Work with a coach who’s been there.
As the sole physician defendant in a $28-million-dollar demand case spanning 12 years and 2 lengthy jury trials, I know first-hand how litigation can threaten to destroy the lives of good physicians.
Litigation threatened everything I’d worked so hard to achieve: my career, my marriage and family life, and my own personal well-being. I had never been prepared for it in training and had no idea where to look for help.
After years of suffering in isolation, I finally vowed to find ways to empower and educate myself. Diving into everything from tort law and legal performance techniques to cognitive neuroscience, behavioral therapy, coaching, and resilience training, I charted a path to recovery from litigation stress and burnout. On the way, I became a more effective defendant, a more fulfilled physician, and a happier human being.
I know now that the skill set, and mindset required to thrive despite litigation can be learned — and taught. Through podcasts, national speaking engagements, resident education, and coaching, I am on mission to ensure no physician again feels as I did when I was first named: alone, unprepared, and afraid.
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ONLINE COURSES
Learn What They Never Taught You In Training
CME-accredited courses built around the legal, psychological, and practical realities of malpractice litigation.
Defense LEAP
8 modules · Up to 6 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
âś“ Master deposition strategies and performance
âś“ Understand legal terminology and process
âś“Build emotional resilience and stress management
âś“ Navigate settlement vs. trial decisions
LEAP for Clinicians
âś“ Comprehensive litigation education from start to finish
âś“ Legal fundamentals and all litigation stages
âś“ Trial testimony and deposition strategies
âś“ Emotional mastery and coping mechanisms
ONE-ON-ONE COACHING
Direct support, throughout the case
Dr. Pensa works with physician defendants at every stage of litigation — from service of a complaint through post-trial. Coaching is confidential, personalized to your situation, and focused on two things: your performance as a defendant and your well-being as a human being.
âś“Â Strategy tailored to where you are in the process
âś“Â Deposition and trial testimony preparation
âś“Â Managing anxiety, grief, anger, and the sustained weight of litigation
âś“Â Stress physiology and practical approaches to staying functional
âś“Â Can partner with your defense attorney on request
Schedule a ConsultationAbout Dr. Pensa
Dr. Gita Pensa, MD, FAAEM
Emergency physician. Malpractice defendant. Brown University faculty. Creator and host of Doctors and Litigation: The L Word.
>Â 30+ years of clinical and academic experience
>Â Twelve years as a defendant, including two jury trials
>Â Has coached hundreds of physicians through litigation
>Â Speaks nationally on litigation stress and defendant performance
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Bringing this conversation to your organization.
Dr. Pensa speaks to medical societies, malpractice carriers, defense organizations, and residency programs on litigation stress, defendant performance, and physician well-being.
These talks are grounded in evidence, shaped by experience, and built for audiences that have heard enough "generic resilience" content. This is specific. It’s clinical. And it’s the conversation your organization needs to be having.
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In their own words...
“Dr. Pensa was hired by my attorney. When my attorney asked if I’d be willing to meet with Dr. Pensa, I agreed, but had low expectations. I believed that we provided good care to the patient in this case. Despite a lack of confidence in my own medical skills, I viewed myself as emotionally resilient. I already had access to mental health resources, if I needed them, and, in addition, I’m married to a psychiatrist. I really felt I had my resources covered.
That being said, I did think the situation was hopeless. I was not at the top of my medical school class, and I did not think I would ever be able to do well in a deposition or go to trial with a plaintiff’s attorney whom I was told was one of the best in the state.
Dr. Pensa ended up being an indispensable resource. She provided a bridge between the medical and legal world that I don’t think anyone else I know could have done. She changed my perspective of the legal system and how to approach a deposition as well as my perspective of my own medical practice. Her coaching made me a MUCH better deponent, and in the end, probably a better physician. I cannot recommend her highly enough! I am so grateful to have gotten to work with her.”
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-CJ, Defendant, OB-Gyn, 2024
Ready to Navigate Litigation with Confidence?
Whether you're currently in litigation, want to be prepared before it happens, or are looking to bring this training to your organization — let's talk.
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