Royal College’s Ophthalmology Portfolio Scoring from Severn deanery website 2022

 Domain Headings 

 Guidance 

List of Previous posts 

Please include a list of all your previous posts (your most recent post first).  If you are not currently working within a clinical post please specify. This will not be scored. 

Qualifications with certificates or letter of proof 

CUMULATIVE SCORING (Maximum 4 points) 

1 point – per qualification – MSc, BSc (including Optometry degrees but NOT intercalated degrees) [NEW TO 2022 – intercalated degrees are no longer scored]

2 points- for an MD thesis as part of a degree taken after the primary degree

3 points – for a completed PhD or DPhil. 

MRCP, MRCS, Diploma in Child Health are not scored.  

Prizes/Awards with proof 

 CUMULATIVE SCORING (Maximum 5 points)

1 point each- for Best presentation or poster at a national or international meeting, successful research grant application

2 points – for Crombie Medal (stood 1st in FRCOphth part 1 exam)

2 points – 1st in final undergraduate degree

National Undergraduate prize through competitive examination (in any specialty) e.g. The Duke-Elder prize:

2 points for coming in top 10% of entrants

1 point for being in the top 60% (or a pass in 2016 or earlier exam sittings)

Ophthalmology specialty links and commitment to date as a career 

CUMULATIVE SCORING (Maximum 12 points) 

Refraction Certificate:  2 points  

FRCOphth Part 1: 3 points 

Non-peer reviewed publications & case reports in ophthalmology or other research publications in ophthalmology not included in other sections: 2 points max (1 point per piece if first author otherwise half the points awarded)  

Ophthalmic elective and/or separate undergraduate project:  2 points max (1 point per achievement) 

Taster week: 1 point max. 

Attending ophthalmology clinics and theatre sessions outside of a formal taster week (minimum 10 sessions with dates & supervisor-signed evidence): 1 point max [NEW to 2022 – attending clinic/theatre sessions must now be outside the formal taster week]

EyeSi assessments (minimum 4 hours): 1 point max 

Evidence of other ophthalmology simulation training: 1 point max [This is likely referring to the Royal College microsurgical skills course but it does not mention it specifically, this may mean other relevant simulation may score points]

Meetings attended: 3 points max

·       2 points max for National / International Ophthalmology educational meetings attended (1 point per meeting) and

·       1 point max for Regional Ophthalmology meetings attended (0.5 points per meeting) 

Evidence not included above- discretionary: 1 point max. (not including taking Duke-Elder or WBAs) [NEW to 2022]

Multi-Source Feedback (MSF) 

(Maximum 4 points) 

The MSF must have been taken place within 18 months of the interview date if the candidate has been in clinical posts for this period. Candidates not currently within a clinical post who do not have an MSF within the timeframe (e.g. undertaking a longer period of research or an extended period of leave) should include the MSF from their most recent clinical post. 

The MSF should include feedback from a minimum of 5 respondents if in a general practice post or 7 respondents if in a hospital post.  Your educational supervisor or equivalent supervisor should collate this information and summarise it in a report. The report should include the period the MSF covered.   

The report must be signed by the educational supervisor or department lead and stamped with a departmental stamp.  If including a standard Team Assessment Behaviour Form (TAB) printed from E-portfolio it does not require a signature or departmental stamp. 

For candidates without access to an on-line portfolio or unfamiliar with the MSF process information can be accessed from the link below. 

Click for:  Multi Source Feedback Guidance 

Points will be awarded as follows: 

0 points – for significant negative comments 

1 point – minor negative comments or non-satisfactory scores 

2 points – satisfactory scores with limited good comments 

3 points – satisfactory scores with appropriate good comments

4 points – satisfactory scores with multiple superlative positive comments 

[Helpful clarification on how they score the MSF]

Publications 

(Maximum score 6 points) 

Evidence: List of peer-reviewed original research publications with a photocopy of the first page of each paper

No marks will be given without a copy of the first page of either a published or accepted for publication paper and in the latter case evidence of final acceptance for publication must be presented. 

