Year-In-Review By Nora Vasquez, MD, CEO & Founder of Thriving Leaders iin Medicine Coaching Program

The BCMS Physician Coaching and Wellness Program – Year-In-Review

By Nora Vasquez MD, CEO & Founder of Thriving Leaders in Medicine Coaching Program

Happy New Year! As we begin 2023, I’d like to reflect on the past year to see how much we’ve accomplished in our mission to advance physician wellness so that we can both celebrate and put forth new intentions. Last year, the Bexar County Medical Society launched an innovative wellness initiative with the support from a Texas Medical Association Foundation grant. As an advanced certified physician coach and internist, I developed and led the Physician Coaching and Wellness Program. The mission of this coaching program was to empower physicians with evidenced-based coaching strategies to mitigate burnout and enhance physician well-being. We did this by creating a physician-led, safe and virtual space for doctors to meet and learn how to recognize and mitigate the effects of burnout while also providing meaningful support for the BCMS community. After leading over 14 CME Coaching and Wellness webinars, each month it is apparent that we heal and thrive in community.

The coaching sessions provided a unique opportunity to discuss the real-life concerns that physicians encounter daily. The physicians acknowledged the evolving challenges of practicing medicine especially over the last two years. The necessary protocols put in place because of the COVID pandemic isolated many of us from family, friends and colleagues. The chronic stress and trauma of bearing witness to our patients’ suffering further added to the distress. The BCMS Physician Coaching and Wellness program provided an important way for the community of healthcare professionals to talk about these challenges while normalizing and supporting their human experience. In fact, during this past year we were able to help restore a sense of meaning and enjoyment in the daily medical practice of many participating physicians.

Many of the topics discussed addressed critical issues related to leadership, work and home life integration, as well as insights on how to better manage the daily stressors of practicing medicine. Many of the physicians who participated enjoyed discussing a variety of topics, including: • How To Overcome Burnout & Thrive • Time Management for Busy Healthcare Professionals • Processing Grief: Emotional Healing for Healthcare Professionals • How To Overcome Perfectionism Pitfalls • How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome • Efficient Charting Tips

Physicians found these coaching and wellness sessions valuable in creating a growth mindset. Some shared their reflections recognizing that, “Perfectionism is unattainable. Focus on growth and progress. Learn from your experiences. Self-affirmation is important to maintain healthy progress.” Another participant added, “This was a good reminder that we are in charge of our experience at work. We can choose to make changes and see this in a different light.”

While the challenges in medicine continue, I am encouraged by the overwhelming positive feedback that was shared by the hundreds of physicians we served. As we look forward to expanding this resource, I encourage you to reach out and participate in the Physician Coaching and Wellness webinars in 2023. You can find more information by signing up for our calendar of events at the BCMS website found at www.bcms.org.

As an active member of the Bexar County Medical Society, I am honored to have led this initiative and look forward to expanding the program as we continue to advance physician wellness this year and beyond!

Nora Vasquez, MD is a Certified Physician Coach and a Board-Certified Internal Medicine Physician with over a decade of experience. She developed the Physician Wellness Webinar Series for BCMS physician members to empower physicians with evidencedbased coaching strategies to mitigate burnout and enhance physician well-being. You can learn more about Dr. Nora Vasquez at www.renewyourmindmd.com. Dr. Vasquez is a member of the Bexar County Medical Society and Texas Medical Association.