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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“I have a license to practice medicine, but I don’t have a degree in martyrdom.”

In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Dr. Laura Vater, a gastrointestinal oncologist, TEDx speaker, and creator of the SMILE Scale, joins Dr. Amna Shabbir to unmask the hidden costs of perfectionism in medicine. Together, they navigate the often-unspoken emotional toll of striving, sacrificing, and surviving in a system that rewards overwork and overlooks humanity.
This episode challenges the idea that exhaustion is a badge of honor. Instead, it invites all clinicians and high performers to reconnect with their humanity, share their truth, and find freedom in rest.

Together, they explore:
✅ The unrelenting internal pressure to “do it all” as a physician, mother, and high achiever
✅ Dr. Vater’s raw and courageous story of burnout and suicidal ideation during residency
✅ How the culture of medicine reinforces perfectionism and emotional concealment
✅ The impact of sleep deprivation on empathy and the science behind compassion fatigue
✅ The SMILE Scale—a simple, research-backed self-check-in for daily wellness
✅ Creating space for imperfection and redefining success as a human being, not a machine

👤 About the Guest:
Dr. Laura Vater is a gastrointestinal oncologist at the Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she leads the Young Onset Colorectal and GI Cancer Program. Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Vater is a writer, TEDx and commencement speaker, and a passionate advocate for the well-being of patients and healthcare workers. She co-founded the Writing for Wellness Narrative Medicine Program at Indiana University School of Medicine and developed the SMILE Scale, a wellness behavior tool designed to support both patients and clinicians.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Vater:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doclauravater/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-b-vater-md-mph-44380738/

🎙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®, where she empowers high achievers to redefine success and create sustainable well-being.

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.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
Share it with a colleague, peer, or friend who needs this message.

Have you been striving for apathy?

In this deeply moving and powerful conversation, Dr. Abby Spencer, Professor of Medicine, Vice Chair for Education, and Director of the Academy of Educators at Washington University, joins Dr. Amna Shabbir to unpack the high cost of perfectionism, the reality of burnout in medicine, and what it means to lead with heart.

Together, they explore:

✅Compassionate leadership in medicine
✅ The double standards women in leadership face
✅A special moment in Dr. Shabbir’s life when she was a medical trainee, and how Dr. Spencer helped avert her trauma.
✅Creating systems where vulnerability is safe
✅ Recognizing and recovering from burnout
✅The emotional toll of moral injury in healthcare

👤 About the Guest:
Abby Spencer, MD, MS, FACP, is a nationally recognized leader in internal medicine and medical education. She serves as Professor of Medicine, Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Medicine, and Director of the Academy of Educators at Washington University School of Medicine. Known for her fierce advocacy for trainees, women in medicine, and values-driven leadership, Dr. Spencer has mentored hundreds of physicians throughout her career, including Dr. Shabbir.

🔗Connect with Dr. Spencer:
X: https://x.com/abbyWUim

🎙About the Host:
Dr. Amna Shabbir is a Dual Board-certified Physician, Master Certified Coach, Professional Speaker, Corporate 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®, where she empowers high achievers to redefine success and create sustainable well-being.

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.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
Share it with a colleague, peer, or friend who needs this message.

“The most important thing you can remember is your humble beginnings.”

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Amna Shabbir speaks with Geoffrey M. Roche, healthcare workforce expert, Forbes Business Council member, and proud advocate for inclusion, as he opens up about the life-changing moment that forced him to redefine success, step away from perfectionism, and lead with greater authenticity and impact.

Together, they explore:

✅Why perfectionism is not a strength in disguise
✅The turning point that helped Geoffrey reclaim his autonomy
✅How great leaders use vulnerability to empower teams
✅The connection between psychological safety and retention in healthcare
✅How to champion and create true belonging at work

👤 About the Guest:
Geoffrey M. Roche, MPA is a nationally recognized healthcare leader and the North America Director of Workforce Development at Siemens Healthineers. With 16+ years in hospital and higher education leadership, he’s a Forbes Business Council member and passionate advocate for inclusive, people-first leadership in healthcare.

🔗Connect with Geoffrey:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreymroche

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

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.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
Share it with a colleague, peer, or friend who needs this message.

What happens when the profession you love ends up taking everything from you?

