I help physicians fix the behaviors that are putting their careers at risk
If you’ve been placed on a performance improvement plan (PIP), are undergoing a Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE), have been labeled a disruptive physician, or been asked to address professionalism or behavioral concerns, you’re in the right place.
Whether your hospital referred you or you sought coaching on your own, the goal is the same: lasting behavioral change that protects your career and strengthens your relationships.
Trusted by healthcare organizations
Nobody starts a medical career expecting to end up on a performance improvement plan.
When it happens, it can feel like a gut punch – disorienting, unfair, and scary. Most physicians receive little guidance on how to navigate the process successfully. Coaching provides structure during a period that is otherwise disorienting. It turns broad directives like “communicate better” or “be more collegial” into concrete actions that can be practiced, evaluated, and reinforced.
Start Here
I specialize in working with physicians on performance improvement plans (PIPs). This podcast episode walks you through what a PIP is, why they often go wrong, and how to navigate one without making things worse.
Most physicians were never taught how to navigate formal remediation processes or how to translate non-specific feedback into concrete change.
If you find yourself in one of these situations, the next step is a conversation.
How PIP and FPPE Coaching Works
First, we talk
We start with a conversation. You explain what’s going on and what you’re being asked to change. If you’re able to share your PIP or FPPE, I’ll review it. We look at the situation together and decide whether coaching makes sense right now.
Then we get specific
We identify the behaviors under review and the instances where they show up. This is not a discussion of personality or intent. It is a clear look at what is happening in interactions and how that is being perceived.
Then we do the work
Behavioral coaching is a 6-month engagement. We meet weekly for the first few months. Our focus is on identifying reactivity when it first arises and on developing skills and tools to expand the space between the external stimulus and your response.
Progress is made clear
When a hospital or medical group is involved, I help communicate progress in a way leadership understands, without sharing coaching conversations (which are confidential). The emphasis is on sustained change.
Why This Coaching Is So Effective
For Physicians
As a fellow physician, I understand the intense demands of practicing medicine. My coaching focuses on helping you:
- Recognize patterns before they create another problem.
- Handle conflict without escalating it.
- Communicate more effectively with colleagues, staff, and patients.
- Make changes that protect your career without changing who you are.
For Hospitals
When a physician’s behavior disrupts the team or puts their career at risk, timely intervention is critical. I help:
- Turn broad concerns into specific behaviors that can be worked on.
- Reduce the likelihood that the same problems keep happening.
- Rebuild trust with colleagues, leadership, and patients.
- Help the physician make meaningful, sustainable changes.
Physicians work with me for:
FAQ
From Physician Clients
“Rob is an expert observer who understands what it’s like to walk in our shoes. His insight helped me unlock my potential.”
— C.B., MD
“Rob helped me find my professional way during my darkest days at work. His coaching extended my career by several years.”
— B.J., MD
“Working with Rob has been life-changing. He helped me improve my leadership and communication skills, making me a better physician, father, and husband.”
— M.L., DO
Why a PIP can be harder than med school.
Most physicians I coach are excellent clinicians. The concerns that bring them to behavioral coaching rarely involve clinical ability. I don’t believe the labels “problem physician” or “disruptive physician” describe a personality trait. They describe good physicians who have developed behaviors that no longer serve them.
The way we act and communicate is rarely the result of a conscious decision. Our behaviors develop over time and eventually become habits. Many of the behaviors that create problems today were once rewarded or even necessary. They helped us succeed in medical school, residency, or other parts of our lives.
In thousands of hours coaching physicians, I’ve seen the same pattern over and over. Physicians are exceptionally well-trained in medicine, but changing behavior is a different skill. No one teaches you how to recognize the habits that have become automatic or how to replace them with behaviors that last.