This Is How I Keep Showing Up

The Rise and Fall of Trust in Infectious Diseases

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, infectious diseases doctors were suddenly front and center. We were seen as heroes people turned to us for answers, leaned on our expertise, and genuinely valued our role in helping the broader medical community navigate an emerging and unfamiliar threat.

That moment didn’t last.

As the pandemic dragged on and people grew weary, that early gratitude gave way to frustration and, in many cases, outright hostility. The measures meant to protect lives became politicized. Misinformation exploded. Vaccine mistrust surged. And the very same physicians who had been praised for their bravery and insight were now being vilified. Called fearmongers. Accused of having an agenda. Treated as if science itself were optional. That shift has been painful and dangerous. And the ripple effects are still being felt.

A New Era of Challenges

We’re now in a climate where anti-vaccine rhetoric is louder and more organized than ever. We’re seeing cuts to funding for essential public health tools, disease surveillance systems, research infrastructure, community health programs. And with the new U.S. administration, we’re facing leadership at the highest levels of health policy that is openly hostile to vaccines and rooted in pseudoscientific beliefs. For those of us in infectious diseases, it feels like the goalposts have moved. We’re expected to keep showing up for our patients while also pushing back against a political tide that undermines our very work. It’s exhausting. And yet, I’m still here.

What Keeps Me Going

So how am I continuing to show up in this moment? How do I keep doing this work especially when it feels like the world around me is becoming more hostile to the truth?

I’ve gone back to my roots.

I’ve doubled down on the communities I serve. I’ve focused on the sacred trust that exists between doctor and patient. And I’ve tried to stay grounded in the reasons I went into medicine in the first place: to care for people, to help them make informed decisions, and to stand firm in science even when it’s unpopular. Like many of my colleagues I am choosing to keep showing up with persistence and humility.

Small Wins That Matter

This Friday in clinic, I had one of those moments that reminded me why I keep going.

Two of my patients who’ve almost always refused vaccines agreed to get booster shots. TDAP and Pneumonia. No delay. No conditions. Just, “Yes.”

It didn’t happen overnight. It’s taken years of consistent, nonjudgmental conversation. Years of offering vaccines even when I expected a no. Years of listening, answering questions, and respecting their right to decide while gently reminding them why I ask every single time.

This time, one of them paused after I said I could defer the order and he could come back next week if he needed more time. Then he looked at me and said:

“You know what, doc—I trust you. Let’s get it done today.”

That trust didn’t come from a headline or a policy memo. It came from five years of relationship-building. These are the kinds of victories that don’t make the news but they make all the difference. They’re a reminder that vaccine hesitancy isn’t always permanent. That conversations matter. That trust, once earned, can lead to life-saving decisions.

Speaking Outside the Clinic

This weekend, I’m taking that same message beyond the clinic walls. I’ve accepted an invitation to speak at a local church about the attacks on public health—as part of a Good Friday service, no less.

It’s not an academic talk. It’s not a professional panel. It’s me, speaking to members of my own community people who may not be plugged into the world of science or policy, but who live in the world that’s being shaped by these decisions.

And I jumped at the chance.

Because people deserve to know what’s at stake when we see cuts to the CDC, the FDA, disease surveillance programs, environmental protections, and the scientific research that gives us the tools to fight infectious diseases, cancer, and more. These aren’t abstract concepts - they affect the air we breathe, the water we drink, the safety of the vaccines in our kids’ arms.

This is my opportunity to speak plainly and honestly and I plan to take it.

Mentorship Is Resistance, Too

The last way I’m choosing to show up right now is by supporting the next generation.

I’ve redoubled my efforts as a mentor. I’m more intentional about being present for my mentees. About encouraging their curiosity, cheering on their wins, and reminding them that even in the midst of uncertainty, science is still full of wonder. Full of purpose. And full of promise. This is important work. It’s not always glamorous, and it’s rarely easy but it matters. And I want them to know that. I want them to believe it. And I want them to see it modeled in real time.

The Defiance of Persistence

I’m not under any illusion that any of this is easy and maybe, at times, it’s not even sustainable. These are not simple times, and doing this work—showing up—comes at a cost. But I can’t afford to be silent. None of us can.

Even when we’re cast as villains, we still have a vital role to play.

Persistence in the face of adversity is an act of defiance. And that defiance, the decision to keep advocating for patients, to keep speaking to our communities, to keep mentoring with intention IS my way of holding the line.

Because this moment will pass. And when the next chapter is written, we will need the voices, the vision, and the leadership of the generation we’re nurturing today.

P.S:

If this resonates with you whether you're in medicine, public health, or simply someone trying to make sense of it all I’d love to hear how you keep showing up. Feel free to reply, share, or send this to someone who needs a little encouragement to keep going.