The ACMS Foundation is pleased to introduce a six-month pilot program featuring certified professional coaching as an adjunct service of the Physician Vitality Program. This pilot will offer a limited number of coaching appointments at a considerable discount to ACMS members as we assess the demand and sustainability of this membership benefit.

What is Professional Coaching?

Professional coaching is a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires individuals to maximize their personal and professional potential. It often unlocks previously untapped sources of insight, imagination, productivity, and leadership.

Trained coaches work with the physician/APP to help clarify self-identified goals, uncover obstacles, and develop strategies for moving forward. Some examples of topics addressed in coaching might include:

• Improving satisfaction, fulfillment or balance in personal or professional life
• Resolving feelings of imposter syndrome
• Career expansion or transition
• Improving leadership skills
• Values clarification
• Enhancing communication
• Resolving conflict
• Improving efficiency and time management

If you are curious about the evidence for professional coaching of healthcare clinicians, we've included links to recent research at the bottom of the page.

Services Provided During Pilot Project

• Prior to establishing with a Coach as a client, members may make an optional, but recommended, 30-minute Meet and Greet appointment with a prospective coach. This is an introductory appointment designed for ACMS members to learn about what coaching entails and discover if the Coach-Client relationship is a good fit before establishing themselves as a client.
• Subsequently, ACMS Members may access up to two (2) hours of coaching services with contracted coaches during the six-month pilot period of May – November 2025. All covered coaching appointments must be completed no later than November 15, 2025.
• Clients are required to complete a coaching agreement (CREATE LINK) including an anonymous demographics form before the first appointment. Additionally, for pilot evaluation purposes, Clients must agree to complete a pre-services evaluation survey (CREATE LINK) and post-service survey no later than 30 days following the last appointment.
• If ongoing coaching services are desirable beyond the two (2) one-hour-long coaching sessions, the Client may continue by making separate payment arrangements for the Coach’s standard rates. 

Steeply Discounted Coaching

​Coaching services are highly discounted and subsidized by ACMS to make them more accessible to members. The following split payment schedule shows that both ACMS and clients will bear some responsibility for costs, with each party’s portion payable to the coach as indicated:

Value	Client's Responsibility	ACMS' Responsibility
Meet and Greet	$0	$75
Practicing ACMS Physician, PA, NP	$75/appointment	$75
Medical Resident	$15/appointment	$135
Missed appointment fee for coaching appointment	$75	$75

Meet Our Coaches and Make an Appointment

To make an appointment, please review the PVP Coaching Agreement (CREATE LINK) and then reach out directly via the contact information in the profiles below.

Pilot Project Made Possible With Funding By

Your tax-deductible contributions to the ACMS Foundation can help extend this program beyond the pilot period.

Recent Research on Physician Coaching Effectiveness

​Dyrbye LN, Shanafelt TD, Gill PR, Satele DV, West CP. Effect of a Professional Coaching Intervention on the Well-being and Distress of Physicians: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2019 Oct 1;179(10):1406-1414.
 
Kiser SB, Sterns JD, Lai PY, Horick NK, Palamara K. Physician Coaching by Professionally Trained Peers for Burnout and Well-Being: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Apr 1;7(4):e245645.
 
Boet S, Etherington C, Dion PM, Desjardins C, Kaur M, Ly V, Denis-LeBlanc M, Andreas C, Sriharan A. Impact of coaching on physician wellness: A systematic review. PLoS One. 2023 Feb 7;18(2):e0281406.
 
Gazelle G, Liebschutz JM, Riess H. Physician burnout: coaching a way out. J Gen Intern Med. 2015 Apr;30(4):508-13. doi: 10.1007/s11606-014-3144-y. Epub 2014 Dec 20. PMID: 25527340; PMCID: PMC4371007.
 
Fainstad T, Mann A, Suresh K, et al. Effect of a Novel Online Group-Coaching Program to Reduce Burnout in Female Resident Physicians: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(5):e2210752. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.10752
 
McGonagle AK, Schwab L, Yahanda N, Duskey H, Gertz N, Prior L, Roy M, Kriegel G. Coaching for primary care physician well-being: A randomized trial and follow-up analysis. J Occup Health Psychol. 2020 Oct;25(5):297-314. doi: 10.1037/ocp0000180. Epub 2020 Apr 16. PMID: 32297776.