Enrollment is now open for the next class of the Physicians Leadership Academy (PLA) at the Columbus Medical Association, a unique and transformational program unlike any other physician leadership program. 

PLA is a research-backed program to help physicians thrive in today’s ever evolving healthcare landscape. Over ten months, globally recognized faculty and coaches work with participants to develop the skills to lead and make a lasting impact in their organization and community.  

Our more than 200 alumni say PLA: 

Helped them rediscover their purpose and reason for becoming a physician 

Connected them with a thriving community of peers who truly understand them and their experiences 

Empowered individuals in developing their own unique capacity to influence their personal and professional environment  

The 2026/2027 cohort kicks off in September, but space is limited. Find additional information and registration details on our website. Early bird and group discounts are available! 

Get your questions answered at our upcoming Virtual Information Sessions: 

• Monday, March 17, 6:00 pm
• Tuesday, April 7, 6:00 pm 

Click here to register for an information session or contact us with questions. 

 

 

Congratulations to Central Ohio Primary Care (COPC) for being awarded bronze level recognition from the American Medical Association’s Joy in Medicine program, which recognizes organizations for their work in physician well-being and burnout reduction, based on rigorous criteria. COPC, a 100% member of the CMA, is one of just five organizations in Ohio with a Joy in Medicine designation.

Stephanie Costa, MD, Jennifer Piela, and Mary-Lynn Niland, MD, accepted the honor at the American Conference on Physician Health on September 12 in Boston. Dr. Costa is the Physician Well-Being and Leadership Coach at COPC along with Alumni Director of the Physicians Leadership Academy (PLA). Dr. Niland serves as Director of Physician Well-Being and is also a PLA alumni.

“It has been intense but rewarding work to achieve these designations,” said Dr. Costa. “It is creating a positive shift in de-stigmatizing seeking mental health care and reducing systemic drivers of burnout.”

Pina Patel, MD, joined the CMA Board of Directors in June 2025. Dr. Patel, practices hospital and palliative care at OhioHealth Physician Group. She is also a member of the Physician Leadership Academy Class of ’25!

What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine?
I have always been drawn to medicine because it is a fascinating intersection between science and the art of healing. It not only improves the lives of individuals that we encounter, but it is also transforming for society. International health work was always my first love and is something I hope to return to someday. I have volunteered in South Africa, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, and India—every journey has been rewarding and has grounded me in a way that few things can.  

What brought you to Columbus, and what do you enjoy most about practicing here?
My family moved to Ohio from New Jersey back when Columbus Southern Power was acquired by American Electric Power (1984). I have grown up in the Worthington School system and my parents still live in the same home in Powell, Ohio. I left Ohio to train at Mass General Brigham in Boston and then started work as an attending in the San Francisco Bay Area for Kaiser Permanente. Living on both coasts was exhilarating, but nothing compares to my hometown of Powell, Ohio. I have deep roots here and can’t imagine leaving. 

What are your areas of clinical/professional interest?
My specialty is Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and given the changing financial landscape of healthcare, I am interested in educating patients on how to access the best palliative and hospice care possible. I have also recently become interested in developing more women physician leaders in corporate healthcare. There remains a lot of work to be done, but when I see the potential of my colleagues and myself, I know there is hope for the future.

What’s one thing you’d like your colleagues to know about you or your work?

I work in the world’s most amazing Inpatient Hospice Unit, Kobacker House. It is part of OhioHealth’s HomeReach Hospice—it was the third freestanding Inpatient Hospice Unit in the country and built by visionaries and pioneers in the field of Palliative Medicine. I am very fortunate to work there and be part of its story.

What’s your favorite restaurant in Columbus?
Veritas. They rotate through global tasting menus, and I am always excited to see their latest creation. My husband and I are foodies!

When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your free time?
I love learning about anything related to history.  his could mean through traveling, reading, going to museums, or watching films. I am trying to instill this interest in my children, and I think it’s working.
 
What’s a fun fact about you that people might not know?
I am fluent in Spanish. I studied for a semester abroad in Spain when I was 16. I lived with a host family with whom I have kept in touch through the years. This summer, after 30 years, I returned to Spain with my own family and reunited with my host-parents. It was a very moving experience. My 90-year-old host father greeted me while wearing the same apron I wore when I would help him cook paella.

If you could have dinner with any historical or medical figure, who would it be and why?
I am so fascinated by history that this is a very hard question to answer. British history, especially during the War of the Roses and the Tudor Dynasty, has always been so engaging for me. If I were pressed on it, I would say I would love to meet Queen Elizabeth I. She was a survivor of unending political intrigue. As queen, she did not mention her mother (the legendary Anne Boleyn), but upon her death it was found she was always wearing a locket ring that contained portraits of her and her mother.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Treat yourself with kindness. Frame a picture of yourself as child and keep it close at hand. When you view it, give yourself the same grace now that you would give yourself as a child. Ask yourself: Knowing what I know now, what would you tell the child you once were?