Written by Mary Anna Rodabaugh, MD, Coaches

The physician experience is unique. Physicians are problem solvers and rarely take the time to identify problems within their own lives because they are preoccupied with helping others. The bureaucratic idiosyncrasies of healthcare often fall on deaf ears outside the physician world. As pressures mount, emotional fatigue may set in. If you are a physician and are curious if you could benefit from physician coaching, take this short quiz. You will not regret it. Give yourself one point for every “yes” answer and subtract one point for every “no.”

• Question 1: Do you have difficulty finding the right peer group to discuss career challenges with?
• Question 2: Do you sometimes wish you could have a thoughtful discussion with an objective individual (or group) who understands exactly what you are going through as a physician?
• Question 3: Have you considered a career change in the past year?
• Question 4: Have you considered working toward a leadership position in the past year?
• Question 5: Do you ever feel alone, burned out, exhausted, frustrated, or even apathetic about the healthcare system as a whole?
• Question 6: Do you wish you loved healthcare now as much as you did when you first began your career journey?
• Question 7: Do you feel like something might be missing from your personal fulfillment?
• Question 8: Do you sometimes wish you could have a thoughtful discussion with an objective individual (or group) to celebrate accomplishments unique to healthcare professionals?
• Question 9: Do you feel you could benefit from practical exercises to enhance your ability to have difficult conversations with patients, peers, and supervisors?
• Question 10: Does anyone in your leadership team receive coaching of any kind?
  

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Scoring:

If you scored between 7 and 10: Now is the time for physician coaching. You may be on the brink of transition and are seeking clarity on the path ahead.

If you scored between 3-6: Physician coaching is probably for you. You may just need a little nudge forward, or perhaps need to role-play a specific scenario to
see a new perspective.

If you scored less than 3: We’d be lying if we said physician coaching wasn’t for you. If you scored less than 3, perhaps you don’t have a pressing need
for coaching, but could use a sounding board to celebrate your achievements and plans for the future. ☤