S. P. Shubeck1,2,3, A. E. Kanters1,2, G. Sandhu1, C. C. Greenberg4,5, J. B. Dimick1,2 1University Of Michigan,Department Of Surgery,Ann Arbor, MI, USA 2University Of Michigan,Center For Healthcare Outcomes & Policy,Ann Arbor, MI, USA 3University Of Michigan,National Clinician Scholars Program,Ann Arbor, MI, USA 4University Of Wisconsin,Department Of Surgery,Madison, WI, USA 5University Of Wisconsin,Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program,Madison, WI, USA
Introduction: There has been an increased focus on building effective surgical coaching programs for practicing surgeons to develop their technical skills. In this context, we sought to evaluate early coaching conversations in the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative compared to existing models for effective surgical coaching.
Methods: This qualitative study evaluated 10 video coaching conversations between 20 bariatric surgeons at the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative meeting in October 2015. Using grounded theory approach, the coaching encounter transcripts were coded in an iterative process with comparative analysis in order to identify emerging themes. For this analysis, we focused on the dynamics between participants and content of coaching conversations.
Results: Two major themes emerged in our analysis when comparing early coaching conversations to existing models. (1) While the roles of coach and coachee were defined before the coaching exercise, participants often did not adhere to assigned roles. For example, there were repeated instances in these interactions when a coach would defer to the coachee, indicating they felt less qualified in a particular technique or procedure. (2) The coaching conversations tended to have limited direct coaching, but rather an emphasis on bidirectional exchange of ideas with both participants offering expertise when appropriate. For example, the coach and coachee frequently engaged in back and forth conversation about specific techniques, instrument selection, and decision points.
Conclusions: In early coaching conversations among bariatric surgeons in the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative, we observed a propensity for participants to gravitate toward a peer to peer dynamic. Future programs aimed at improving technical skill through surgical coaching should explicitly consider the role of bidirectional feedback.