Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs about Rooted in Medicine’s services
What are the qualifications of our coaches?
Every coach who provides services for Rooted in Medicine has years of experience. Our Career and Health & Wellness coaches have been certified through programs recognised by the International Coaching Federation, and have developed coaching practices focused specifically on the needs of healthcare professionals. Our Communication Coach is a professionally trained communicator who has years of experience mentoring & coaching people eager to apply communication techniques to a range of professional fields.
The coaching industry is minimally regulated. There are a myriad of “training programs” that are designed according to the standards to the course director and not according to nationally or internationally set competency standards. Until a standard set of criteria are established, the coaching industry remains at risk of being a mix of highly talented, well-trained coaches in addition to self-proclaimed or weakly knowledgable coaches who are unable to reliably support clients in they most want to achieve.
How does the pricing model work at Rooted in Medicine, and how do our services compare to offerings from other businesses?
First and foremost, Rooted in Medicine values transparency. Our clients are not subjected to gimmicks or opaque pricing schemes that are only revealed after they have signed up for an introductory call. We are aware that many coaching packages aimed at medical professionals change in excess of $1,000 per session, or offer monthly memberships with the understanding that most doctors will not get maximal value from such schemes. At Rooted in Medicine, we ask clients to sign up for sessions when they are ready to fully engage with coaching or coursework, and our pricing schemes are transparent, fair, and priced to be as accessible as possible.
The team at Rooted in Medicine also believes that coaching or coursework programs which use marketing tactics to suggest that clients do not value their careers or are not committed to their growth unless they are unwilling to sign up for packages that are uncomfortably priced is rubbish. Coaching and leading career development courses are valuable professional services, but hidden pricing schemes or threatening outreach should not be part of anyone’s business model. Yep, we said it.
What is required from clients to get the most out of Rooted in Medicine’s coaching or coursework?
Our coaching and coursework services work best for clients who have a genuine desire and capacity to do the work to improve their lives. The capacity refers to the ability to show up on time, and ready to go, for sessions and courses. We know that clinical (and life!) schedules are busy. We do ask that clients book times that are reasonable for their schedule, and optimise their chance of getting as much out of Rooted in Medicine’s life-enhancing services as possible.
This is your life: we want you to rock it! Apart from a genuine desire and capacity, there are no other requirements. Some clients come to us ready to go with a list of goals, and hit the road running. Others come to us a “hot mess”, and we take it from there. Our motto is: Come as you are and we’ll take it from there, together.
How do clients get started with coaching?
We recommend that clients book a free introductory call to meet the coach that they are interested in working with. Introductory calls can be booked on the coaching page. After that, clients who wish to proceed with a package program will receive a Welcome Email (within one hour of the introductory call) with instructions on how to book their sessions by going to coach’s page on Rooted in Medicine’s website (for Career Coaching; for Health & Wellness Coaching, and Communication Coaching), and clicking the link to “Book now” for their coaching package of interest; client’s will then be taken to a Calendly booking service to choose from a wide range of time options available for their coach. The client can book all of their sessions at once, or in smaller clumps, or one at a time as they go: whatever works best for them!
Included in the Welcome Email is a client contract to sign and a link to make the payment for the package. Payments can be made via PayPal or Venmo; payment is required before the first scheduled session takes place. The Client Contract also needs to be signed by the client and returned to Rooted in Medicine before the first scheduled session takes place (signed contracts are sent to: www.rooted.inmedicine.com)
How do clients book coaching sessions with Rooted in Medicine?
Clients can find booking links of their’s coach’s page on Rooted in Medicine’s website (for Career Coaching; for Health & Wellness Coaching, and for Communication Coaching); by clicking the link to “Book now” for the coaching package of interest, clients will be taken to a Calendly booking service to choose from a wide range of time options available. We allow bookings for up to three months in advance. Again, clients can book all of their sessions at once, or in smaller clumps, or one at a time as they go: whatever works best for them!
What if a client misses or needs to re-schedule a session?
If re-scheduling occurs at least 48 hours before the scheduled appointment, this can be done directly within Calendly: in the confirmation email for all appointments, clients will have a link to change or cancel their appointment times if need be.