Please use the standard pro forma to list each piece of evidence including the citation of the journal (author’s name(s), article title, journal name/title, volume of journal, issue number of journal, page or range of pages, year of publication and DOI or URL) and indicate whether you were 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th author. 

3 points – for each publication where you are 1st author or joint first author

1 point – for any other publications up to 4th author (unless > 8 authors in total for article when 1st author only counted) 

0 points – if you are 5th author or lower in the citation

0 points – for case reports. This evidence can be included in “Ophthalmology specialty links and commitment to date as a career” if the work is in Ophthalmology 

[NEW TO 2022 – 5th author or lower no longer scores points – clarification on case reports also included which do not score points in this section]

Quality improvement / Audit projects 

(Maximum score 5 points) 

Copy of your best QI project or audit, performed within the last 3 years of the interview date, with a short summary of your specific role in the project / audit.  The audit should have standards, outcomes and recommendations and be signed by the supervising consultant. 

Note: covering letter or certificate are necessary for proof of presentation 

Points will be awarded as follows: 

0 points – if no evidence of QI / audit work in portfolio

1 point – for participation but no specific roles documented or specific format followed. 

2 points – for initiation and design of the QIP / audit and some evidence of specific format. 

3 points – for initiation, design and writing up the QIP / audit and specific format followed. 

4 points – as above and was personally involved in implementing the QI strategy / completing the audit loop and implementing change

5 points – for published audit or QI guidelines implemented supra-regionally. 

Note: Some modification of these marks may be made dependent on quality of project and impact of the work. If you are not clearly lead on the project then the maximum score is 1 point 

[NEW to 2022 – it is now much harder to score full marks in the QIP section. 4 out of 5 points is still achievable and in previous years probably scored 5/5]

Presentations 

CUMULATIVE SCORING (Maximum score 6 Points) 

List of presentations and copies of abstracts or posters, stating whether it is a poster presentation or oral presentation.  Proof through abstract book or signed letter from supervisor. 

1 Point – Regional presentations (For example regional ophthalmology society meetings or other specialty equivalents in the UK or regional ophthalmology meetings of other countries or equivalent non-ophthalmology meetings)

2 Points – National presentations (For example British Oculoplastic Surgery Society, or other specialty equivalents in the UK or national ophthalmology meetings of other countries or equivalent non-ophthalmology meetings)  

3 Points – International meetings – (For example Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, American Academy of Ophthalmology, RCOphth Congress etc or equivalent non-ophthalmology meetings) 

NB: The same paper presented at different meetings will only be counted once e.g. the highest-ranking meeting. 

·       Accepted presentations, but not yet presented, will be awarded points

·       Oral presentations score points as shown above, e.g. 2 points at national meeting

·       Poster presentations score half points shown above, e.g. 1 point at national meeting

·       Second author or lower scores a half of the oral presentation or poster points, e.g. 0.5 points for a poster at national meeting

Education and Teaching 

CUMULATIVE SCORING (Maximum Score 5 Points) 

Scores will be awarded as follows; 

1 point each – for designing an educational course or e-learning tool, writing an e-book, completing a “teaching the teachers” course, formal role in examining undergraduates

2 points – for writing a chapter in a textbook (not an e-book)

3 points – for writing a book (not an e-book)

3 points – for a Higher teaching qualification e.g. a Diploma, Certificate or Masters in Medical education

All must come with photocopies of a chapter index, attendance certificate or a signed letter from a supervisory Consultant/ Educator etc. as supporting evidence. Specific evidence demonstrating impact of e-learning projects must be presented. Specific evidence of impact of e-books in numbers downloaded or otherwise accessed must be presented.  

[NEW TO 2022 – points scored for e-books have been reduced and download numbers should be included]

Overall portfolio layout & quality 

(Maximum Score 3 Points) 

Layout, organisation and quality of how it is presented will be assessed.