Across public health and health services research, thousands of professionals have experienced layoffs, reductions in force (RIFs), rescinded grants, terminated fellowships, early retirements, and other forms of professional disruption. While the impacts of these changes are often measured in budgets, staffing numbers, and organizational charts, the personal stories behind them are less frequently told.
Work Interrupted: Voices from the Field is a storytelling series that amplifies the experiences of individuals whose work, careers, and professional identities have been unexpectedly interrupted. Through first-person reflections, contributors share how they navigated uncertainty, loss, resilience, and rebuilding during periods of profound change.
For many, these disruptions extend beyond employment. They affect a sense of purpose, community, stability, and belonging. Whether a position was eliminated, a fellowship ended, a research grant disappeared, or a long-planned career path suddenly shifted, each story offers insight into the human side of workforce disruption.
We invite you to explore the reflections below and hear directly from those whose work has been interrupted, and who continue to find purpose, meaning, and community beyond the disruption.
Stories will be published here on the series landing page, as well as across AcademyHealth’s social media platforms. Follow us on X, Bluesky, and LinkedIn to be sure you never miss the work that is lost when evidence and research careers are derailed.