Developmental Coaching for Clinician Educators: Just What the Doctor Ordered

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Professional Development
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Clinician educators in academic medical centers face significant challenges in professional promotion, leading to burnout and career attrition.
• Existing promotion systems often create barriers to career advancement and fulfillment for clinician educators.
• Coaching, a supportive and evidence-based practice, is increasingly recognized for its potential to address these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present faculty coaching as a strategic intervention for clinician educators.
• To review the evidence supporting coaching within and outside of medicine.
• To provide a conceptual model and guidelines for effective faculty coaching.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on coaching effectiveness in medicine and other fields.
• Development of a conceptual model for faculty coaching.
• Formulation of guidelines for coaches and coachees.

Main Results:

• Coaching demonstrates potential to reduce burnout and enhance self-reflection, teaching effectiveness, goal setting, and career planning.
• Evidence from outside medicine supports coaching's efficacy in fostering personal and professional growth.
• Initial medical evidence suggests coaching improves adaptive expertise and professional identity.

Conclusions:

• Faculty coaching is a powerful tool to help clinician educators overcome professional advancement hurdles and achieve career fulfillment.
• Implementing structured coaching programs can mitigate burnout and improve retention in academic medicine.
• Clear roles and responsibilities for coaches and coachees are essential for successful faculty development programs.