The Surgical Workplace Learning Environment: Integrating Coaching and Mentoring

Given the life-and-death nature of surgery, we have high expectations that future surgeons will be proficient across a number of competencies. The surgical setting is a busy workplace learning environment for attending physicians, residents, medical students, and the surgical team. Learners within this environment must seek out both informal and formal learning opportunities in order for targeted, ongoing development. A learning culture that integrates coaches and mentors provides an avenue for performance improvement across a wide range of competencies. In addition, coaching and mentoring extends learning relationships in order to frame learning as a continuous, relational, and lifelong endeavor. This chapter provides insight into workplace learning, the roles of mentors and coaches in development, and strategies for embedding authentic coaching and mentoring within a surgical education setting.