About Me

Hi, I’m Gretchen Fuller — a dual-boarded Emergency and Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician, professional development coach, educator, wife and mother of three. I help healthcare professionals clarify what matters most to them, reconnect with their inner light and wisdom, and move forward with greater fulfillment, alignment, and peace.

I trained at Harvard Medical School, completed residency and chief residency at UCSF, and fellowship at UT Austin Dell Medical School, where I now teach and coach. I’m a Master Certified Physician Development Coach, serve on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Communication in Healthcare, and have helped train thousands of clinicians in evidence-based communication and leadership skills. I was honored to receive Dell Med’s 2024 Faculty Compassion and Character Award.

But what shapes me most isn’t just professional—it’s personal.

I was raised in a Midwestern town outside Cleveland, Ohio, in a family that valued grit, humility, and hard work. My ancestors were sheep shearers, farmers, builders, and brewers—ordinary people who provided and persevered. My parents, both from working-class roots, built a loving and stable home for my brother and me, grounded in education, integrity, and community.

As I’ve moved through life, I’ve spent time reflecting on what it means to belong, contribute, and grow. This includes reflection on how my identities - including those of woman, mother, physician, facilitator, coach, ex D1 athlete, Midwesterner, US citizen, white person, Texan, optimist, nerd and supporter - impact the way I see and am seen. I am deeply committed to meaning, connection, and purpose in an ever-evolving world.

My husband’s heritage includes French Caribbean and Mexican-American roots, and together we’re raising our three children in a home that blends old-school values with modern openness. On my best days I practice what I coach and teach - the family values that guide our days include:

• Be kind. Treat others the way they want to be treated.

• Have an attitude worth catching.

• Do your best.

• Be curious and learn every chance you get.

• Make the world you want to live in.

• Be courageous—for yourself and others.

My Philosophy

I coach from a foundation of unconditional positive regard, appreciation and love. I believe you are already whole and fully resourced. Through appreciative inquiry, I help you uncover your inner wisdom, connect with what gives your life meaning, and learn how to leverage your agency—especially in moments of uncertainty, transition, or misalignment.

Why I Do This Work in Healthcare

In healthcare, we are trained to solve problems and deliver answers. Our labor is often physical and cognitive—fast-paced, technical, and exacting. But caring for patients and navigating our broken healthcare system requires something more: the introspective work of attuning to your own values and behaviors, the noticing of those of your patients, colleagues, and community, and the ability to connect and communicate effectively with ourselves and others. 

I believe your ability to care, heal, lead, and thrive is directly related to the depth of your self-awareness, alignment between your values and actions, and quality of your relationships.

Outside of Work

I live in Austin, Texas, where you’ll find me chasing my three wild and wonderful kids, spending time outdoors, eating breakfast tacos, listening to indie and electronic music, and co-creating a family life full of love and joy.

What I'm Learning Right Now

I’m currently exploring how to leverage artificial technology in service of fostering personal and professional meaning and purpose. I’m also learning how to honor the aging journey while remaining committed to vitality, fitness and health in midlife.