Stimulus - Learn Tools to Crush It in Your Medical Career

Getting sued, or even just the fear of it, is one of the greatest hidden drivers of physician stress, burnout, and career dissatisfaction, yet almost no one teaches doctors how to survive it. A malpractice lawsuit can shake your confidence, challenge your identity, and strain your relationships long before you ever step into a deposition. The good news is that preparation, practice, and the right mindset can transform litigation from an overwhelming threat into something you can navigate with confidence. In this episode, we explore what every physician should know about medical malpractice lawsuits and malpractice litigation,, how to navigate a deposition, the conversations that can sabotage your defense, and the emotional toll of being sued, along with practical ways to prepare before you're ever named in a lawsuit. Finally, we share the tools, resources, and hard-earned lessons that help doctors protect their careers without losing themselves in the process.
Why getting sued changes the way physicians practice medicine long after the case is over.
How preparation can take you from feeling like you're on the chopping block to walking into a deposition with confidence.
What you should and shouldn't say while a malpractice lawsuit is ongoing.
Why understanding plaintiff attorneys' tactics makes you a stronger defendant.
The communication mistakes that can undermine your credibility.
How to prepare for a deposition.
Why shame and isolation can make malpractice harder than the lawsuit itself.
Practical ways to protect your confidence, career, and mental health after being sued.

Resources Mentioned
Books
When Good Doctors Get Sued
How to Survive a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit - Eileen Brenner
Depositions Are Trial

Podcasts
Doctors and Litigation: The L Word
Season 1: Approaching D-Day
Season 3: The Educated Defendant

Courses & Tools
LEAP (Litigation Education and Performance).
Use the code STIMULUS100 for $100 off.

Guest: Dr. Gita Pensa is an emergency physician, educator, and litigation performance coach who helps clinicians navigate malpractice lawsuits with greater confidence and less emotional distress. Through speaking, coaching, and her LEAP (Litigation Education and Performance) courses, she works with healthcare organizations, insurers, defense attorneys, and physicians to transform how clinicians experience litigation.
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What: A look under the hood of the Unburnable Operating System, and an open Q&A with Scott and Rob.
When: Wednesday, July 22, 2:00 PM Pacific, 5:00 PM Eastern
Cost: Free.
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When another person is upset or angry, our instinct can be to help them lower their emotional temperature by saying something like, "Just calm down," or, "Relax," or, "Take a breath," or, "Look at the facts." However, saying those things when the other person is in the heat of the moment can have the reverse effect from what we were hoping for.
The reason is simple: People who do not feel heard are not ready to hear solutions.
In this episode, we explore the communication strategy of valence matching, why it works at both a psychological and neurological level, and how it can transform interactions with patients, colleagues, consultants, and loved ones. Finally, we show how a few seconds of emotional attunement can save minutes, or even hours, of unnecessary conflict.
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Tools, mindsets, and communication techniques so you don't get eaten alive by a job you're good at.
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We Discuss:
Why "Calm Down" Rarely Calms Anyone
The Simple Idea Behind Valence Matching
Why the Brain Rejects Logic During Conflict
Content vs Process in Conversation
Why You Should Match First, Then Move
Small Words That Create Big Differences
How to Effectively Thank Patients for Waiting
How Emotional Connection Shapes Clinical Encounters
Why an Excellent Clinician Had Consistently Low Patient Satisfaction Scores

