding the interpretation of the data, Professor Soad Shaker, Professor Alrahaman Fahmi, and Dr. Hussam Hamdi for their efforts in mentoring basic year students, and the members of the KAU Pediatrics Department for supporting implementation of the project and for mentoring students in the clinical years. Finally, we would like to thank Ms. Maysa Banjar and Ms. Malak Abdulghafour Almaghroub for their assistance with data collection. The Saudi Supplement on Medical Education is sponsored and supported by Al Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a financial grant from The Ministry of Higher Education, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Notes on contributors

Nadia M. Fida

Nadia Fida, MBBS, CABP, is a Professor of Pediatrics at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Chair of the Medical Education Department, 2010–2012. She holds a Master’s in medical education from Nottingham University in Great Britain and is a member of the Arab Board in Pediatrics and of the AMEE and AAP.

Mohammed Hassanien

Mohammed Ahmed Hassanien, PhD, JMHPE, CMCL-FAIMER, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University – Medical Education, Saudi Arabia, Jeddah, King Abdulaziz University Faculty of Medicine, Medical Education Department, P.O. 80205, Jeddah 21589, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.

Muhammad Shahid Shamim

Muhammad Shahid Shamin, MBBS, FCPS, FRCS, King Abdulaziz University – Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh Abdullah Suleiman Street, Al Jamiaa Area, 80200 Jeddah 80200, Saudi Arabia.

Reem Alafari

Reem Alaffari King, MBBS, Med, academic fellowship in family and community medicine, Abdulaziz University – Medical Education, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Rania Zaini

Rania Ghazi Zaini, PhD, the Head of the Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Shagufta Mufti

Shagufta Mufti, MBBS, MD, King Abdulaziz University – Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomic Pathology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Abdulmonem Al-Hayani

Abdulmonem Al-Hayani, PhD, King Abdulaziz University – Faculty of Medicine, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Mohammed Farouq

Mohammed Farouq, MBBS, CABP, King Abdulaziz University – Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, Abdullah Suleiman Street, Al Jamiaa Area 80200, Jeddah 80200, Saudi Arabia.

Hassan Al-Zahrani

Hasan Al-Zahrani, MD, FRCS, MMEd, Professor of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.