Mark Rudolph, MD
Confidential 1:1 Physician Coaching
When the practice of medicine feels complicated
Whether you're seeking coaching on your own or you've been asked to pursue it, I'll provide you with a direct, personalized experience focused on understanding what’s actually happening in your professional life and getting clear about what needs to change for you to practice successfully.I work with physicians navigating a range of challenges that typically fall into one of three categories:- Strengthening professional communication and workplace interactions
- Developing leadership presence that drives effectiveness
- Managing the cumulative pressures of practicing medicineAs we work together, you'll benefit from confidential, practical support grounded in a deep understanding of medical culture, professional expectations and the realities that physicians face every day.
Copyright 2026 Mark Rudolph, MD Physician Coaching
Programs
My 1:1 coaching programs reflect the different reasons physicians come to coaching, which also impacts program duration. I will make specific recommendations regarding program length based on the nature of the challenges you're facing. Sessions are typically one hour. All programs are entirely confidential, even when sponsored by your employer or medical staff.
Momentum Coaching
"Something's got to change."
6 sessions over 12 weeks foundation engagement
Sometimes change is needed but the path forward isn't clear yet. This kind of shift takes time and practice, which is why Momentum Coaching is a sustained engagement built around behavioral change and career goals. Six sessions over twelve weeks establishes the foundation.
Dilemma Coaching
"There's a fork in the road."
3 session engagement
When the issue you're facing is more immediate: a decision to make, a difficult conversation to have, a crossroads that would benefit from a thought partner, Dilemma Coaching creates the space and partnership for this kind of work.
Exploratory Coaching
"I need a space to talk."
As often or as little as you need
Perhaps there's no specific goal, just a need for a confidential space to think out loud, examine patterns and reconnect with what matters to you. Exploratory Coaching provides you the opportunity to be heard and to think more clearly about what you're navigating.
"I want you to know how grateful I am for your coaching and counseling. This has been a very difficult time for me. You helped me focus on my values and actions instead of my anger. I still have work to do, but the scripts and strategies you helped me to develop will continue to serve me."
- Hospitalist, community hospital; focus: professional communication/EQ
My Approach
Workplace challenges rarely indicate a need for wholesale transformation.Most often they point to gaps in skills or awareness that limit our ability to manage certain situations. The fact is, most of us received excellent clinical training but few tools to navigate the other aspects of a career in medicine. As a result, unpleasant dynamics may recur for reasons that may or may not be clear. And this is exactly where our work will begin. Together, we'll:- Examine your current reality and how you got here
- Clarify what you want to accomplish
- Identify concrete actions you can take to move forward successfullyFrom there, practice and refinement become the focus. Sometimes a shift in mindset is required. Or a new way of handling a challenging situation. And when new skills are called for, we'll integrate them with those you already have. In all cases, we'll work together to create targeted, meaningful interventions that feel authentic to you, because sustainable change comes from staying true to your nature and your values.The result? You'll feel more satisfied in your work and the people around you will notice the difference too.
"I feel like I'm in a really good space right now. I attribute a lot of that to what I've learned from the work we've done over the last year. It has been incredibly valuable - a game changer for me, really. Thank you so much for challenging me."
- Pediatrician, teaching hospital; focus: leadership/executive coaching
About
The one constant across every role I've had during my medical career is a focus on the professional development and well-being of physicians. As a practicing hospitalist, I launched a professional development department for my group and later continued these efforts as Medicine Department Chair, VP of Physician Development and as a Chief Medical Officer.My shift toward coaching began in 2019 while developing a peer support program based on the model created at Johns Hopkins. As we trained the physician peer supporters, I witnessed something profound: even a 10-minute coaching conversation led the role play participants to remark that they felt better. This stuck with me and led me to leverage my professional development background to pursue further coaching training and ultimately to build my coaching practice.You can find my complete work history on LinkedIn.--EDUCATION:
- Chief residency: NYU Downtown Hospital
- Internal medicine residency: New York Presbyterian Hospital
- Medical school: Case Western Reserve University
- Undergraduate: University of Michigan, BA EconomicsCOACHING/COMMUNICATION EDUCATION:
- NeuroLeadership Institute, Brain-based coaching certificate (ICF approved)
- National Anger Management Association, Certified Anger Mgmt. Specialist, Level II
Mt. Constance, Olympic National Park
I am based in the Pacific Northwest, just outside of Seattle, WA.
