This blog is a space to share who I am as a coach and share the wisdom I’ve gained by working with clients.
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Rediscovering Failure
Experiencing an epic fail can create a deep sense of self-doubt and loss of confidence. For those of us who haven’t failed in a while, this is a reminder of what younger professionals and students may experience. I offer some simple advice for preceptors working with students who recently failed a rotation.
Tell Your Learners to Take a Hike - and Often!
What's your anti-burnout plan? We know burnout happens, yet we only talk about it once it’s already a problem, which means it’s too late. Now is the time to change this. I caution against solely focusing on the idea of resiliency when talking about burnout. Being resilient allows you to keep going back for more challenge. If not careful, resiliency can keep you in the wrong space for too long. However, self-care is about your needs - not your patient or your job. We need to invest in ourselves outside of our professional identities as much as we invest in our jobs. So, whether its hiking, singing in a choir, acting in the community theater, running marathons, climbing mountains, or quilting - value your enjoyment of your hobby or passion enough to protect the time to do it consistently. Gift yourself that time. Think about your future self and how you hope that person is spending their time.
Think Safety First when Precepting
Just as with clinical practice, psychological safety is critical to the learning environment. When students experience judgment for inadequacies associated with their lack of experience, they begin to hide their deficiencies rather than engage in growth. Self-confidence gives way to self-consciousness. Hope for success turns into self-doubt. Simple risks feel too risky. Students disengage in the hopes of "playing it safe" rather than being caught making an avoidable mistake. This puts students in the worst possible position to demonstrate what they are truly capable of achieving.
Should I ask students about career goals?
My advice to preceptors is to not let a student's career trajectory affect how they are perceived on rotation. Don't use their career interests as indicators of commitment, preparation, or aptitude. Take the time to reflect on how you engage with learners regarding their career path and explore how this information can add to your learning environment.
Ditching the Feedback Oreo
Use the Observation - Relevance - Goal framework to ensure clear feedback is given. Assess for tone using the 3C’s - Constructive Feedback (Helpful to know), Critical Feedback (Important to know and address), and Catastrophic Feedback (Indicating Failure) - to ensure you’re communicating the right degree of concern to the learner.