Portfolio Templates

Overview

A strong portfolio does not happen by accident.
It is built through structure, consistency, and smart organisation.

Many doctors struggle not because they lack evidence — but because their evidence is scattered, unclear, or poorly presented.

This page shows you how to fix that.

What a Good Portfolio Actually Does

Your portfolio should make it easy for a supervisor or panel to see:

  • That you are developing clinically
  • That you reflect appropriately
  • That you engage with feedback
  • That you take initiative
  • That you are safe and professional

If they have to search for evidence, your portfolio is too messy.

Core Sections Every Portfolio Should Have

Regardless of specialty, most strong portfolios include:

  • Reflections
  • Supervised Learning Events (mini-CEX, CBD, DOPS)
  • Teaching activities
  • Audit / QIP
  • Courses and CPD
  • Feedback (TAB/MSF)
  • Supervisor meetings
  • Certificates and exams

These are the pillars.

The Most Common Portfolio Problem

Doctors often upload:

  • Screenshots
  • Random PDFs
  • Disorganised evidence
  • Reflections with no learning point
  • Duplicate material

This creates a portfolio that looks busy but weak.

Quality beats quantity.

Example Portfolio Structure (You Can Copy)

You can structure your evidence like this:

Clinical Development

  • Mini-CEX (clerking, examination, communication)
  • CBDs (clinical reasoning, complex cases)
  • DOPS (procedures)

Reflection Bank

  • Challenging case
  • Communication difficulty
  • Error or near miss
  • Ethical dilemma
  • Feedback received
  • Good outcome

Teaching Evidence

  • Session delivered
  • Feedback forms
  • Reflection on teaching

Audit / QIP

  • Project summary
  • Data collected
  • Changes made
  • Outcomes
  • Reflection

Courses & CPD

  • Certificates
  • What you learned
  • How it changed your practice

This structure makes your development obvious.

Reflection Template (Simple and Effective)

You can provide this to users as a reusable template:

Context: What happened?
Thoughts: What were you thinking at the time?
Learning: What did you learn?
Change: What will you do differently next time?

Short. Honest. Powerful.

Panels value authenticity more than perfect writing.

Supervisor-Friendly Portfolios Get Signed Off Faster

Consultants are busy.
They are more likely to support doctors whose portfolios are:

  • Organised
  • Easy to navigate
  • Clearly labelled
  • Relevant
  • Honest

Make it easy for them to help you.

What You Can Offer as Downloadable Templates

On your site, you could provide:

  • Reflection template (Word/PDF)
  • Mini-CEX template
  • CBD template
  • Teaching log template
  • Audit/QIP tracker
  • Monthly portfolio checklist
  • Supervisor meeting template

These are high-value resources doctors actively search for.

Reality Check

You do not need a perfect portfolio.
You need a coherent, consistent, and genuine one.

Most doctors only struggle because no one teaches them how to structure it.

Reassurance

Once you have a system, maintaining your portfolio becomes easy and low-stress.
A good portfolio is not hard work — it is smart organisation.