Facilitated transitions: coaching to improve the medical school to residency continuum

Abstract

Background: Current efforts incompletely address the educational, social, and developmental aspects of a learner's transition from medical school to residency. Objective: To determine the feasibility and acceptability of a transition to residency (TTR) coaching program. Designs: In March 2019, we designed, implemented, and evaluated a TTR coaching program for students who matched into residency programs at our institution. Goals were to stimulate reflection on successes and challenges encountered during medical school, develop strategies to problem-solve barriers and address concerns, identify professional and personal resources, improve confidence, and make an action plan. Results: Of eligible learners, 42% (10/24) enrolled in TTR coaching. Learners were most interested in coaching in the following areas: wellbeing (70%, 7/10), interpersonal/communication skills (60%, 6/ 10), and learning plan development (50%, 5/10). The majority (90%; 9/10) expressed satisfaction with the program and would recommend participation. One month after starting internship, 90% (9/10) of learners stated the program helped facilitate their transition. Learners who did not enroll in TTR cited concerns around the coach selection process (72%, 8/11), upcoming travel (45%, 5/11), insufficient time/competing demands (27%, 3/11), and lack of perceived benefit (18%, 2/11). Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated preliminary feasibility and acceptability for TTR coaching.

Selected Skill Sets As Building Blocks for Secondary-To-Tertiary Education Bridge: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study Among Undergraduate Medical Students

“…35 Transition-To-Residency (TTR) pilot programs have been hailed as acceptable and feasible mechanism to make the final transition to graduate studies smoother. 36 With this in mind, we propose an adapted framework of transition-support that aligns timing of the transition support and its context in a stepwise and sustainable fashion. It, thus, dynamically adapts to identified needs and provides the continuum to anticipated transition points leading to graduate medical education and the workplace.…”

SMARTer Goalsetting: A Pilot Innovation for Coaches During the Transition to Residency

“…Early efforts have shown that it is feasible to coach students through the transition to residency. 6 Students supported by coaches reported feelings of better preparation for residency. 7 Higher performance is associated with specific, appropriately challenging goals linked to deadlines and feedback on results.…”

“…Early efforts have shown that it is feasible to coach students through the transition to residency. 6 Students supported by coaches reported feelings of better preparation for residency. 7…”

Facilitating an Optimal Transition to Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology

“…The coaching faculty development focused on differentiating the coach's role from that of traditional advising and mentoring approaches relevant to the transition to residency. 39 Participants considered tools that encourage learners to develop a growth mindset and become aware of their own learning needs and how to meet them, such as the Master Adaptive Learner model 38 and the R2C2 feedback tool that approaches feedback in four phases: 1) relationship building, 2) exploring reactions, 3) exploring content, and 4) coaching. 40 Coaches were introduced to theories of how resilience develops in obstetrics and gynecology residents 41,42 and how goal-setting can be used to support learners' motivation and sense of self-efficacy.…”