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Begins Sept 15, 2026. CME available.
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The quality of our attention shapes every interaction we have, yet listening is often the first skill sacrificed when pressure, technology, and time constraints take over. Most clinicians spend years learning what to say, while spending little time learning how to effectively listen. In a healthcare system dominated by tasks, metrics, and efficiency, the ability to slow down and create genuine presence may be one of the most valuable skills we can cultivate.
In this episode, we explore why listening is both a mindset and a practical skill, how to listen more effectively, how small pauses can transform patient care, and why mindfulness extends far beyond meditation. Finally, we examine simple practices that help clinicians stay present, focused, and connected even during the busiest days.
💡 Get Rob's Book
Supranormal: A Field Guide for the Impossible Job.
Tools, mindsets, and communication techniques so you don't get eaten alive by a job you're good at.
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Guest Bio: Dr. Ronald Epstein – internationally recognized family physician, palliative care physician, educator, researcher and writer -- has devoted his career to understanding and improving communication and mindfulness in medicine. His scholarly articles have revolutionized doctors’ view of their work, and his 2017 book, Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness and Humanity shows how becoming mindful can transform healthcare, build strong connections between doctors and patients, and help clinicians flourish while providing the best care for patients.
You can find Ron at www.ronaldepstein.com and learn about his workshops at www.mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com
We Discuss:
Why listening may be the most important clinical skill we rarely teach
The 90-second habit that changes patient encounters
What a near-missed surgical complication reveals about hierarchy
The difference between spending time and being present
The difference between reacting and responding
A simple doorknob practice for transitioning between patients
How "Find Your Feet" helps restore presence during stressful encounters
Why slowing down often improves performance
What mindfulness looks like beyond formal meditation

Mentioned in this episode:
Doctoring Done Well | Bite-Sized Wins
Every other week, a few minutes of career-elevating insight delivered straight to your inbox.
The Doctoring Done Well Newsletter is never lame, never spammy, and always fresh.
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The Out-On-Time Course
Built for emergency clinicians who are tired of chart debt and getting derailed by interruptions and overwhelm. Learn practical, real-time documentation and shift-efficiency strategies to finish your shift and actually leave on time.
Learn More About The Out-On-Time Course
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Your ability to earn income is your most valuable financial asset. Physicians spend years protecting patients, building careers, and accumulating assets, yet many discover too late that the insurance designed to protect their income is full of loopholes, exclusions, and traps. Disability insurance sounds boring until the moment someone needs it, and then it becomes one of the most emotionally and financially consequential topics in medicine.
In this episode, we explore the hidden realities of physician disability insurance, why employer policies often fail when doctors need them most, and how to think strategically about protecting future income before health problems appear. We also walk through what physicians should do when filing a disability claim, and how to avoid sabotaging the process from the very beginning.
💡 Get Rob's Book
Supranormal: A Field Guide for the Impossible Job.
Tools, mindsets, and communication techniques so you don't get eaten alive by a job you're good at.
Buy it on Amazon
Guest bio: Matthew Wiggins is the founder of Doc Insure and a leading educator in physician disability insurance. Since 2003, he has helped more than 15,000 doctors understand and secure income protection, while pioneering a faster, online-first way for residents, fellows, and attendings to compare personalized disability policies. Through Doc Insure, Matt makes a confusing and often overlooked topic practical, transparent, and easier to navigate so physicians can make informed decisions about protecting their future earnings. Matt and his crew will give you a quote on disability insurance through this link. Or you can set up a call to chat with them directly here.
We Discuss:
Why most employer disability policies leave physicians underprotected
How true own-occupation coverage protects a physician’s specialty income
Why physicians dramatically underestimate their chances of becoming disabled
The different disability risks facing procedural and cognitive specialties
Why disability claims often become adversarial and difficult to navigate
How detailed occupational documentation strengthens disability claims
Why income documentation determines the value of a disability payout
How understanding a diagnosis improves the strength of a disability claim
Why filing timing can affect whether benefits are approved and when payments begin
Why buying disability insurance during residency protects future insurability

Mentioned in this episode:
Get Out On Time
The Out-On-Time Course gives you the tools to complete your charts on shift, manage overwhelm and interruptions, and create fast, focused, kickass notes, so you can stay out of chart debt and get home on time. Self-paced. 12 hours AMA PRA Category 1 CME.
Learn More About The Out-On-Time Course
UnBurnable Registration is Now Open
We took the highest yield tools from our 1:1 coaching and created a community-based course with docs who get it and get you.
The UnBurnable Course
Doctoring Done Well | Bite-Sized Wins
Every other week, a few minutes of career-elevating insight delivered straight to your inbox.
The Doctoring Done Well Newsletter is never lame, never spammy, and always fresh.
Sign up for our Newsletter