Do Resident Coaching Programs Benefit their Coaches? Impact of a Professional Development Coaching Program on The...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Coaching
• Physician Well-being

Background:

• Coaching interventions are recognized for reducing physician burnout, with a primary focus on coachee outcomes.
• This study investigates the impact of coaching on women surgeons serving as coaches in a virtual professional development program.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of professional development coaching on the well-being and burnout levels of women surgeons.
• To analyze the relationship between coaching, burnout, and professional fulfillment in this cohort.

Main Methods:

• A 9-month virtual coaching program was implemented within the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) from 2018 to 2020.
• Participants (AWS members) volunteered and received professional development coaching training.
• Pre- and post-study surveys assessed burnout, professional fulfillment, hardiness, and other well-being indicators, with bivariate analysis performed.

Main Results:

• No significant changes in burnout or professional fulfillment were observed among the 57 participants who completed both surveys.
• Bivariate analysis indicated that higher hardiness was associated with lower burnout throughout the program.
• Coaches reporting lower burnout at study's end met with their coachees more frequently (p=0.0099).

Conclusions:

• Participating as a coach in this program did not directly enhance the well-being or reduce burnout in women surgeons.
• Higher hardiness was correlated with lower burnout, suggesting this trait warrants further investigation in surgeon well-being.
• Future research should incorporate control groups and explore qualitative benefits of coaching for surgeons.