%0 Journal Article
%T Impact of a virtual coaching program for women physicians on burnout, fulfillment, and self-valuation.
%A Smith S
%A Goldhaber N
%A Maysent K
%A Lang U
%A Daniel M
%A Longhurst C
%J BMC Psychol
%V 12
%N 1
%D 2024 Jun 5
%M 38840137
%F 2.588
%R 10.1186/s40359-024-01763-0
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Coaching has been demonstrated to be an effective physician wellness intervention. However, this evidence-based intervention has not yet been widely adopted in the physician community. Documentation and implementation research of interventions to address physician burnout in real world settings is much needed.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>Assess the impact of a virtual physician coaching program in women physicians.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Pre- and post-intervention surveys administered to participants enrolled in the program (N = 329). Effect size was calculated comparing pre- and post-intervention paired data (N = 201).<BR><B>METHODS: </B>201 women physicians from 40 states in the United States of America and 3 international participants.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Participants were given access to an 8 week virtual coaching program including eight individual, six small group, and 24 large group sessions.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Stanford Professional Fulfillment Inventory (PFI) containing categories for assessing professional fulfillment, burnout, and the Clinician Self-Valuation (SV) Scale (a measure of self-compassion).<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Burnout was found in 77.1% (N = 155) of participants at baseline, which reduced to 33.3% (N = 67) at completion with large effect size (Cohen's d 1.11). The percentage of participants who endorsed significant professional fulfillment started at 27.4% (N = 55) and improved to 68.2% (N = 137) with a large effect size (Cohen's d 0.95). Self-valuation improved from 17.9% (N = 36) of the participants endorsing a compassionate self-improvement perspective to 64% of the same participants eight weeks later. The self-valuation metric showed a very large effect size (Cohen's d 1.28).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Virtual physician coaching programs led by physician coaches can decrease burnout, improve professional fulfillment, and increase self-compassion. Non-institution-based opportunities for coaching available to any physician across the United States and internationally can facilitate access to effective physician well-being interventions.