BACKGROUND: This article illustrates the creation of a specialty specific portfolio that can be used by several different residency programs to document resident competence during a given rotation. METHODS: Three different disciplines (anesthesiology, surgery and medicine) worked together to create a critical care medicine portfolio. We began by reviewing the curriculum requirements for critical care medicine and organized these requirements into the six ACGME core competencies. We then developed learner led exercises in each core competency that were specific to critical care. Each exercise includes assessment of resident knowledge and application, an evaluation of the exercise, a learner self-assessment of skill, and a review of performance by a faculty member. Portfolio entries are highlighted in a multi-disciplinary weekly conference and posted on a critical care web site at our University. CONCLUSIONS: Creation of specialty specific portfolio reduces redundancy between disciplines, allows for increased time to be spent on the development of exercises specific to rotation objectives, and aids program directors in the collection of portfolio entries for each resident over the course of a residency.