Was there a point in your life or a formative experience you had when you realized you wanted to become a doctor and help people in the way that you do? Dr. Tallaj: My uncle was a pediatrician in the Dominican Republic, and I often helped him care for his young patients. He saw between 75 and 100 children each day. During the rainy season, the number of children suffering from infectious diseases, diarrhea, and dehydration increased significantly. Working alongside him was my first exposure to medicine and inspired my desire to become a physician. I helped whenever I had the opportunity, and that experience shaped my approach to medicine. Throughout my career, that commitment has never changed—I have simply continued to do what needed to be done to care for my patients. What was the biggest realization you had during your response to the COVID-19 pandemic? Dr. Tallaj: The reality is that in a country like the United States, many decisions are driven by business considerations rather than by what is best for the public. When COVID-19 first began to spread, very little was understood about the virus. From the outset, we believed widespread testing was essential, particularly for children and older adults. However, the government panels and officials responsible for providing guidance and sharing information were not communicating with us in a timely or transparent manner. Critical reports were not being shared, leaving frontline healthcare providers without the information they needed. Those entrusted with protecting the public were reluctant to speak openly, and fear often overshadowed the responsibility to inform and care for people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, you were responsible for testing more than 1 million people, serving over 2 million fresh-to-go meals, and you and your network of physicians vaccinated millions of New Yorkers in local churches, schools, public housing, and the Yankee Stadium. What do you hold in your heart from that time? Dr. Tallaj: We usually celebrate heroes in sports, entertainment, and the arts. But during the pandemic, a different kind of hero emerged: the doctors and healthcare workers who chose to step into the streets and confront an invisible enemy. The virus was everywhere. It felt like a war, where anyone around you could unknowingly carry the threat. Yet these physicians continued to show up, putting themselves at risk to care for others. Sometimes people forget that those doctors were heroes. Many would rather not look back and ask themselves a difficult question: What did I do during that time? What, from your perspective, is the biggest challenge for the world related to health inequity? Dr Tallaj: It comes down how the budget aligns with needs and priorities — and the fact that resources are not distributed equitably across different communities. Can $10 million have the same impact on Park Avenue as it would in the Bronx? Of course not. That is what health inequity looks like today. It is built into the system, and as a result, the system continues to leave people behind. How has your faith changed over the time you have been in this role? Dr. Tallaj: I was born and raised Catholic, and my faith has been shaped by the wisdom, compassion, and grace of others. We are all human. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government asked me to lead testing efforts because few others were willing to go. I received the call at 8:00 on a Sunday morning. I remember praying, "Lord, continue to guide us. Protect us, protect our families, and give us the strength to do the work." In my community, 65 percent of those we tested were positive. At one point, I prayed, "Lord, I can't keep doing this. I'm sorry. If You don't give me a sign, I can't go on." As I was holding a glass, it suddenly shattered, and the spilled liquid formed what I saw as the face of Christ wearing a crown of thorns. To me, it was a sign that God was showing me what I needed to do. Later, I brought this to Pope Francis, and he said, "It's the face of Christ." I also believe that SOMOS became an example of the kind of miracle described in the Gospel, when Jesus fed the 5,000. We began with an idea, and through faith, commitment, and the support of so many people, we were able to carry that mission through the pandemic. Would you reflect on what characteristics of the ancient practicing “family doctor” are most meaningful in our current context? Dr. Tallaj: The neighborhood doctor remains incredibly important. They know not only the patient, but also the family and the community. That is how SOMOS began—not with a building, but with relationships. People needed someone they knew and trusted to care for them. The role of a primary care physician is to keep people healthy, not just treat illness. It is about prevention: helping patients manage their blood pressure, reduce their dependence on insulin when possible, and prevent serious complications such as kidney failure and dialysis. Building long-term relationships allows physicians to intervene early and improve health before problems become crises. I believe the United States is moving in the right direction by placing greater emphasis on the individual rather than the institution. Preventive care, healthy eating, exercise, and medicine that helps prevent disease are becoming increasingly important. That is the vision behind our "Thank You, Doctor!" campaign—a global movement to honor primary care physicians, restore the human connection at the heart of medicine, and advocate for stronger support for primary care. | 
