Do You Have What it Takes to Coach Physicians?

From: Francine R. Gaillour, MD, MBA, FACPE
Executive Director, Physician Coaching Institute™
Leader of the "Daring Doctors" 

Dear Coaching Colleague,

I have a gratifying, thriving 6-figure coaching practice, working with physicians. Physicians are my niche. I know them inside and out.

Not only am I former practicing physician myself, but I know every physician type and "archetype" out there; I've worked with the kindest of docs, and also the most arrogant; I've seen many physicians rise to the challenge of leading healthcare changes, and many buckle under the strain of an increasingly complex system. 

For the past eight years I've had the pleasure and privilege of coaching hundreds of the most progressive, innovative, energetic, frustrating, and "daring doctors" in the medical profession. 

What I love about my work is that my physician clients have not only transformed themselves but they are also transforming their communities and their organizations. My coaching practice has been not only immensely gratifying for me as a coach, but just as importantly, it has been highly lucrative for me as a solo entrepreneur.
Wanted: Highly Motivated Coaches to Specialize in Physician Coaching

But I realize I can't coach all the physicians who could truly benefit from coaching. My coaching practice is full the brim and I am limiting the number of one-on-clients I will take. This is the reason I've developed and am launching the Physician Coaching Institute.

The medical profession needs more coaches who understand the underlying drivers of physician stress and dissatisfaction, who understand the professional aspirations and challenges of doctors, who understand the interpersonal dynamics of physicians and their colleagues, and who can competently coach physicians to get them back on a professional pathway of achievement, balance and joy.

So I am looking for 20 highly motivated coaches who want to take on the challenge, and also reap the rewards, of building a niche coaching an amazingly intelligent, eager, and grateful group of professionals. This first group of coaches will start their training in early 2007, and will earn the Certified Physician Development Coach™ designation by September 2007. 

This is an opportunity to be a super-specialist coach and to "heal to the "healers." Are you cut out to be a Certified Physician Development Coach™? 

Before you answer that, let me share with you what is happening in medicine today and why a growing crisis means an opportunity and need for specialized physician coaches.
There is No Industry More Ripe for Coaching than Healthcare

My physician clients are trying to survive and thrive in a healthcare system that is on the verge of breakdown. 

Did you know that the medical profession ranks #2 in the top 10 most stressful careers?

Physicians are bearing the brunt of the seismic changes in healthcare. Here are just a few of the drivers causing enormous change---and stress---for physicians:



An aging population means physicians are spending more time with sicker patients, but reimbursements are actually declining
Physicians are expected to meet new "productivity" targets, but this means more patients per day and less personalized time with each patient
Health plans are imposing patient quality "report cards" on physicians or else be dropped by the plan, but many physicians are not prepared to meet standards
Sophisticated and demanding baby boomers expect immediate access to specialists and treatments, but physicians question the need for costly and unnecessary care
The tech-savvy "millennium generation" are finding a mountain of healthcare information on the Internet but physicians are expected to sort out the truth from the quackery for them
Stratospheric rise in malpractice insurance in is forcing many subspecialty physicians to leave the profession, and doctors are almost politically powerless to intervene
Insurers and patients are pushing physicians to use electronic medical records, but physicians are struggling with the cost of technology and the patient risk of "computer error"
Hospitals and health plans increasingly expect physicians to follow clinical protocols, but physicians are distrustful of "cook book" medicine

To add insult to injury, some physicians' hostile reactions to these changes are compounding the stress because they are lashing out at their clinical colleagues and staff. You've heard about the nursing shortage? In my view, nurses would be a lot happier if physicians would get coaching!

Physicians are under a new kind of stress they never anticipated when they first went to medical school: 

Losing sleep because you're stumped by a complex patient case is one thing. 

But losing sleep because you don't enjoy your work anymore or because you feel ineffectual---

----well that's a whole a lot scarier to the average smart physician who has spent a lifetime developing mastery. 

Simply put, many physicians are experiencing a breakdown in their career, in their working relationships and in their ethical and spiritual boundaries. Moreover, physician leaders who are trying to clean up the mess have their hands full too! 

The good news? There is no industry more ripe for coaching than healthcare! 

Are You Competent to Coach These 5 Physician Profiles?

But if you want to succeed coaching physicians, you MUST be advanced trained in coaching physicians. You might think that's an arrogant statement, but I'm saying it for a good reason: 

I care deeply about the medical profession and I want physicians to succeed. 

Here's the scoop: We are a complex bunch. Garden-variety personal coaching or career coaching isn't enough. 

