Chapter 4: The Portfolio

DEVELOPING A PORTFOLIO

A portfolio provides more detail and supplements—not replaces—your resume. Portfolios vary widely, but a key feature is the inclusion of artifacts. Artifacts are tangible objects that demonstrate your work. Examples of artifacts include samples of your work such as history and physicals and progress notes. Faculty often critiques such documents and you should use these examples after you have made the necessary revisions. You will want to be sure that all of this documentation has had patient identifiers removed. Course outlines and syllabi, procedure checklists, etc., that you created by yourself or as part of a team effort, are also important to include. You may also wish to include statements from patients or providers expressing their satisfaction with care you have provided. You may also want to include your diplomas, proof of certifications (i.e., CPR, ACLS, etc.), and licensure in your portfolio. These items should never be the originals but copies only. Portfolios can be paper or electronic; electronic formats include web pages, PDF documents, and even PowerPoint presentations.¹ You may provide a web link to your documents if you have utilized a program such as Typhon² to collect your data.

RESUMES AND CURRICULUM VITAE

Both resumes and curriculum vitae (CV) are used when applying for an NP position. There are, however, differences between them. A resume (Table 4-1) is typically shorter and often a one-page synopsis. A CV is more detailed and may be two to three pages in length (Table 4-2). They are not always interchangeable so attention to detail of the instructions is important when applying for a position as to which document the employer is requesting. Resumes and CVs provide you an opportunity to “sell yourself” to your future employer. Use these tools to highlight your academic and career achievements. They are your future employer’s “first impression of you.”