Dr. Maria Shepard

Dr. Maria Shepard sat at home organizing her closet, a task she had put off for ages. But at that moment, she found herself with ample free time. After experiencing coronavirus-like symptoms Dr. Shepard was self-isolating as she awaited the test results. As difficult as it was to be stuck at home, she knew that interacting with others, if she had the virus, put lives at risk and could have added to the rapidly growing number of infected patients seeking care.

When her test results came back negative, was overcome with relief. Eager to get back to the hospital and help her coworkers, Dr. Shepard counted down the hours until she could return to work. Being a member of a close-knit team, Dr. Shepard felt guilty staying home while her usual caseload was spread among a team already stretched thin. The extra work did not stop them from calling and checking in on her daily. They were excited to see her and knew she would be ready.

After a period of self-isolation, Dr. Shepard jumped back in wholeheartedly. For her, she said, doing the right thing is simple.

She does not think twice about caring for people who are COVID-positive, she said. She refuses to let fear keep her from providing her patients with the best care possible. With so much fear and uncertainty surrounding this crisis, Dr. Shepard wants to be that calm presence amid the storm. “Don't let fear keep you from doing the right thing. Through preparation and planning, we set ourselves up to do the things that need to be done in a safe manner and get people home safely to their families”