Stanford Neurology Communication Coaching Program

Communication Skills as an Educational Priority

Stanford Neurology residents have identified communication skills as a priority for educational innovation. To meet this goal, the Stanford Neurology Communication Coaching program was launched in 2020. The program pairs each resident with a trained Neurology faculty coach for the duration of residency. To create a shared approach and language, all residents and coaches complete formal communication skills training courses, including the Advancing Communication Excellence at Stanford (ACES) course and the Serious Illness Conversation Guide course.

Coaching to Meet Residents' Goals

Every resident has 5-8 coaching sessions per academic year. Each coaching session involves direct observation of the resident-patient interaction by the coach in an ambulatory or inpatient setting, followed by a debriefing exercise during which the coach facilitates the resident’s self-reflection on his or her communication performance, provides targeted feedback, and guides the resident to identify a communication-related goal to be practiced before the next coaching session. The coaches are intentionally not responsible for evaluating resident performance and are typically not the attending of record. The aim of coaching is to support each resident in reaching his or her individual communication goals.

Coaching Program Support, Leadership, & Partnership

Dr Kate Therkelsen and Dr. Rebecca Miller-Kuhlmann currently serve as Coaching Program Directors. The coaching program was founded by Dr. Carl Gold and Dr. Rebecca Miller-Kuhlmann in partnership with the Stanford Surgery Communication Coaching Program, directed by Dr. Aussama Nassar and Dr. James Korndorffer. These programs are based on the innovative Stanford Pediatrics Coaching Program, founded by Dr. Becky Blankenburg and Dr. Carrie Rassbach and currently led by Dr. Kim Hoang. In 2022-2024, resident communication coaching programs were also launched in Stanford Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic Surgery, Psychiatry, and Radiology. The faculty leaders of the coaching programs meet monthly as the Graduate Medical Education Coaching Steering Committee. As of 2024, Dr. Carl Gold serves as Medical Director for Service Excellence at Stanford Health Care. This role includes supporting the growth of existing resident communication coaching programs and nurturing the development of new programs in additional clinical departments.

Shannon Beres, MD
Communication Coach
Clinical Associate Professor
Neuro-ophthalmology & Child Neurology

“The most fulfilling aspect of the Communication Coaching program has been the opportunity to have a meaningful longitudinal relationship with the residents. We have been able to grow mutual respect and understanding of each other so that there is a safe place to share each our most vulnerable concerns, fears, and areas of improvement in patient care interactions. This allows us to first recognize and talk about the growth that is needed, then implement and monitor how these behaviors change with time. In turn, the patient gains a more empathetic and personal encounter with their provider.”

Current Resident Coachees

Natasha Abadilla, MD

Benjamin Africk, MD

Alyssa Baird, MD

Alexandra (Alec) Johnson, MD

Natasha Kramer, MD

Grant Lin, MD, PhD

Jonathan Zia, MD, PhD

Neelam Goyal, MD
Communication Coach
Clinical Professor
Neuromuscular Medicine

"As a communication coach, I have had the privilege of developing a unique bond with the residents that goes beyond my conventional roles as an educator or mentor. It feels akin to being a guide, offering assistance in any area of their professional journey where they encounter challenges or gaps. My ultimate goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where residents can freely express themselves, allowing us to collaborate on improving every aspect of their career. This collaboration extends beyond the scope of clinical care, as we address their needs comprehensively."

Current Resident Coachees

Amador (Tino) Delamerced, MD

Zi Ling (Silvia) Huang, MD

Shoeb Lallani, MD

Nathanael Lee, MD, PhD

Shreya Louis MD, MS

Qian Ma, MD, PhD

Cameron Schmidt, MD

Parshva Shah, MD

Lucas Kipp, MD
Communication Coach
Clinical Associate Professor
Neuroimmunology

"The science of medicine has never advanced more rapidly.  We have faster, more accurate diagnostic tests and safer, more effective treatments for more ailments than ever before.  Yet, the art of medicine remains the same.  Communication Coaching is all about cultivating that interpersonal aspect of the patient-physician encounter and opening the door for an honest exchange of information.  It's been wonderful learning along with my coachees and applying this program in my own practice."

Current Resident Coachees

Claire Abijay

Harneet Dhillon, MD

Cory Dodson, MD

Tyler Irani, MD, MBA

Chandler Johnson, MD

Jin Kyung Kim, MD

Rishita Patlolla, MD

Matthew Sasaki, MD

Hannah Kirsch, MD
Communication Coach
Clinical Assistant Professor
Neurocritical Care

"While it can be satisfying to give feedback about a neurological exam or teach about the finer points of ICP control on rounds, coaching is an invigorating way of working with our residents. The residents set the agenda. They have space to voice what they're confident about and proud of alongside their concerns and needs. I appreciate being "at their disposal" as a more experienced clinician and future peer, rather than purely as an evaluator. The coaching relationship has helped me grow as a neurologist and as an educator."