The coach reserves the right to bill clients for a missed meeting or for meetings cancelled within 48 hours. However, if cancelling within 48 hours of the scheduled appointment, clients are asked to please contact us at [email protected] to inform our team, so that the coach can be contacted directly about this change. For all unforeseen events (we know: life happens!), the coach will attempt in good faith to re-schedule the session.
What if a client would like to cancel coaching or coursework services? What is the refund policy at Rooted in Medicine?
At Rooted in Medicine, we want every client to thrive and be completely satisfied with our services. If clients feel unsatisfied for any reason with their coaching or coursework program, we will provide a hassle-free refund according to this policy: for up 6 months following the purchase date, a 50% refund will be provided for services cancelled before the first paid session has taken place (exclusive of the free introductory call), or after the first paid session but before additional sessions have occurred.
A 25% will be provided for services cancelled after the second paid session has occurred but before additional sessions have occurred. Refunds are now available after the third paid session has occurred. Refund requests are to be sent in writing to [email protected]
What is Rooted in Medicine’s philosophy and approach to supporting clients?
Our style is supportive, through and through: coaching and coursework are not boot camp, and shame is not a tool our company values or employs. Life is hard enough sometimes, and clients do not need to feel apprehensive if they have not achieved the goals they set out for themselves. We will work with you to pick up and move on.
In that vein, we leave space to address burnout or feelings of overwhelm, and even past traumatic workplaces experiences, but from there we move forward: we work with clients to acknowledge the past, take honest inventories, and to create positive change for the future. We foster deeply reflective conversations and we are forward reaching.
The team at Rooted in Medicine believes that personal insight, career management skills, and empowerment are the best tools for the doctors they work with to create careers that are personally meaningful and unfold in creative, non-toxic workspaces, all while providing the type of clinical care that makes the world a better place.
FAQs about career development for doctors
Why do doctors need career training?
Doctors have spent years in school and in training…to learn medicine. That used to be enough. But today’s careers are more dynamic and demanding than ever before. As a result, doctors need more than medical knowledge to successfully manage and navigate their careers.
Communication & negotiation, mentoring & networking, task management, creating organization and focus, and career planning are essential skills for 21st century doctors who aim to have sustaining and sustainable careers. We’ve been working with doctors for years, and they consistently report that – when it comes to career management skills – they have a significant gap between need and proficiency. Rooted in Medicine serves to close that gap! Through coaching, webinars, on-site training, and our newsletter, we help doctors get empowered, build stronger careers, and lead happier, healthier lives.
What is coaching and why has it become so popular?
We hear that a lot! It has become so popular because many doctors (and many other people) find that the direction of their work or home lives feel increasingly off-course, and they want to re-set that course.
Coaching is a collaborative process of supported conversations that empower individuals to achieve personal or professional goals. Conversations lead to:
- Total clarity around values and assets
- The creation of concrete, personally meaningful goals
- The pursuit of goals with action plans that anticipate hurdles and create opportunities.
Coaching is a bespoke experience, to help clients gain clarity on the forces and motivations that influence decisions in our lives. The role of the coach is to help clients get unstuck, gain insight, find purpose, pursue dreams, manage chaos, create calm, feel good about one’s work, and develop an enduring sense of agency.
In short, coaching is a professional service that helps clients grow and make changes, via the processes of reflection and action planning, so that they can live their best possible wild and precious lives.
1Mary Oliver led us here when she asked: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” The Summer Day; House of Light (1990)
What coaching is not:
Coaching is not direct instruction. The goals and action plans that emerge from coaching sessions are supported by the coach but are ultimately driven by the client. For clients seeking directed guidance and expert-derived recommendations, our coursework covers a range of skills, tips, and tools to make work easier.
Coaching also is not therapy; it is not a primary tool to unpack the past and deal with trauma or unexplored emotions. While we, at Rooted in Medicine, recognize that some clients need space and support to process the effects of (past or present) toxic workplace environments or encounters as they go through the process of claiming and crafting a career trajectory that aligns with their values, talents, and purpose, we do not offer professional therapy services, and advise all clients in need of such services to contact a qualified mental health worker.
How can career coaching help doctors?
Many doctors are seeking to modify or create new career paths (including leadership roles) within the healthcare sector; develop their dream clinical or research programs; feel more confident in their daily work, or; have their careers progress in a direction and at a pace that feels right and sustainable. Career coaching for doctors supports all of these pursuits. In addition, we work with clients preparing to go on the job market or are starting a new position. It’s never too early to START STRONG!
