In this year-end episode, we sit down with Dr. Deirdra "Dee" Terrell, a Professor of Epidemiology at the Hudson College of Public Health at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, for a thoughtful conversation about what it really takes to do research that stays connected to people.

Dr. Terrell reflects on her journey from growing up in a small rural town in Oklahoma to becoming a clinical epidemiologist whose work focuses on platelet disorders such as immune thrombocytopenia and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. She shares how family, early experiences with illness, and life outside the lab have shaped her approach to science and leadership. We talk about why listening to patients matters, what qualitative and mixed-methods research can reveal that clinical measures alone often miss, and how research decisions affect people’s daily lives in ways that are not always visible on paper.

The conversation also explores mentoring, networking, and community building as relational work. Dr. Terrell shares how meaningful connections, thoughtful sponsorship, and everyday kindness have influenced her path and her approach to guiding students and colleagues. As we close out the year, we reflect on sustainability, rest, and staying grounded while carrying responsibility. This episode is an invitation to pause, take stock, and think about what kind of work, relationships, and values we want to carry into the year ahead.

We’ll see you in the new year, ready to keep the conversation going.

The GROklahoma Podcast is an initiative of the Oklahoma Shared Clinical and Translational Resources (OSCTR).