COACHING FOR PHYSICIANS

As a physician, I get it. Today’s complex and challenging healthcare environment is very different from what it was like when many of us graduated from medical school and started our practices.

While every physician’s situation is unique, I have identified recurrent themes during my coaching sessions with physicians. I have observed that many of the factors that make us successful are the same ones that contribute to us feeling frustrated and unfulfilled. I believe it is too simplistic to equate burnout with workload. Some of the happiest moments in my medical career were when I was working the most (e.g. during my residency and fellowship training).

CYNICISM + EXHAUSTION + LOW PROFESSIONAL EFFICACY = BURNOUT

WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL BATTERY LEVEL?

One metaphor I use to gauge wellness is the concept of batteries. We become unwell and less effective when our batteries are constantly being drained, with insufficient opportunities to recharge. The activities that recharged me professionally were my interactions with patients, colleagues and learners. What drained my batteries were dealing with inefficient bureaucracy and systemic barriers to care. How workload contributed to the equation was when it prevented me from being able to fully recharge outside of work. 

HOW IS YOUR BATTERY HEALTH?

I recently replaced my cell phone battery, as it was only holding its charge for a few hours at a time. As human beings, we can’t literally replace our battery but we can figuratively do a health check through transformational coaching. If our battery is draining too quickly or we can’t fully recharge, we can explore what’s getting in the way and what we could be doing differently.    

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE FOR COACHING IN MEDICINE?

A recent systematic review (Boet et al., 2023) assessed the impact of coaching on physician wellness and burnout and showed that coaching:

  • improved outcomes related to wellness, including work-life balance, quality of life, resilience, job satisfaction, and professional relationships;

  • generally decreased symptoms of emotional exhaustion, distress and burnout.

Nobody ever taught us in medical school that it is acceptable to prioritize our wellbeing and to stand up for our interests. We spent more time learning about the Krebs cycle and the brachial plexus than we did about communication, conflict management and leadership. 

Coaching can help you to be more aware of what is really getting in the way of your success and consider new habits and ways of thinking. As a coach, I can help you find more fulfillment in your personal and professional relationships and envision a better future.

MOC CREDITS FOR PHYSICIANS

For physicians participating in the MOC Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the requirements were updated in 2024. There is a minimum requirement of 25 credits for Section 3 per five-year cycle and at least 1 “Feedback received” activity, including coaching. You can submit any coaching hours for 3 MOC credits/hour.

SERVICES FOR PHYSICIANS

Please come back to visit this page periodically. In addition to individual coaching sessions, I plan to organize some peer support/group coaching events for physicians.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK WITH A PHYSICIAN COACH? 

Ready to discover how you could feel more fulfilled at work? Aimeriez-vous explorer d’autres options?