title: Evaluation of the professional process portfolio: an innovative tool to help develop and demonstrate leadership competency.
abstract: The professional process portfolio (PPP) was adopted by the Maternal Child and Health Bureau (MCHB) as an 'innovation' in best practice for all Leadership in Education and Adolescent Health (LEAH) Training Programs; however it had not been formally evaluated. Thus the objective was to evaluate the utility of the PPP for graduates of the LEAH training program in terms of (1) how alumni have used, adapted, and applied it since completing fellowship, (2) what fellows learned or gained through completing it, and (3) how it can be improved for continued use in training programs. Graduates from six disciplines were asked via telephone or email to participate in a survey regarding their experience with the PPP. Descriptive statistics were generated for demographic characteristics and closed-choice questions. Responses to open-ended questions were analyzed by a team of faculty using framework analysis. Sixty-one graduates completed surveys. The majority (85%) found the PPP useful and utilized it post-graduation for multiple purposes in professional development: interviewing, training, and referencing previous work. Graduates recommended that the PPP be improved by making it electronic, discipline-specific, and providing earlier and more frequent instruction from faculty on expectations of creating it. Four themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis: accomplishment, experiential learning, skills and accountability, and a best practice of learning. The PPP was an effective personal learning tool for the majority of graduates and enhanced graduates' experiences. We highlight the ways that the PPP may facilitate the development of learning experiences associated with MCH leadership competence.
authors.affiliation: Section of Adolescent Medicine and Sports Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 6701 Fannin Street, Ste 1710.00, Houston, TX, 77030, USA, esh1@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Elisabeth S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Hastings
authors.forename: Mariam R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Chacko
authors.forename: Amy B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: Albert C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hergenroeder
authors.forename: Constance M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wiemann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D004517:Education, Professional / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008430:Maternal-Child Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011361:Professional Competence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States