As systems supporting medical education are increasingly being delivered online, making them more accessible to doctors working unsociable hours, RCPI is modernising its training programmes accordingly, moving away from paper-based processes. The RCPI ePortfolio is a purpose-built website, developed in conjunction with NES (NHS Education for Scotland), for recording medical training and educational activities. It has been launched to over 500 first-year trainees who entered Basic Specialist Training, the Registrar Training Programme and Higher Specialist Training on 11 July this year, and so far uptake among trainees has exceeded expectations.

Professor Alf Nicholson, Associate Dean of Basic Specialist Training in Paediatrics, welcomed this initiative, adding, “This is an important step forward for trainees and avoids form filling – in this electronic age, it is clearly the way forward. The ePortfolio is user-friendly and we are better able to track trainees’ progress.”

Dr Ann O’Shaughnessy, Head of Education and Professional Development at RCPI, added, “Both trainees and trainers will log in to a private, individual ePortofiolio account with a username and password. The system will allow the trainees to record their training and educational activities and track their progress against their curriculum requirements. Trainers will be able to see if a trainee is progressing satisfactorily, or if there are certain areas where the requirements are not being met. All training activities will be reviewed and electronically signed off by trainers.”