Dr. Eric Topol

You've learned a lot of lessons before we go into the future, which I think is we're going to get back to exciting again.

How would you summarize this experience, this totally bizarre, you know, just irrational, you couldn't ever make this up, you know, that you would be given this position with the highest praise of the president, of the HHS secretary.

And then, you know, weeks later, after finally getting the Senate confirmation, you're out, you're watching this decimation of such an important public health agency.

And, you know, you went into it optimistically that somehow you could, with all your managerial experience and all this everything else, that somehow you could, you know, get this on the right plane.

What have you learned from all that?

Yeah.

Never lose it.

Well, if there is a model of resilience, you're shown that, and here you are smiling and exuding that same optimism, um,

that you had going into this post after all that you've been through.

Now, one of the other things, of course, that is notable is that in your positions, you've had infectious enthusiasm among your colleagues.

You inspire people, just like you were recounting in your first days of visiting the campuses in Atlanta.

So we lost not only 4,300 people,

from the CDC, but we lost an incredible leader who would have clearly inspired those people, even the ones that were remaining if they had to sustain these cuts, to take the CDC to a place it's never been before.

So I lament that loss.

I know all of us do because, you know, it would be hard to find someone that could have provided that type of optimism and leadership, which is what you need, especially when an institution like this

A world leader is under siege.

Now, you are a free agent.

I don't know that you work for the government again, but you told me a little bit about what's next.

So maybe you could tell all the people listening and watching what you've been thinking about.

I was going to comment on that, Susan, because you're absolutely right.