All sessions are conducted virtually, so I'm able to work with physicians across the country.
FAQ
Do you work with physicians who are on a performance improvement plan (PIP)?
Yes. I understand that being placed on a performance improvement plan can bring up a mix of emotions. I will help you think clearly about the challenges you're facing so that you can move forward with professionalism and confidence.My role is not to judge or report. It's to help you get crystal clear about what needs to change so that we can identify specific, repeatable practices you can implement at work in order to breathe a little easier.The majority of physicians who engage in coaching during a PIP complete the process successfully and emerge with stronger communication skills, greater self-awareness and a more collaborative professional presence.
How long should a coaching engagement be to achieve lasting behavior change?
For most physicians, a full engagement of twelve sessions over six months provides the time and consistency needed to create meaningful, lasting change. Behavioral change rarely happens quickly. It requires building self-awareness, practicing new approaches in real situations and having enough experience between sessions to reflect on and learn from.The foundation engagement of six sessions over twelve weeks establishes clarity, builds momentum and will provide a strong basis for determining the right path forward. If you're working through more deeply ingrained patterns, navigating complex leadership challenges or pursuing significant career transitions, extending beyond the foundation phase is likely to yield more lasting results.The right duration ultimately depends on the complexity of your goals, your readiness for change and the kind of support that serves you best. That's a conversation we'll have together at the outset and revisit as your work evolves.
What exactly does coaching involve?
It starts with getting clear about what’s actually going on.In an initial "discovery" session, we'll take a close look at your current situation: what’s been happening, your thoughts on why it's happening and what you want to be different. From there, we define a small number of practical goals.Once the goals are clear, sessions are focused on real situations you’re dealing with at work: a pattern you keep running into or a moment where you wish you had handled things differently.We’ll break down these situations and work through how to approach them in a more effective way, whether that’s how you communicate, how you set expectations or how you respond under pressure.Between sessions, you’ll apply what we’ve discussed while at work. When we meet again, we’ll look at what worked and what didn’t in order to refine and adjust.Over time, things will start to shift in a way that feels both rewarding and sustainable.
How often will we meet?
I typically recommend meeting every two weeks. This gives you enough time to reflect on what we’ve discussed and try things out while at work. Depending on the situation, there may be times when it makes sense to meet more or less frequently.We’ll choose a cadence that fits your timeline and respects your busy schedule.
How is coaching different from therapy?
While both disciplines typically explore behavioral patterns, stress responses and mindset, coaching is predominantly forward-focused and grounded in helping you to create observable change in communication, leadership behavior and professional presence.Traditional psychotherapy is rooted in the medical model of making a diagnosis and offering treatment in order to heal past wounds. Both coaching and psychotherapy can certainly be experienced as therapeutic, but coaching does not involve the formulation of a diagnosis and is not reportable as mental health intervention.
Do you coach Advanced Practice Providers?
Yes.The principles of effective communication and leadership, as well as the strategies for maintaining well-being are equally applicable to all clinicians on the care team, regardless of specific credentials.I'm also keenly aware of the challenges that diverse teams may face related to traditional medical hierarchies and role biases. These issues further underscore the need for frequent and effective communication across teams and I enjoy supporting all clinicians in these efforts.
Schedule A Consultation
To schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation with me, please share your name and email. I'll reply with a link to my calendar where you can book either a phone call or Zoom meeting at your convenience.Or, feel free to submit a question. I look forward to talking with you.Mark
Mark Rudolph, MD
Seattle, WA
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