From Blueprints to Build: A Workshop for Developing a Clinical Coaching Program

Clinical coaching is an effective way to support learner skill attainment and professional development. Multiple health professions societies encourage coaching as an integral strategy that should be incorporated in training programs. However, a structured, systematic approach to developing coaching programs does not exist. This workshop presented a framework to help individual programs develop their own clinical coaching program.

We developed a 105-minute workshop that includes both didactics and facilitated small- and large-group discussions where participants used an innovative Coaching Program Blueprint to design and build or refine a model for their own coaching program. We used an anonymous postworkshop survey to assess the effectiveness of workshop content, format, and resources.

The workshop was presented at two national (2022, 2023) and two international (2022, 2023) academic medical conferences to audiences of various roles in medical education, but with a primary focus on resident and fellow education. Postworkshop survey results included a total of 124 participants. The participants identified learning about different structures and stages of clinical coaching programs as the most valuable aspect of the workshop and appreciated the Blueprint as a clear framework for program structure and organization. Participants suggested that the workshop could be improved by allowing more time to expand on the main four coaching structural principles.

The Coaching Program Blueprint is a useful resource to help educational leaders develop a clinical coaching program. Ongoing education differentiating coaching from mentoring or advising programs is important to consider when developing a clinical coaching program.