October 8, 2026
The American Academy of Pediatrics National Convention and Exhibition just ended in San Diego. The filled audience that was inspired and connected by the national leadership on vaccines, immigrant children and defending science and medicine – have gone home. Since AAP NCE was in my actual home town and we were presenting a poster, it made sense to go. I honestly always think of things in terms of financial sense, and it made a lot of financial sense. I didn’t have to pay for housing, flight and only ate a meal at most a day there and an oat milk cappuccino. The oat milk cappuccino is expensive still at Starbucks. Its about $5 and they always ask for tip, which I do tip but it increases the cost. I had a premedical student with me, so covered some of her meals and coffee – she paid for the student registration. We definitely got a lot of swag bags!!! I’m giving out the swag to all my patients who come in the next few days, because it’s good karma and spreads the joy to my patients. They now know that their pediatrician is continuing to be educated in her field, which is taking care of them!!!
There were so many beautiful moments I wanted to remember from the AAP. But the one I wanted to remember the most was showing up for climate and health. It gave me so much purpose to those four days that I spent at the conference. It was interesting that no one on the Council of Environmental Health which I’m a part of, reached out to me. I had some of my co-author friends there, but without a paper to do and key people who are actually friends there – they did not reach out. That’s okay. I’m okay with not being necessarily liked for myself. I’m respected and appreciated for the shared work that we are doing which is okay with me.
The moment I wanted to remember was giving the biggest real hug, to Dr. Melissa Campbell who is my former continuity clinic resident. I actually helped train her, and she spent three years with me in clinic at Kaiser Otay Mesa. She works in our system now, and I do miss her. She knows the real me, because I’m a real mentor to her. It was the tightest hug and rare, because she’s a new mom trying to figure out life and work!
The other moment I wanted to remember is encouraging and making reality a joint podcast interview with my good friend Dr. QT Nguyen from University of Utah on the District 8 Extreme Heat and Fire Summit. The producers had reached out to me prior to AAP NCE about doing the podcast interview, and I had agreed and prepped for the interview. But I actually had the day wrong in my mind and had prepped a day EARLY. Since I had more time, I realized it would be more impactful for climate work (and actually ultimately easier for me) if it was a joint interview. I convinced Dr. QT Nguyen who I have known since college, to do the interview with me. She suggested wearing matchy-matchy clothes. We had a brief session prior, and just sat there as friends and chatted for a bit. I fixed my make-up and she straightened some fly-aways and we talked quietly about what we wanted to get across. I’ve done enough interviews that i know kind of how things go over, and I wasn’t too worried because she’s actually a former speech and debate kid from high school.
So we did the interview and honestly, I’M SO PROUD OF US! We did really well and had an authentic back and forth about a topic that is very important. Wildfire smoke and it’s affect on pediatric health. I think we got across the fact that we are friends and have the same last name (Nguyen-Nguyen), and that it’s a scary threat to pediatric health. Wildfire smoke can travel thousands of miles away and definitely increase rates of asthma, adult cardiovascular events and all sorts of likely cognitive outcomes. A lot of scary things are released into the air when things burn.
There were so many moments during that conference. I think I ran into over 30 other pediatricians from work, training, climate work – that we stopped and connected together. But at the same time, for various reasons it was exhausting. It was emotionally exhausting because I had to mentor and lead our group of premedical students who helped organize the h3sd. Everything went well, but that mentoring this cycle was exhausting for me because the nature of some students is immature. I can be immature at times too, but definitely the importance of this work makes me want to be better.
So here I am, being a better mentor – a better adult and the mature person in the room as we head into the planning for H3SD 2027! I’m grateful for this journey. I’m giving myself a lot of forgiveness too, because being away from my children is confusing and this sense of constant unease. But I’m learning and I’m seeing my son this weekend!
Thank you for following along my parenting, mothering, environmental journey.