Introducing the Success Coach Volume 3 Nuts and Bolts of the Coaching Session

I’m pleased you’ve joined me once more for the Massey Martin, LLC newsletter. We’re in the middle of an important series regarding the role and duties of the Success Coach, an integral piece of our Student Success Coaching Model. Not an academic advisor, not an instructor, the Success Coach’s relationship with the learner is one of accountability and improvements in “how to learn” so that PA students see results not only academically, but professionally. 

In our last issue, we discussed how the Success Coach / Learner relationship begins with a contractual understanding. As promised, today’s issue looks at the coaching session itself.

Conducting a coaching session

The contract between the Success Coach and Learner has already established what is expected of both parties to make the most of sessions together. Time is of the essence in this situation, obviously to help the struggling learner as quickly as possible, but also because Success Coaching has techniques that, when properly utilized by the learner, are almost immediately beneficial. The ability to identify a learning problem is the first step in the metacognitive process that the Student Success Model utilizes.

The initial meeting

The Success Coach has the responsibility to set the agenda for the initial meeting, as most incoming learners have no previous experience with academic coaching. Therefore, meeting preparation ensures that time together is considered value added for both the student and the Success Coach. Meeting preparation can be conducted through contact, such as email, to identify the subjects of importance. The first meeting will set the tone for future meetings, and provides an opportunity for the coach and learner to begin a conversation about goal setting. This time should be used to open the door to communication, getting to know each other, and begin building essential trust.

After the initial meeting, the close of each session is also bookended with goals for the next session, if applicable.

Students must have an active role in the agenda setting.  While we emphasize the importance of the Success Coach, nothing of value can be accomplished without the agency of the learners themselves.  The Success Coach understands that all learners have individual goals, styles, and comfort levels. The idea is not to conform all learners to one structure, but to teach individual learners how to best teach themselves.

Coaches provide guidance toward goal-setting by exploring student interests and needs, as well as a regular check-in toward achieving these goals. They form a relationship with their students through building trust, open communication, and respect.

Sample Session

In this paraphrased interview, at once you will note that the Success Coach asks the learner to identify the problem and her deficits, so she can actively participate in solutions that work for her.

Coach: What do you think is at the root of your struggle?

Learner: Procrastination

Coach: What study method(s) are you using?

Learner: PAEA Boot Camp. I divide topics by how many days until the EOR. I tried to take off the day before the exam. I do the practice questions, and try to review the next day.

Coach: Is there anything else you feel I should know?

Learner: I want to do well but struggle with procrastination. I’ve been successful in the past despite procrastination. I procrastinated, but still did well, so I knew I could “get away with it.”  Now I get overwhelmed when the exam approaches. I get confused between topics. I cram, then skip over a topic I don’t expect to be on the exam, but then it is. Being on academic probation was a motivator to get help. I study eight hours a day (not all at once), using Pomodoro method, Exam Master, Rosh Review, SmartyPANCE (questions are lower level, better for topical study), flash cards based on info from SmartyPANCE, textbook, Current, Pearls.

Deficits Identified:

☐ Medical Science Knowledge

☒ Study Skills

☐ Organization of Study Materials

☐ Clinical Medicine Knowledge

☐ Test-Taking Skills

☒ Time Management

☐ Clinical Skills

☐ Stress Management

☐ Other

Learner Comments: I can make a study plan, but struggle to stick to schedule. I plan to study 10 things a day but then must reschedule when I skip a day.

Now that the learner has identified her problems and deficits, she and the Success Coach can move forward with an action plan. This, of course, will be the topic of our next newsletter. I hope you’ll join me then!