Coaching for improving clinical performance of surgeons: a scoping review

Surgical coaching has been proven to effectively enhance clinical performance. However, diverse implementation strategies present challenges when initiating new programs. Our scoping review aimed to synthesize the existing literature on surgical coaching, thereby informing the direction of future coaching initiatives. We reviewed published articles in PubMed/Medline and suppletory manuscripts from reference lists. The protocol of our review was registered (osf.io, Z3S8H). Inclusion criteria were studies that provided a detailed description of structured surgical coaching programs aimed at improving clinical performance. Excluded were studies focused on mentoring, teaching, or other forms of coaching that did not align with our specific definition of surgical coaching. We extracted and charted variables such as authors, publication year, geographic region, and others for subsequent analysis. A total of 117 studies were screened, and 11 met our inclusion criteria. Among these, five articles (45%) employed objective metrics to evaluate clinician performance. One study reported on the overall complication rates within 30 days as a measured outcome. Surgeons were the primary coachees in ten of the studies (91%), and the training of coaches was deemed necessary in seven studies (64%). The analyses revealed a preference for expert coaching models (6/11, 55%), video-based coaching (9/11, 82%), and postoperative timelines (7/11, 64%). Various coaching models were identified, including PRACTICE, GROW, and WISCONSIN. As an effective education method, surgical coaching has been conducted in many regions with varied designs. The implementation of structured surgical coaching programs offers substantial benefits for trainers, enhancing efficiency. Future research should focus on generating higher-level evidence, utilizing objective measurement tools, and integrating innovative technologies to further enhance the efficacy of surgical coaching programs.