ik it was such a small line but i think the funding for samira’s study getting cut under trump’s administration is ESSENTIAL to understanding her this season.
(especially in conjunction with santos’ line last episode about how the cdc is a joke now) we need to acknowledge how hard she’s taking it. she has been shown to be an extremely empathetic doctor, ready to advocate for her patients tooth and nail. she want to do good on both a micro and macro level—through being a good doctor to the poc who come through the er, through researching and studying, she can make bigger changes in the system (see “i’m trying to change that” w/ her sickle cell patient)
the exhaustion she’s dealing with this season is not just robby’s pressure, or her mother’s, or her love life. it’s the realization that she’s fighting an uphill battle. at every turn, she’s losing. at every turn, she has no one supporting her dreams. she did have a purpose. she did have a goal. but then the rug got pulled out from under her with no fanfare, and she’s fighting to keep afloat in an environment (under an attending) which continually punishes her for dreaming of more.