In this deeply moving episode, Dr. Amna Shabbir sits down with Betsy Gall, author of The Illusion of the Perfect Profession, to talk about physician suicide, the hidden cost of perfectionism, and the very real pain that’s often buried beneath a white coat.

Following the tragic death by suicide of her husband, Dr. Matthew Gall—a beloved oncologist, husband, and father—Betsy transformed her grief into advocacy. Her book, grounded in raw journal entries and letters to God, is a personal and powerful testament to the urgent need for change in how we support those who care for us.

Together, they explore:

✔️ Why Betsy believes being a doctor cost Matt his life
✔️ The identity loss and shame that stop physicians from asking for help
✔️ The barriers physicians face in accessing mental health care
✔️ How to humanize our healthcare system from the inside out

📌 Referenced in this episode:
🔗 The Illusion of the Perfect Profession by Betsy Gall: https://a.co/d/btSG8qa
🔗 Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation: https://drlornabreen.org

👤 About the Guest:

Betsy Gall is an author, speaker, real estate investor, and mother of three. After losing her husband, Dr. Matthew Gall, to suicide in 2019, she became a fierce advocate for physician mental health and well-being. Her memoir, The Illusion of the Perfect Profession, is a candid and healing account of grief, faith, and the broken systems that need urgent reform. Today, she partners with organizations like the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation to share her family's story and fight for lasting change in healthcare.
🔗 Connect with Betsy:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betsygall1/

💙 About the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation:

The Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the well-being of healthcare professionals and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. It was founded in honor of Dr. Lorna Breen, an emergency physician who died by suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic after facing unrelenting professional pressure.

Impact Highlights:

✅ Passed the bipartisan Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act
✅ Advocates for removing mental health questions from licensing/credentialing
✅ Provides grants and training to build resilient workplace cultures in healthcare

🔗 Support their work: https://drlornabreen.org/donate

🎙 About the Host:

Dr. Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a dual board-certified Internal Medicine and Geriatrics physician, Master Certified Life Coach, and the Founder of Amna Shabbir Wellness Coaching and the Early Career Physicians Institute®. A passionate speaker, writer, and podcast host,

Dr. Shabbir empowers high achievers to create sustainable well-being.

She is a proud Ambassador of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation and a national voice in the movement for clinician mental health.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Amna Shabbir:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@amnashabbirmd
🌍 Book Dr. Shabbir to Speak: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/speaking

❗ Important Notes:

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of suicide, depression, and grief. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 for free, confidential support.

❌ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice and reflects the views of the speakers, not any employer or institution.

❤️ Enjoyed this Episode?

Please rate and review the show, and share it with someone who needs to hear this conversation.

"You don’t have to apologize for taking up space or for wanting more."

In this empowering episode of Success Reimagined, Dr. Amna Shabbir welcomes Dr. Sasha Shillcutt, tenured professor, cardiac anesthesiologist, author, and founder of Brave Enough, for a powerful conversation on boundaries, burnout, and bold leadership.

Together, they explore:

✅ The invisible toll of over-functioning in high-stress careers

✅ Why boundaries are not just protective, but restorative

✅ The courage required to disappoint others to honor yourself

✅ How professional women can reclaim time without guilt

✅ The myth of having to “choose” between ambition and authenticity

✅ Tangible strategies to lead with both strength and self-compassion

👤 About the Guest:

Dr. Sasha Shillcutt is a tenured professor and Vice Chair of Strategy in the University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Anesthesiology. She is a board-certified cardiac anesthesiologist, TEDx speaker, and the founder of Brave Enough, a community dedicated to empowering professional women. She is the author of Between Grit and Grace and Brave Boundaries.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Shillcutt:

📘Attend the Brave Enough Women's CME Conference 2025

📕 Read Between Grit and Grace

📕 Read Brave Boundaries

🎥 Watch Dr. Shillcutt's TEDx Talk – Resilience: The Art of Failing Forward

🎙 About the Host:

Dr. Amna Shabbir is a Dual Board-certified Geriatrics and Internal Medicine Physician, Master Certified Coach, Professional Speaker, Mental Health Advocate, and Super Mom. She is the Founder of Amna Shabbir Wellness Coaching and the Early Career Physicians Institute®, where she empowers high achievers to redefine success and create sustainable well-being.

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.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.

Share it with a colleague, peer, or friend who needs this message.