Better Together

Better Together is an evidence-based coaching program from University of Colorado which is designed to help you manage the challenges in academic medicine. The program has been demonstrated to significantly improve these outcomes:

• Burnout
• Imposter Syndrome
• Perfectionism
• Moral Injury
• Flourishing

Better Together Coaching is available to first term, second year Assistant Professors and Associate Research Scientists. The program is also now available to first term, second year Associate Professors and Research Scientists. You can enroll in both the Fall and Spring semesters.

Each semester provides you with access to the Better Together platform with webinars, self-study materials, twice weekly group coaching calls, up to 4 individual coaching calls, and unlimited virtual coaching through the secure membership site.

Your enrollment into the Better Together program is without cost to you and is sponsored by the Yale School of Medicine Office of Academic and Professional Development. The Better Together program is fully confidential and is administered outside of Yale University. It is designed for busy clinicians and scientists trying to balance the demands of a career in medicine. This program is flexible and allows you to engage as much or as little as you wish. No grades. No Gold Stars. Just excellent, evidence-based coaching.

Better Together uses a metacognitive coaching tool to teach paritcpants a tangible way to reframe thoughts, implement change, and learn methods for healthy coping.

After completing the BT program, participants experienced lower rates of burnout and imposter syndrome and greater levels of self-compassion.

CTFAR (Circustances, Thoughts, Feelings, Actions, Results)

Here are some of the publications that you can review to see the impact of the Better Together program:

1. Mann A, Shah AN, Thibodeau PS, Thurman, KT, Syed, A, Woodward, MA, Dunbar, K, Jones, CJ, Dyrbye L, Fainstad, T. Online Well-Being Group Coaching Program for Women Physician Trainees: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. Oct 2023;6(10):e2335541.
2. Fainstad T, Rodriguez C, Kreisel C, Caragol J, Thibodeau PS, Kostiuk M, Mann A. Impact of an Online Group-Coaching Program on Ambulatory Faculty Physician Well-Being: A Randomized Trial. J Am Board of Fam Med Dec 2024. DOI:10.3122/jabfm.2024.240022R1
3. Shah AN, Vinaithirthan, V, Syed, AS, Thurman, KT, Mann A, Fainstad, T. National Comparison of Burnout for a Cohort of Surgical and Non-Surgical Female Trainees. J Surg Res. 2024 Apr; 296:404-410. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2024.01.010
4. Mann A**, Fainstad T**, Shah P, et al. “We’re all going through it”: impact of an online group coaching program for medical trainees: a qualitative analysis. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):1-10.
5. Fainstad T**, Mann AM**, Suresh K, Shah P, Dieujuste N, Thurmon K, Jones CD. Effect of a Novel Online Physician Group-Coaching Program to Reduce Burnout in Trainees: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA Netw Open. May 2022.
6. Fainstad T, Warde C, Levine R. Promoting Scholarship, Advocacy, and Creativity in the Balance of Work, Family, and Social Responsibility. SGIMForum. 2022.

Additional information can be found at the website: Home - Better Together.

If there any questions, please contact OAPD at oapd.acadprof@yale.edu.