Group coaching cuts physician burnout nearly 30% in UCLA study

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A randomized clinical trial at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) suggests that small group coaching could be a practical way to tackle physician burnout — without breaking the bank. Researchers found that six virtual sessions, held in groups of three doctors per coach, reduced burnout by nearly 30% among internal medicine faculty. That’s more than double the reduction seen with traditional one-on-one coaching, which is typically more expensive and harder to scale.

The findings were published July 11 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Led by Joshua Khalili, M.D. — who is director of physician wellness in the UCLA Department of Medicine and an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA — the randomized trial divided 79 attending physicians into three groups, with one receiving individual coaching, another receiving small group coaching and the third serving as a control group.

All coaching took place over Zoom and followed a structured program that focused on building self-awareness, setting goals and navigating workplace stress.

Participants in the small group coaching arm saw their burnout rate drop by 29.6%. The one-on-one group saw a 13.4% decrease. In the control group, burnout actually increased by 11.1% during the study period.

“This new, small-group model of professional coaching can make a significant impact in physician burnout and costs much less than the one-on-one model,” Khalili said.

Lasting effects and lower cost

Even six months after coaching ended, burnout levels stayed down for those in the small group program and continued to improve in the one-on-one group. The format — brief, virtual and focused — proved convenient enough for busy physicians to complete. Nearly all participants finished their sessions.

The price point is also a potential game-changer. Small group coaching cost $400 per physician, less than half the $1,000 price tag for one-on-one coaching. Researchers also noted benefits beyond burnout: small group participants reported feeling more in control of their workload, and individual coaching seemed to boost work-related energy.

With more than half of U.S. physicians experiencing some level of burnout and an estimated $4.6 billion in systemwide costs each year, Khalili and his colleagues say the time is ripe for broader adoption.

A model worth replicating

Notably, the small group coaching participants began with higher levels of burnout than those in the one-on-one cohort but still saw comparable relative improvements.

“By improving physicians’ well-being, engagement and sense of support, interventions like coaching can enhance the quality of care patients receive, making this a public health priority, not just a workplace issue,” Khalili said.

The coaching program is now being offered to physicians in UCLA’s Department of Medicine. Khalili and his team are encouraging other health systems to explore group-based coaching and are calling for additional studies to confirm the results across different practice environments.