Beyond advising and mentoring: Competencies for coaching in medical education

Abstract

Background

Coaching supports academic goals, professional development and wellbeing in medical education. Scant literature exists on training and assessing coaches and evaluating coaching programs. To begin filling this gap, we created a set of coach competencies for medical education using a modified Delphi approach.

Methods

An expert team assembled, comprised of seven experts in the field of coaching. A modified Delphi approach was utilized to develop competencies.

Results

Fifteen competencies in five domains resulted: coaching process and structure, relational skills, coaching skills, coaching theories and models, and coach development.

Conclusion

These competencies delineate essential features of a coach in medical education. Next steps include creating faculty development and assessment tools for coaching.

Keywords:

• Mentoring
• medical education research
• medicine

Disclosure statement

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Meg Wolff

Meg Wolff, MD, MHPE, Associate Professor, University of Michigan Medical School.

Nicole M. Deiorio

Nicole M. Deiorio., MD, Associate Dean, Virginia Commonwealth University.

Amy Miller Juve

Amy Miller Juve, Ed.D., M.Ed³AMJ, Associate Professor, Oregon Health and Science University.

Judee Richardson

Judee Richardson, American Medical Association.

Gail Gazelle

Gail Gazelle, Certified Coach.

Margaret Moore

Margaret Moore, MBA, Institute of Coaching, McLean Hospital.

Sally A. Santen

Sally A Santen, MD, PhD, Senior associate dean, Virginia Commonwealth University.

Maya M. Hammoud

Maya M. Hammoud, MD, MBA, Associate Chair for Education, University of Michigan.