A. Avila2, E. Y. Huang1, R. A. Saberi3, K. Palamara6, H. Chen5, D. Katz4, H. Neville2 1Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN, USA 2Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Hollywood, FL, USA 3DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL, USA 4Memorial Healthcare System, Office Of Human Research, Hollywood, FL, USA 5Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department Of Biostatistics, Nashville, TN, USA 6Massachusetts General Hospital, Department Of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
Introduction:
Studies have shown that professional development coaching using positive psychology principles improve resident well-being, burnout, sense of gratitude, and coping skills. This study aims to evaluate the benefits of coaching on surgeons who function in the role of novice coaches.
Methods:
A prospective quality improvement study was performed from August 2020 to July 2022 in which practicing pediatric surgeons were trained to coach pediatric surgery residents over the course of one year. Coaches completed a survey using validated measures assessing their well-being, professional fulfillment, gratitude, and resilience. This survey was administered at the beginning of the year prior to starting the coaching program and again at the end of the year after they had completed their coaching sessions. Paired comparisons were made between pre- and post-coaching survey results using Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test.
Results:
44 coaches (21 from 2020-2021, 23 from 2021-2022) were evaluated. 52% were male, 71% white, 65% 0-15 years in practice. A greater percentage of coaches showed better survey scores post-coaching in comparison to their pre-coaching scores, specifically in the categories of professional fulfillment, burnout, self-valuation, well-being, intolerance of uncertainty, and hardiness. Fewer had worse scores post-coaching. However, the magnitudes of change were generally small. (Table 1) There was a trend towards dose effect in that those who met with their coachee more often had lower burnout scores (effect=-0.331, LCI=-0.768, UCI=0.106, p=0.145) and higher well-being (PERMA) scores (effect=3.653, LCI=-2.374, UCI=9.680, p=0.242) post-coaching. Coaches agreed that the coaching program better supports trainees in coping with work-life balance, administrative burdens, and self-confidence compared to what is traditionally offered by residency programs.
Conclusion:
This study suggests that professional development coaching may decrease burnout and support the well-being and resilience of coaches. Further studies measuring this effect in a larger population of coaches will help inform this observation.
