Coaching Tips for EM Education Part 3: Creating a Team Attitude in the Trench!
In this series, we are discussing how legendary basketball Coach John Wooden's Pyramid of Success may be applied to medical education today. We begin with the acknowledgement that all clinicians only practice medicine. Together, as clinicians and patients, we are always each other's coaches and trainees. The first cornerstone of Coach's pyramid is creating a winning attitude. We started this series by reminding ourselves that our attitude must originate from our fundamental mission to help others.
Last week, we asked our trainees "How's life?" in an effort to help create an awareness of the importance of attitude, and the need for recovery from the daily challenges of medicine. Each time I asked this simple question, I was surprised by the genuine smile that I was given in response. And when I was "too busy" with the nonsense and noise, I missed an opportunity to build a relationship, emphasize the importance of attitude, and set the stage for later teachable moments.
Starting any shift "All In" can be tough. We teach and meet all day. See our family for an hour. Get two hours of broken sleep. Wake up grouchy. Then head back in to work the overnight. As coaches how do we create a team attitude of success even when our own mind is clouded by fatigue and emotion?
The team is the key. When our attitude is at it's worst, is when we need one another the most. Encourage your trainees to recharge their attitude by connecting to their team; making the effort to introduce themselves to the new medical student just trying to stay out of the way, spending extra time at the bedside of the nice as can be patient just diagnosed with an advanced malignancy, or just giving a favorite team mate a quick hug and starting that running joke once again.
Last week, we asked our trainees "How's life?" in an effort to help create an awareness of the importance of attitude, and the need for recovery from the daily challenges of medicine. Each time I asked this simple question, I was surprised by the genuine smile that I was given in response. And when I was "too busy" with the nonsense and noise, I missed an opportunity to build a relationship, emphasize the importance of attitude, and set the stage for later teachable moments.
Starting any shift "All In" can be tough. We teach and meet all day. See our family for an hour. Get two hours of broken sleep. Wake up grouchy. Then head back in to work the overnight. As coaches how do we create a team attitude of success even when our own mind is clouded by fatigue and emotion?
The team is the key. When our attitude is at it's worst, is when we need one another the most. Encourage your trainees to recharge their attitude by connecting to their team; making the effort to introduce themselves to the new medical student just trying to stay out of the way, spending extra time at the bedside of the nice as can be patient just diagnosed with an advanced malignancy, or just giving a favorite team mate a quick hug and starting that running joke once again.
Thank you everyone for your feedback. Keep it coming. Always appreciated. Make it a great week!
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