The California Medical Association (CMA) has named P.T. Koenig, M.D., a family physician with Sutter Medical Group in Dixon, as the recipient of the 2025 Gary S. Nye Award for Physician Health and Wellness. The award recognizes a physician who has made outstanding contributions to improving physician health and wellness. 

Dr. Koenig has been a dedicated member of Sutter Medical Group since 2001, where he has earned recognition not only as a compassionate clinician but also as a transformative leader in physician well-being. Since 2016, he has served as the group’s Lead Well-Being Champion, guiding initiatives that foster a culture of caring, compassion and support across a multispecialty group of more than 1,500 clinicians. 

“For over two decades, Dr. Koenig has modeled servant leadership in every sense. A practicing family physician since 2001, he has become a deeply trusted advisor, mentor and source of quiet strength within Sutter Medical Group,” said Edward M. Yu, M.D., Vice President for Value/Population Health and Chief Quality Officer at Sutter Health's Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group. “His work is characterized by compassion, consistency, and humility – traits that have allowed him to lead effectively and meaningfully in times of both calm and crisis.” 

As a Clinician Pacesetter for Sutter Health’s Joy of Work initiative from 2018 to 2022, he helped elevate clinician wellness to an enterprise-level priority. He hosted the organization’s inaugural Well-Being Summit, launched a popular webinar series to sustain engagement during the pandemic, and was a driving force behind the creation of Sutter’s Chief Well-Being Officer position – a milestone that came to fruition thanks in large part to his advocacy and persistence. 

Within Sutter Medical Group, Dr. Koenig built and continues to lead a network of Well-Being Champions across hospitals and clinics, establishing a sustainable model of peer support. These Champions provide confidential outreach and facilitate regular support groups that address both personal and professional challenges faced by clinicians. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Koenig launched the Daily Dose of Well-Being – a newsletter feature offering reflection, humor, and connection during a challenging period for health care workers. 

Beyond his system-level leadership, Dr. Koenig has collaborated with the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society and other organizations to strengthen wellness surveys and cross-institutional initiatives aimed at improving professional fulfillment and reducing burnout. 

“I have worked with Dr. Koenig for over twenty-two years. He has always been a brave voice for clinician well-being, someone who has never shied away from speaking the truth. His candor and deep commitment to clinician wellness have earned him the respect of our entire medical group,” said Elizabeth Ward Pham, M.D., Medical Director of Recruitment and Retention for Sutter Health. “I cannot say enough about the profound and lasting impact Dr. Koenig has had on the well-being of Sutter Medical Group’s physicians and advanced practice clinicians.”