Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine if individualized professional coaching reduces burnout, improves quality of life, and increases resilience among surgeons. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Burnout is common among surgeons and associated with suboptimal patient care and personal consequences. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial of 80 surgeons evaluating the impact of 6 monthly professional coaching sessions on burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), quality of life (single-item linear analog scale), and resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale) immediately post-intervention and 6 months later. Participants randomized to the control group subsequently received 6 professional coaching sessions during months 6 to 12 (delayed intervention). RESULTS: At the conclusion of professional coaching in the immediate intervention group, the rate of overall burnout decreased by 2.5% in the intervention arm compared to an increase of 2.5% in the control arm (delta -5.0%, 95% CI -8.6%, -1.4%, P=0.007). Resilience scores improved by 1.9 points in the intervention arm compared to a decrease of 0.2 points in the control arm (delta 2.2 points, 95% CI 0.07, 4.30, P=0.04). Six months after completion of the coaching period, burnout had returned to near baseline levels while resilience continued to improve among the immediate intervention group. The delayed intervention group experienced improvements in burnout during their coaching experience relative to the immediate intervention group during their postintervention period (18.2% decrease vs. 2.9% increase, delta -21.1%, 95% CI -24.9%, -17.3%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Professional coaching over 6 months improved burnout and resilience among surgeons, with reductions in improvement over the ensuing 6 months.