In my client base, there are at least five distinct physician profiles that routinely come to me for coaching help:

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Physicians who feel their creativity and ingenuity is constrained by medicine and want to expand or transition their career 

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Physicians who truly love medicine but are struggling to regain their well-being and enjoy their practice in the midst of tumultuous change 

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Physicians who are in a leadership position and are developing new people and business management skills for first time, and have no idea whether they are being effective 

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Physicians who want to develop additional streams of income with health products or new service models and are being "entrepreneurs" for the first time 

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Physicians who have been given feedback that their behavior is difficult or "rough" and are coming to grips with the need to shape up or, well, you know what 

Now guess what: the majority of my clients present themselves with elements of every one of those 5 profiles! 


Why Doctors Need a Physician Development Coach™, Not Just a Coach

As a physician coach who practiced medicine for over ten years and who has also coached and consulted with hundreds of physicians, I recognize how physicians fray at the edges. What a doctor says is their "problem" and what they think is the "solution" ain't necessarily the real story, nor the whole story. 

I'm going to give you one example of a client who I think might be one my most straightforward cases. Here is the story of Dr. H:



The case of Dr. H

Dr. H came to me expressing a desire to leave medicine and wanted my help finding a new non-clinical career. The reason he gave for wanting to leave medicine was "I'm tired of the grind." 

What was the real reason underlying his fatigue: No vacation in almost a year, and on call every weekend. 

Why: He had burned his bridges over several years with several colleagues who could have shared call with him and supported him building a practice. 

Why: He perceived an event that occurred many years ago as being hostile to him and his practice. He carried a grudge for 15 years with another physician.

What we focused on: Developing a broader repertoire of interpersonal communication; repairing relationships with specialty physicians; building collegial relationships with perceived enemies; improving how he delegates to office staff; exploring additional skills and strengths

Result: Dr. H is thriving in his clinical practice, enjoying his family time, and developing a speaking business on the side.





The case of Dr. H is an example the most straightforward of my clients. This might give you an idea of how even the most seemingly uncomplicated of physicians really benefits from specialized coaching. Coaching that assesses the multiple dimensions of physician career fulfillment and keeps these bright individuals fully engaged and serving their community. 
Are you ready to become one these specialized physician coaches?

7 Reasons Why Physicians are Dream Clients:

Since launching my coaching practice five years ago I have coached well over 300 physicians: in one-on-settings, in group coaching, in workshops, seminars, teleseminars, and through tutorials. 

The truly exciting news in is that in my experience as a physician and a professional coach, physicians make ideal coaching clients. Here are 7 reasons why:

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Physicians as a group are highly intelligent
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They are naturally "life long learners" who pride themselves on learning new skills
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Most physicians have never had been trained in basic "people skills " and they are hungry for and appreciate every tip, secret, and technique you can offer
4.

The vast majority of docs were "called" to medicine as healers and they have a natural inclination toward the intuitive and spiritual --- so long as you don't go "woo woo" on them!
5.

Physicians are extremely motivated and once they set a goal, they will work hard to achieve it
6.

Doctors are among the highest paid professionals and if they perceive value, they will pay commensurate fees (my typical coaching program averages $1200 a month)
7.

Physicians are more than willing to establish a long business relationship as long as they continue to grow (90% of my clients coach 6 months or longer)


Why Be Advanced Trained as a Physician Development Coach™?

As I mentioned, my belief is that physicians benefit most from coaches who can address the multiple demands of a busy physician, their deeply held fears, their aspirations, their unique strengths, their weaknesses, AND their non-clinical career possibilities. 

In a sense this is a combination life-leadership-career-executive-resilience coach rolled into one. Maybe you are all of those.

But here is my assessment: You could go through multiple training programs in life coaching, executive coaching, emotional intelligence coaching, and career coaching, and STILL miss the boat when it comes to truly being of service to docs AND developing a thriving physician coaching business.

Here's another big scoop: Physicians value and respect: education, training, credentials, structure, method and other professionals. 

Does this mean you can't do a good job coaching a physician if a you're a generalized life or career coach? 

No, not at all. But you'd probably be missing an opportunity to coach on additional dimensions that are important to your physician client, that would have even more dramatic impact on their life, and that would in turn reward you financially.

My goal in establishing the Physician Coaching Institute is take you from your current basic coach training and coaching practice (whether as a life, career or executive coach) to the point where you are an expert Physician Development Coach enjoying a thriving 6-figure practice.

