Massachusetts General Hospital

Reaching Their Personal Best: Coaching for Professional Development and Wellbeing

The mission of MGH involves improving the health and well-being of our communities, but our physicians cannot do so if burned out and unfulfilled in their chosen profession.  In 2012, the MGH Department of Medicine Internal Medicine (IM) Residency launched an innovative program to support their residents in a new way through positive psychology coaching.  The MGH Professional Development Coaching Program (PDCP) links a resident with a faculty coach such that their career interests are mismatched to create a safe space for reflection and growth.  The program has been highly regarded and reduced emotional exhaustion in participants. The program has been replicated by >20 IM residencies nationally.  The program has not yet been studied in or adopted by residencies in non-IM specialties or faculty.

We will expand the PDCP to MGH residents in non-internal medicine specialties and MGH faculty.  We aim to connect physicians at different stages in a meaningful way to support their emotional and professional development.  The coaching program will create a safe environment for reflection on performance and identification of professional goals, as well as a path to attain them.  In addition, we propose that providing the opportunity to examine their achievements, strengths, purpose, and unique contributions will help build confidence and engagement, and increase well-being. The coaches will be MGH faculty members who will receive training in positive psychology coaching principles, which we anticipate will also improve their well-being and professional fulfillment.