🔐Unlocking Success: Why New Docs Need Coaching

When I first worked with a coach it was for a specific issue with resident interactions in my second year as an attending (I was so busy trying to be efficient I forgot to look people in the eye when we talked and make them understand that I was invested and valued them). It was so great that I asked my Chair what else I had to do wrong to keep the coach. He laughed, and I stopped getting coaching ☹️

And it's funny because we all know that leaders have coaches, athletes 🚴🏽‍♀️ have coaches… Why do we forget that coaching isn't just about fixing what's wrong – it's about optimizing what's right! I wanted to go from good to great and I learned that a coach was absolutely the way to do it.

My coach helped me identify opportunities for growth that I hadn't considered. We worked on developing areas where I was NOT struggling, but where I had room to excel. 

As you embark on your career in academic medicine, you're entering a world of immense opportunity and complex challenges. While traditional mentorship has long been a cornerstone of medical education, early coaching can have a transformative impact on your professional career. This blog explores why working with a coach can be a game-changer for your career in academic medicine.

Understanding Coaching in Academic Medicine

Before diving into the benefits, let's clarify what coaching means in this context. Unlike mentorship, which often involves a senior colleague guiding you based on their experience, coaching is a structured, goal-oriented process focused on developing specific skills and achieving tangible outcomes. A coach serves as a neutral, objective partner who helps you identify areas for growth, overcome obstacles, and maximize your potential across all facets of your career.

Why Early-Career Physicians Need Coaching

1. Navigating the Complexity of Academic Medicine This job is uniquely challenging, requiring you to balance clinical work, research, and teaching. A coach can help you:
• Develop strategies to effectively juggle these multiple roles
• Identify your strengths and interests within each domain
• Create a personalized roadmap for career success that aligns with your institution's expectations

1. Accelerating Career Progression The path to advancement in medicine can be unclear and competitive. Coaching can:

• Help you set clear, achievable career goals - THIS IS CRITICAL TO USE YOUR TIME MOST EFFECTIVELY
• Provide insights into the unwritten rules of career progression in your institution
• Guide you in building a strong professional reputation early in your career

2. Enhancing Research and Publication Output Research productivity is typically a key metric for success in academic medicine. A coach can:

• Help you develop effective time management strategies for research
• Provide accountability and motivation to meet publication goals
• Offer techniques to overcome writer's block and enhance your writing productivity
• Help you identify non-traditional topic areas that align with your interests (eduction, QI, wellness…)

3. Improving Leadership and Communication Skills As you progress, you'll need to lead teams, manage conflicts, and communicate with diverse stakeholders. Coaching can:

• Develop your leadership style and skills
• Enhance your ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, students, and administrators
• Prepare you for public speaking engagements and presentations
• Create systems that allow you to succeed

4. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome Most of us struggle with self-doubt and imposter syndrome. A coach can:

• Help you recognize and challenge negative self-talk and limiting beliefs
• Build your confidence in your abilities and accomplishments
• Provide strategies to maintain confidence when facing new challenges

5. Navigating Institutional Politics Academic institutions can be politically complex environments. Coaching can:

• Help you understand the political landscape of your institution
• Provide strategies for building alliances and managing relationships
• Guide you in positioning yourself for advancement opportunities or just successfully navigate the day to day so that life is more enjoyable

6. Achieving Work-Life Integration Balancing the demands of medicine with your personal life can be challenging. A coach can:

• Help you clarify your priorities and values
• Develop strategies for setting boundaries and managing stress
• Create a sustainable approach to work-life integration
• Teach you how and when to say NO

7. Maximizing Your Unique Potential Every physician brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives to academic medicine. A coach can:

• Help you identify and leverage your unique strengths
• Guide you in finding your niche within academic medicine
• Support you in making distinctive contributions to your field

Conclusion: Investing in Your Future

In the competitive and demanding world of academic medicine, working with a coach can give you a significant edge. By providing personalized support, actionable strategies, and a structured approach to professional development, coaching can help you navigate challenges more effectively, seize opportunities with confidence, and accelerate your career growth.

Remember, the most successful physicians in academic medicine are those who continuously invest in their own development. By embracing coaching early in your career, you're not just addressing immediate challenges – you're laying the foundation for long-term success and fulfillment in your chosen path.

In sports, the best athletes all have coaches. Why should medicine be any different? We should normalize coaching as a tool for ongoing professional development, not as a last resort for struggling physicians.