Emotional Intelligence as a Component of Surgical Coaching: A Scoping Review

Surgical coaching has become more widespread and involves both technical and nontechnical skills. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is an important nontechnical skill and is associated with leadership skills, increased job satisfaction and superior nontechnical skills. This scoping review aimed to explore the use of EI as a component of surgical coaching.

A scoping review was conducted to map the existing literature. Medline was searched from inception to May 2023. Eligible studies included surgical coaching, which incorporated aspects of emotional intelligence into the non-technical skills component.

3206 studies were identified in the initial search. A total of 2117 articles remained after duplicates were removed. 2117 articles were screened by 2 authors (DA and MR). 32 studies were included in the full-text review, and 8 studies were included in the final analysis. Coaching was predominantly delivered by practicing surgeons, although 1 study used external professional coaches. Training methods for coaches vary widely, from short courses to extensive workshops, highlighting the lack of standardized training protocols within the field. The outcomes measured across studies were diverse, encompassing both technical and non-technical skills, as well as emotional intelligence constructs. Non-technical skills were predominantly assessed using the Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS) assessment tool, whereas other outcomes included burnout, resilience, and technical skills. Notably, none of the studies incorporated formal measurements of emotional intelligence, although aspects such as motivation, empathy, self-knowledge, and social skills were addressed in the coaching sessions.

Standardization of coaching protocols and incorporation of emotional intelligence principles represent critical avenues for advancing the field and maximizing the benefits of coaching interventions in surgical practice.