Prevocational e-portfolio tracks doctor’s learning skills

Prevocational e-portfolio tracks doctor’s learning skills

For the first time, new doctors, from November 2014, will be able to record and keep track of their learning anywhere, anytime through a new e-portfolio system.

The introduction of the e-portfolio system is one of a number of changes to prevocational training which spans the first two years following graduation from medical school.

Medical Council chairman, Mr Andrew Connolly said today, ‘The e-portfolio system will make it easy for the doctors to track their progress and help them to target their learning around the things they need to learn and build on.’

‘From the Council’s perspective it’s another major leap forward in getting The New Zealand Curriculum Framework for Prevocational Medical Training (NZCF) up, running and implemented.’

The NZCF lists the learning outcomes to be achieved by new doctors and builds on experience, competencies, attitudes and behaviours acquired during medical school, particularly during the 6th year.

Mr Connolly paid tribute to the role played by Health Workforce New Zealand.

‘We’ve had a great working partnership with Health Workforce New Zealand who have seen the value of prevocational training and the benefits of the new curriculum for public health and safety.’

‘We’ve also be fortunate that Health Workforce New Zealand have funded the capital costs of the project which enable us to bring the concept of an e-portfolio to life.’ said Mr Connolly.

Mr Connolly says the Council undertook a robust and competitive process to identify a provider of the e-portfolio system.

Seventeen proposals were shortlisted to five, who were then asked to present their proposal to an evaluation panel.

‘We are delighted to be able to announce the Council has chosen the Best Practice Advocacy Centre New Zealand (bpacnz) as the provider of the e-portfolio system.’

‘Bpacnz have demonstrated a great understanding of our needs and with their expertise in health systems they have been able to come up with a solution that went beyond our expectations,’ said Mr Connolly.

The web based system will allow for sophisticated reporting that will assist quality improvement and will let interns, their supervisors and key staff within each training provider use it on their smart phones, tablets and desktops.

The Director of Health Workforce New Zealand, Dr Graeme Benny, said that Health Workforce New Zealand was delighted with the progress made to date on the development of the e-portfolio platform.

‘Actively supporting our health professionals through their training and subsequent career development is a key focus for Health Workforce New Zealand. The Council has led the development of an electronic platform that, while initially applied to the medical workforce, will ultimately benefit all health professionals as we extend the same functionality to our allied health, nursing and community based health workers.’

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