Gita Pensa, M.D., is an emergency physician practicing in Rhode Island since 2001. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (now Perelman School of Medicine) in 1997 and completed the combined George Washington / Georgetown Emergency Medicine Residency in Washington, D.C., graduating as Chief Resident in 2001.
After thirteen years of community emergency medicine, she joined the faculty at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine of Brown University in 2014, where she is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine.
In addition to physician defendant well-being coaching and consulting, Dr. Pensa was the host and editor of AEM Early Access, a research podcast of the Academic Emergency Medicine journal, through 2024. She is a regular contributor to Emergency Medicine Reviews and Perspectives (EM:RAP) and co-host of its UC Max program. At Brown, she served as a Mary B. Arnold Longitudinal Mentor to over forty medical students yearly until 2022.
Dr. Pensa lives in Providence, RI, with her husband, three daughters, and a (mostly) good dog named Maggie.
Honors & Recognition
Work & Impact
Where clinical experience meets education, advocacy, and a national platform.
Podcast Host & Educator
Creator of the Doctors and Litigation: The L Word podcast. Former host & editor of AEM Early Access (Academic Emergency Medicine) through 2024. Regular contributor to EM:RAP and co-host of its UC Max program.
Coaching & Course Design
Designs and teaches LEAP for Clinicians and Defense LEAP — programs that help physicians navigate the emotional and procedural realities of malpractice litigation.
Mentor & Speaker
Served as a Mary B. Arnold Longitudinal Mentor to 40+ Brown medical students yearly until 2022. Keynote speaker for medical societies, MPL carriers, and defense organizations nationwide.
Beyond the Work
When I'm not coaching defendants or creating educational content, I'm at home in Providence, Rhode Island, with my husband, three daughters, and Maggie—our (mostly) good dog.
Family reminds me daily why this work matters. Every clinician facing litigation is someone's parent, spouse, or friend. The stress doesn't stay in the courtroom—it comes home. That's why I'm passionate about helping defendants protect not just their careers, but their relationships and well-being.
I understand what it's like to carry the weight of litigation while trying to be present for the people who matter most. And I'm here to help you do both.
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Photo:Â Dr. Pensa competing in a charity ballroom dancing competition in 2018, one week before her second trial
Ready to Work Together?
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Whether you're facing litigation now, want to learn proactively, or are interested in bringing my programs to your organization—let's start a conversation.
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