Promoting the Wellness of Physician-Residents: Counselor-Delivered Coaching

Abstract

Current studies on coaching have largely been process- and outcomes-oriented while lacking a firm theoretical foundation on which to base skills and techniques. Coaching has been utilized in many settings in order to address employee work attitude and well-being. This article explores the effects of counselor-delivered coaching on the wellness of physician-residents. Counselors are trained in many of the skills that organically apply to coaching, and medical education programs can benefit from counselor-facilitated coaching as part of their graduate medical education program. Counselor-delivered coaching also can help residents reduce common stresses, mitigate negative patient outcomes, and avoid burnout. This increase in physician wellness is likely to result in decreased medical errors. For these reasons, the authors explore the use of basic counseling techniques in the context of coaching sessions involving medical school educators and residents, thereby bridging the gap between coaching and counseling. Counselor-delivered coaching may be a valuable resource for reducing physician burnout. Therefore, medical schools and medical practices should consider developing and including counselor-delivered coaching to improve physicians’ quality of life and thus, in turn, patient results. Findings from this study support future data-driven studies of counselor-delivered coaching, training opportunities for counselor education programs, and an evolution of coaching techniques.

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