Current Resident Coachees

Akshara Balachandra, MD MS

Victoria Chin, MD

Claire Choi, MD

Dylan Kirschenbaum, MD

Martavius Lovall, MD

Cynthia Peng, MD

Garrett Timmons, MD

Tess Veuthey, MD, PhD

Jennifer O'Malley, MD, PhD
Communication Coach
Clinical Associate Professor
Child Neurology

"For me, Coaching is a mindset, an attitude, and a scaffolding that can be applied to problems of all shapes and sizes. Coaching is empowering, it teaches us to identify and utilize our own strengths to creatively solve problems and break down barriers. As a coach, I don’t solve any problems for my coachees. Instead, I clear space to enable my coachees to find their own solutions to the problems that are most important to them or to identify their best path forward toward a goal. Becoming a coach has changed the way I approach my own decision making and problem solving and I am inspired by the talent and creativity I am privileged to witness from others when working together in a coaching context."

Current Resident Coachees

Julia Bassell-Hawkins, MD

Chrisoula (Chrysa) Cheronis, MD

Sofia Dhanani, MD

Sam Genis, MD

Emily Malamud, MD

Andrew (Andy) Silverman, MD, MHS

Aditya Srivatsan MD, MS

Jackson Toth, MD

Kate Therkelsen, MD
Communication Coach
Clinical Assistant Professor
Neuro-Oncology

"For me, communication coaching is a chance to get to know residents outside of direct patient care and instead focus on how we can all improve our skills in all parts of communication, of which speaking is only a small piece. The goal is to develop a personal style, which is very much individualized, via a continuous process of trying and developing a communication method toolbox over time."

Current Resident Coachees

Gabriella de Paz, MD

Leanardino (Dino) Digma, MD

Jose Eduardo Espindola Lima, MD

Heather Ma, MD

Jaclyn Nguyen, MD

Abby Scurfield, MD, MS

Jessica Shen, MD

Kenneth Tan, MD

Faculty Development Workshops

Faculty coaches have all participated in an intensive orientation that includes key coaching concepts from the Stanford CoachMe 101 course. The coaches participate in monthly or bimonthly 90-minute faculty development workshops on topics related to communication skills, coaching, and medical education delivered by experts from Stanford and other top institutions. The workshops bring together coaches from Neurology, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic Surgery, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry.

Research & Media Coverage

Outcomes related to implementation of the Stanford Neurology and Surgery Communication Coaching Programs are being studied in collaboration with Dr. Arden Morris of the Stanford-Surgery Policy Improvement Research & Education Center (S-SPIRE).

In 2021, a manuscript describing Stanford Neurology's innovative virtual coaching for residents on their teleneurology communication skills was published in BMC Medical Education.

In 2022, a manuscript describing the concrete steps taken to implement a multi-departmental coaching program was published in Education for Health.

In 2024, a manuscript detailing tips for developing a coaching program was published in Medical Education Online.

In 2024, a ressearch manuscript describing the impact of a coaching program on resident perceptions of communication confidence and feedback quality in Neurology and Surgery was published in BMC Medical Education.

Several additional research manuscripts are under review or in preparation for publication. In addition, workshops related to the coaching program have been delivered at conferences nationally and internationally.  These include the 2022 and 2023 Association for Medical Education Conferences, the 2022 and 2023 International Congresses of Qualitative Inquiry, and the 2022 Mixe Methods Interational Research Association Global Conference as below:

  • Hill, Taryn, Williams S, Thomas, M, Miller-Kuhlmann R, Slone A, Aguilar M, Nassar A, Korndorffer J, Blankenburg R. Workshop: Construct the Ultimate Coaching Program: From Blueprints to Build.  Association for Medical Education in Europe Conference, Glasgow, Scotland.  August 26-30, 2023.
  • Sasnal M, Jensen R, Nassar AK, Korndorffer JR, Miller-Kuhlmann RK, Gold CA. “Factors Impacting Implementation, Sustainability, and Adaptability of a Multi-Departmental Residency Coaching Program from the Perspective of Key Stakeholders: an Evaluation Study.” 19th International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, May 17, 2023.
  • Williams S, Sanford R, Dohn A, Miller-Kuhlmann R, Nassar A, Korndorffer J, Bailey E, Dixon W, Rassbach C, Caretta-Weyer H, Blankenburg R. “Masterclass: Integrating coaching into medical education and faculty development.” Association for Medical Education in Europe Conference (AMEE), Lyon France. August 27-31, 2022.
  • Sasnal M, Nassar A, Gold C, Korndorffer R, Miller-Kuhlmann R. “Medical Education Program Evaluation: A Multi-Phase Mixed Methods Study.” 2022 Mixed Methods International Research Association Global Conference. Virtual. August 4, 2022.
  • Sasnal M, Gold C, Korndorffer J. Miller-Kuhlmann R, Nassar A. Evaluating A Medical Education Coaching Program: A Multi-Phase Mixed Methods Study International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry.  Virtual.  May 18-21 2022

 

As a reflection of its novelty and impact, the Stanford Neurology Communication Coaching Program was featured twice (1 2) in 2023 in Neurology Today.

Contacts

Kate Therkelsen, MD
Co-Director, Neurology Communication Coaching Program

Rebecca Miller-Kuhlmann, MD
Co-Director, Neurology Communication Coaching Program

For questions about the Stanford Neurology Communication Coaching Program, please contact Dr. Kate Therkelsen at ktherk@stanford.edu, or Dr. Rebecca Miller-Kuhlmann at millerrk@stanford.edu