At Rooted in Medicine, we see doctor clients who have an enormous amount of talent and potential, but have too often been the recipients of shaming or non-constructive negative external and internal feedback. The time has come for positive growth strategies. We coach around goals that realize professional potential, with action plans that empower. We not only focus on career trajectories but also take inventory of professional assets. We want our clients to have a clear and proud answer to the question of: “What does your workplace get when they get you?”
We note that some doctors (and we’d say an alarming number of them) are dealing with burnout. Doctors who are in burnout are generally not in the space to develop programs or creatively re-craft their career. For clients who present with burnout, we work in parallel with mental health providers to support a return to finding purpose and meaning in their work, even if that means re-considering and possibly re-configuring what shape that work takes.
Doctors know a lot about health and disease, so how can health and wellness coaching help them?
What would a doctor’s world look like if they used just a small percentage of their knowledge and skills to improve their own health and wellness? Working with a Health and Wellness Coach will uncover barriers to change and guide knowledge into action to support the healthy lifestyle you seek.
When relevant, we explore cultural work pressures which make taking care of your own health feel optional or even counter to the act of being the best doctor you can be.
At Rooted in Medicine, we believe in playing the long game: healthy doctors find more meaning in their work, and in turn have more to give to their patients, year after year. So let’s focus on your health so you can focus on theirs! Not feeling quite right?…then book a free consultation call today to learn more about what Health and Wellness coaching can do for you!
How can communication coaching help doctors?
Being able to deliver a solidly excellent talk (whether big or small) is a skill that helps doctors get jobs, effectively disseminate knowledge, and get collaborator buy-in for projects that change lives. While doctors make a lot presentations and pitches over the course of their career, most report a consistent feeling of uncertainty about how to approach the structure and/or delivery of their talks.
So: for experienced presenters who are feeling a bit rusty or want to up their game, or for less experienced doctors who want to nail the skill of presenting, Communication Coaching at Rooted in Medicine is here for you.
We start the first session by exploring:
HOW DO YOU WANT TO STAND OUT WHEN YOU NEXT STAND UP?
Why is the practice of medicine so challenging?
The practice of medicine has never been easy. Long hours. Irregular schedules. High-stakes work. The emotional toll. These factors are still relevant. In addition, new burdens compound the old to make work arguably more challenging than ever before:
- Ongoing learning demands1
- Technological platforms that can work both easier and harder
- Increasingly complex medical and psychosocial needs of patients
- Safe-at-work concerns
- Corporate climate of healthcare, part 1: mis-alignment of profit models and personal values
- Corporate climate of healthcare, part 2: erosion of autonomy to “exercise professional judgment”2
- Corporate climate of healthcare, part 3: pathways of accountability engineered to land on those with the least amount of control over the system
1 Including: New treatments and evolving protocols. Computer skills and billing codes. Work culture reform. It’s all important. It’s just a lot, and we acknowledge it.
2 https://www.nytimes.com/
And yet(!):
- This is an exciting time to be a doctor as we know more now about health and disease than ever before
- Medical students today are as smart and motivated, and creative and kind, as they have ever been
- Colleagues in nursing and allied health fields are of similar high calibre
- Many of us work with an abundance of caring and dedicated support staff in our clinics and hospitals.
At Rooted in Medicine, we see a lot of goodness in healthcare, even as we move to empower doctors to make the change they need to do the work they feel inspired to do.
How does the team at Rooted in Medicine feel about Ted Lasso, and is there anything about the show that pertains to career coaching?
We’re glad you asked. While it is not a requirement that doctor-clients adore the show as much as we do (and we do!), we acknowledge that a certain adoration may, at times of unguarded vulnerability, leak out in our work together. That is because the coaches of the Richmond team embody the coaching principles and values of all of us at Rooted in Medicine.
They:
- believe in the potential of every player
- leverage strengths
- think outside the box
- have a deep and abiding reverence for teamwork to accomplish greatness
- value the need to take care of oneself
- recognize that, sometimes, a team or leader is not worthy of our play
These traits are not just for sports: they are fundamental to our Career and Health & Wellness coaching as well.
