Coaching through liminal phases: A qualitative study of graduating medical students’ perceptions of the value of coaching experiences over the course of medical school

To explore graduating medical students’ insights on the value of coaching experiences during each year of medical school while examining how coaching may support student development at various stages of training. We invited all graduating students who participated in the coaching program from first through fourth year to participate in one 90-minute virtual focus group. We conducted a thematic analysis of all the focus group transcripts using inductive open coding to develop themes. Twenty-three students participated. In the pre-clerkship years, students valued the coaching experience as a support and a conduit through transitioning into becoming a medical student by nurturing reassurance, self-validation, and community building. As medical school progressed into clerkship years, students valued their coaching experience as a source of emotional support to navigate the challenges of transitioning to workplace learning. In the final year, students valued the longitudinal relationship with their coaches for perspective-taking, reflection, and growth as they transitioned to residency while exploring their values and interests and deciding on their specialty. Our study describes the value of providing students with a longitudinal coaching relationship to support medical school transitions while helping students find meaning and growth in these liminal spaces.