Portfolio to Go: 1000+ Reflective Writing Prompts and Provocations for Clinical Learners

Preparing a learning portfolio has become a mandatory part of the course work in most clinical professions. Students and educators alike sometimes complain that these mandatory assignments become repetitive and uninspired. However, we all need to be able to speak and write clearly as we work with our colleagues, students and those we care for. In Portfolio To Go, Allan D. Peterkin insists that reflective capacity, critical thinking, creative expression, and narrative competence are attributes that should be developed in every health professional – regardless of the discipline or specialty. Trainees will find over 1000 prompts organized under themes highly relevant to students and educators, including those not formally addressed in class, such as coping with uncertainty and ambiguity, team conflict, and resilience through good self-care. Practical tips for writing effectively and for discussing and evaluating narratives in a helpful, respective manner are provided throughout. Peterkin is a pioneer in emphasizing patient-centred, humanistic care and Portfolio To Go will help to train and develop more reflective practitioners.

Table of Contents:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION – Some Background on Reflective Capacity 1. Why We Write (and How We Can Do It Better) 2. What Can My Reflective Portfolio Be? 3. Finding Optimal Conditions to Write and Reflect 4. Getting Started: Learning as a Journey – Writing Prompts 5. Using Writing Prompts and Storytelling to Maximize Growth and Reflection 6. Communication – Writing Prompts 7. Collaboration and Teamwork – Writing Prompts 8. Conflict – Writing Prompts 9. The Personal Narrative Reflection Tool – Steps for Enhancing Critical Reflection in your Portfolio Entries 10. The Patient or Client as Person – Writing Prompts 11. Diversity Culture Equity – Writing Prompts 12. Social Justice/ Advocacy – Writing Prompts  13. From Portfolio to Action: Practical Strategies for Practicing Narrative-Based Care 14. Well-Being and the Clinician as a Person – Writing Prompts 15. Ambiguity/ Uncertainty – Writing Prompts 16. Career Satisfaction – Writing Prompts 17. Battling the Inner Critic – How to Stay Open when you Reflect and Write 18. Personal Reflections – Writing Prompts 19. Elements of Critical Written Reflection 20. Sample Course Guidelines – USCF LEAP and Reflection on Action Rubric (UCSF) 21. The Body – Writing Prompts 22. Things to Consider when Forming a Reflective Writing Group 23. Professionalism and Ethics – Writing Prompts 24. Values, Beliefs and Assumptions – Writing Prompts   25. Toward a More In-depth Assessment of Reflective Writing Evaluation – How do Professors Grade Your Assignments? 26. Hidden Curriculum and Power – Writing Prompts  27. Am I a Good Group Member? Positive Characteristics 28. Dilemmas and Difficult Stories – Writing Prompts  29. Sample Discussion Points when Working with Students  30. For Teachers and Student Leaders  31. A Sample Narrative Reflection Workshop Evaluation 32. Creativity – Writing Prompts  33. Graphic Medicine – Reflecting Without Words 34. Getting Published – Common Themes that Predict Success  35. Guidelines for Narrative Accountability when Writing about Patients / Clients 36. Finding Publishing Opportunities 37. A Few Words on Blogging and Social Media 38. Other Writing and Healing References 39. Author Biography

About the Author :
Allan D. Peterkin is a professor of psychiatry and family medicine at the University of Toronto.

Review :
" Portfolio to Go contains a compilation of prompts that are excellent, provocative, and stimulating. Grouping them with CanMEDS roles is really useful for physicians and a wonderful idea." --Sheila Pinchin, Educational Developer, Office of Health Sciences, Queen's University