How do you continue to show up in medicine after you've been hit with a $28 million malpractice lawsuit?

In this powerful and deeply vulnerable conversation, Dr. Amna Shabbir is joined by Dr. Gita Pensa, an emergency physician, Brown University faculty member, podcast host of Doctors and Litigation: The L Word, and fierce advocate for physician well-being. Dr. Pensa shares the raw truth of what it was like to face litigation, an ordeal that spanned over 12 years, and how that experience reshaped her understanding of perfectionism, shame, and identity in medicine.

Together, they unpack the silent emotional crisis physicians endure during malpractice litigation, how perfectionism can become a liability in high-pressure professions, and the critical need to build shame-resilient medical cultures.

Together, they explore:

✅Why perfectionism isn’t protecting you—it’s paralyzing you.
✅What happens when your entire identity as a "good doctor" collapses.
✅Why burnout and litigation are hitting perfectionists the hardest.
✅The unseen emotional and professional toll of malpractice lawsuits.
✅ What medicine can learn from shame research and why we need to talk about litigation out loud.
✅How Dr. Pensa is helping change the conversation through education, coaching, and advocacy.

👤 About the Guest:

Dr. Gita Pensa is an emergency room physician, educator, and advocate for physician well-being. After enduring a 12-year, $28 million malpractice lawsuit, she launched the podcast Doctors and Litigation: The L Word to support doctors facing litigation. Dr. Pensa has been featured in the award-winning documentary film, A World of Hurt: How Medical Malpractice Fails Everyone.

🔗Connect with Dr. Pensa:

💻 Website: https://www.doctorsandlitigation.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gita-pensa-m-d-693557189/
🎙️ Podcast: https://www.doctorsandlitigation.com/podcast

🎙About the Host:
Dr. Amna Shabbir is a Dual Board-certified Physician, Master Certified Coach, Professional Speaker, Employee Wellness Strategist, Mental Health Advocate, and Super Mom. She empowers high achievers to redefine success and create sustainable well-being via coaching, speaking, and virtual programs. Dr.Shabbir is the Founder of Amna Shabbir Wellness Coaching and the Early Career Physicians Institute®.

This episode is part of her special book-writing project on unmasking perfectionism.

🔗Connect with Dr. Shabbir:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/
🌍 Book Her to Speak: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/Speaking

❌ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of any employer or institution.

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