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A Tale of Two Transitions: How to achieve the next shift in your medical career

A 90-minute session that looked at what executive coaching is and how, using career transitions as an example application, it can be a valuable support option for physicians. 

Jun 16, 2023

Please note that the session was not recorded.

This session was co-facilitated by ICF Certified Executive Coaches, Dr. Michelle Jackman MSc, MD, FRCPC and Dr. Debrah Wirtzfeld MD, FRCSC, MSc, MBA.

While peer support and therapy are each valuable supports, they may not be the only or the right support in every situation. Executive coaching is gaining popularity as an additional form of support physicians may want to seek.

The session will help participants understand what executive coaching is and isn’t, and how it can help physicians with self-exploration of personal identity, purpose, meaning, skills, capabilities, and even potential blind spots to help them create the circumstances for increased fulfillment and happiness. Options for finding a qualified executive coach will also be shared.

What’s involved:

  • A 90-minute session on Zoom where you are ‘on-camera’ with everyone else in the session to provide a sense of connection and community.
  • Commitment to confidentiality.
  • Hearing real life examples and benefits that illustrate how coaching can work.
  • An opportunity to ask questions about the topic.
  • Physicians will have the opportunity to reflect on a shift they may be considering.

This session is not:

  • A personal coaching session for participants. Rather it is an information session about executive coaching, specifically for physicians.

What you’ll need:

  • Zoom using both audio (headphones are helpful) and video.
  • A dedicated quiet place where you will be relatively undisturbed.

About Dr. Michelle Jackman

Dr. Michelle Jackman is a practicing pediatrician, born and raised in Ontario. She grew up in the City of Kawartha Lakes and is a University of Toronto Alumni OT1. She completed three years of surgical residency at Queen’s University in Kingston and earned her FRCPC in pediatrics in 2008.

Dr. Jackman has been clinical lead at the Pediatric Centre for Wellness & Health at Alberta Children’s Hospital since it was established in 2012. Her clinical passion focuses on supporting children and youth at risk for obesity through this multi-disciplinary program. 

Her clinical expertise is in the area of supporting children and youth with mental health, metabolic and mechanical co-morbidities of obesity to achieve their best health. 

She recently completed her executive coaching certification and coaching mastery program through Erickson International and is passionate about bringing coaching into the medical field to help her colleagues navigate challenges, excel in their professions and increase their fulfillment in all aspects of their lives.

Michelle lives in Calgary with her husband and daughter. She enjoys making her daughter laugh, and being out in nature and mountains on bikes, skis and horses.

About Dr. Wirtzfeld

Dr. Debrah Wirtzfeld is an executive coach and consultant who works with clients in developing a vision for their preferred future. More specifically, she has a passion for assisting clients in successfully navigating sustainable and impactful career transitions.

The power of her approach is in engaging clients around the equation “Empowered Performance = Potential – Interference” – Tom Gallwey. She has incorporated her approach into her successful ‘She Knows ShiFt!’ career transitions coaching package. 

Debrah will challenge you to expand your strategic networks, focus your time and attention, step up to act despite fear or a lack of confidence and own your successes in order to optimize your potential.

Debrah holds an MD from the University of Calgary, an ICD.D from Rotman, and an MBA and certificate in executive coaching from Royal Roads University. She is accredited in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (individuals, leadership, and teamwork), PROSCI® Change Management, EQi-2.0, and as a facilitator for Crucial Conversations.