Portfolios in Saudi medical colleges: Why and how?

Authors

• Nadia M. Fida, From the Department of Pediatrics (Fida), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, the Surgery and Medical Education Unit (Shamim), College of Medicine, Rabigh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Muhammad S. Shamim, From the Department of Pediatrics (Fida), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, the Surgery and Medical Education Unit (Shamim), College of Medicine, Rabigh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Over recent decades, the use of portfolios in medical education has evolved, and is being applied in undergraduate and postgraduate programs worldwide. Portfolios, as a learning process and method of documenting and assessing learning, is supported as a valuable tool by adult learning theories that stress the need for learners to be self-directed and to engage in experiential learning. Thoughtfully implemented, a portfolio provides learning experiences unequaled by any single learning tool. The credibility (validity) and dependability (reliability) of assessment through portfolios have been questioned owing to its subjective nature; however, methods to safeguard these features have been described in the literature. This paper discusses some of this literature, with particular attention to the role of portfolios in relation to self-reflective learning, provides an overview of current use of portfolios in undergraduate medical education in Saudi Arabia, and proposes research-based guidelines for its implementation and other similar contexts.

Article Type

Review

First Page

245

Last Page

248

Recommended Citation

Fida, Nadia M. and Shamim, Muhammad S. (2016) "Portfolios in Saudi medical colleges: Why and how?," Saudi Medical Journal: Vol. 37: Iss. 3, Article 3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2016.3.12937