The Medical Residency Director of a multi-functional, multi-clinic/hospital program worked tirelessly to provide a robust learning environment for both medical residents and medical faculty. The pressures of a triple-booked schedule, constant demands from credentialing bodies, administrative responsibilities, and the desire to be present in her own family led to burnout and exhaustion, despite the obvious love and passion for her work. All of the ordinary pressures were compounded by working to lead an organization responsible for leading during a global pandemic, specifically focused on those populations unable to easily gain access to vaccines, information, and care. She routinely considered quitting to return to “just being a doctor.”

Through executive coaching sessions, (both scheduled and by request), Libby provided perspective, guidance, practical solutions, and options for managing her workload, priorities, and self-care. The Director got clear on her priorities, her strengths, her challenges, and her goals: create the best residency program, be seen as a thought leader in her field, and be present for her children’s soccer and family activities. We assessed her workload, her schedule, her ability to delegate, and her need for rest and stress management.

The Medical Residency Director requested and was granted a first-ever 3-month sabbatical. During that time, her team learned new skills and gained experience to provide support and leadership on behalf of the director, which was beneficial for everyone involved. The Director took time to rest, reflect, and reorganize her work life and priorities so that she could return to work renewed. Her new schedule includes time blocked for strategy, creative thinking, and more spaciousness. She also improved her ability to delegate and develop others to lessen her own workload and prepare her successors. In addition, she now has time to volunteer for her children’s school, which had been a desire unfulfilled.