You will get there by adding three essential Physician Coach Practice Proficiencies which I will provide you:


#1 Advanced Physician Coaching Concepts and Coaching Programs 

The concepts, methods and skills that will enable you to competently and confidently assess a physician's multidimensional needs, aspirations, obstacles and possibilities and guide them to outcomes they could envision only in their wildest dreams. Learn the Physician Coaching Program approach that not only guarantees a longer, more lucrative contract for you, but is also the preferred approach by physicians!






#2 Practice Building Strategies Unique to Healthcare

Fully developed Physician Coaching Programs make it easy for physicians to say "I get it." Next are the marketing strategies and enrollment "scripts" that move physician clients from "I'm intrigued" to "Let's get started." Ongoing business development roundtable sessions keep your strategies and scripts fresh and your courage stoked.






#3 Staying Power Credibility Development 

Differentiating yourself from the crowd of coaches starts with Advanced Concepts and specific Physician Coaching Programs. Your credibility is further solidified through recognition by THE physician coaching brand in the industry today: 

Francine Gaillour, MD and the "Daring Doctors" 

Bottom line: Physicians RESPECT credentials, and you will earn the Certified Physician Development Coach™ designation. Not only that, Physicians appreciate VIP treatment: Your physician clients will be have special member privileges in my "Daring Doctors" exclusive members-only Club.



What are some of the Benefits of becoming a Certified Physician Development Coach™?

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There is no need to reinvent the wheel if you've thinking about developing a coaching niche for physicians, the programs, materials, structure has been done, delivered, and refined by me dozens of times 

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Having a coaching niche is a smart way to build a 6-figure income, and coaching physicians is an excellent niche to achieve that goal 

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You will learn about the healthcare coaching market from a physician who is not only a coach but also a former healthcare marketing executive - a rare breed 

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Even if healthcare is currently your broad niche, there's no getting around the fact you won't be truly successful unless you thoroughly understand the "doctor dynamic" 

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Coaching physicians is immensely gratifying, and because not everyone is cut out for it, you'll be among the rare few, listed in the Physician Coaching Institute Directory 

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Non-stop business development help is available throughout your training and beyond as long as you are a member of the Institute 

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You will have an opportunity to "mastermind" among fellow Physician Development Coaches with diverse and intriguing backgrounds who can challenge and support you 

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You will be eligible to lead Teleseminars to my Daring Doctors readers, a high quality source of potential physician clients 

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As you go through the training, not only will you learn to coach physicians, you will learn how to super-sub-specialize within physician coaching if you wish -- I'll show you how 

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As a Certified Development Coach™, you will be able to differentiate your coaching practice from the thousands of coaches out there on the Internet, and it's a good bet you'll be the only Physician Coach in your geographic region 

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Because you can coach by phone, there is no geographical limit to where your clients can come from; moreover, the market pool is large: 600,000 physicians just in the US, with an equal number in UK, Europe and Australia, and another 600,000 in India 



What is Included in the Physician Coaching Institute™ Training ?


The Institute Training Program

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10 Live Training TeleSeminars Modules over 6 months: 

5 Modules on Advanced Physician Coaching Concepts and Coaching Program 

3 Modules on Practice Building Strategies 

2 Modules Staying Power Credibility Development 

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Audio recording of every training Teleseminar for playback later 

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Workbook for the Training Modules in a sturdy 3-ringed Binder, shipped to you 

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3 Audio and Data CD's of Additional Essential Knowledge that is referenced in the Training Modules 

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Monthly Telephone Business Roundtable with your cohort of Physician Development Coaches in training, personally facilitated by Francine Gaillour 

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2 Individual Business Development Coaching Sessions with Francine during the 6 month Program 


Once you complete the Training you will earn:

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The Certified Physician Development Coach™ designation 

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Eligibility for listing as Physician Development Coach in the Physician Coaching Institute Directory 

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Eligibility to lead Teleseminars for my Daring Doctors members 

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Eligibility to have your physician clients access the Daring Doctors private Member site, full of special articles, tutorials, audio programs and references 




P.S. In Case You Are Wondering What I Require From You

In case you're wondering whether you will qualify for the Physician Coaching Institute, please go through this quick check list and make sure you can answer "yes" to every item:
___ I am trained or in training as a coach through an ICF recognized school
___ I am committed to the time, energy and financial investment necessary to build a thriving practice
___ I have an affinity for healthcare and physicians
___ I can commit to an intense 6-month training program
___ I value integrity, honesty, collegiality 



The Physician Coaching Institute is launching in January 15, 2007, with the first group of coaches staring February 1, 2007. If you would like more information about the Physician Coaching Institute, please complete the short inquiry form below and I will send you the Information Packet, Training Fee Schedule and Application. 

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