Physicians and Life Coaching

I recently came across an article published in the Guardian, written by a woman physician and highly successful surgeon who decided to speak out at the annual meeting of the Association of Academic Surgery. She spoke from the heart about her journey with through addiction, burnout and recovery. The article states she "had already lost one friend to suicide. She decided that if her job was to save lives, she would begin with her own and those of her colleagues. She started to tell her story."

Somewhere between 300 and 400 physicians a year in the US take their own lives, the equivalent of one medical school graduating every year. While the reasons for this alarming statistic are complex, it is clear that profession-wide burnout is rampant. It is estimated that 40-60 % of physicians are clinically burned out. The good news, though, is physicians who receive coaching experience greater job satisfaction, whether or not they decide to stay in medicine or in their current jobs. They experience a much clearer sense of their own agency, are able to better identify what is important to them, and make decisions accordingly. "Connection mitigates trauma," a mentor of mine is fond of saying.

Coaching has enabled me to take on roles I never thought I could, to share with a supportive community, and to establish healthy boundaries based on my own values and priorities. I cannot imagine navigating my current path without a coach (coaches for me over the years!).