I am an Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida, where I teach courses in the B.A. in English and M.A. in Technical Communication programs.

At the intersection of technical communication, medical rhetoric, and disability studies, my research addresses a critical problem: the erosion of trust between patients with chronic, contested illnesses and their healthcare providers. While medical research often champions “patient empowerment”—encouraging patients to research and advocate for themselves—my work demonstrates how these strategies can backfire for those with invisible conditions like Chronic Lyme disease and Long COVID. Using a mixed-methods approach, I triangulate rhetorical analyses of medical literature, digital health platforms, and government documentation with patient interviews, narratives, and autoethnography.

This work is exemplified in my book, The Patient Empowerment Paradox: Lyme Disease Rhetoric and Contested Health Literacies (University of South Carolina Press, 2026). Using my own story as a foundation, I argue that when patients with poorly understood conditions engage standard "patient empowerment" practices (doctor shopping for second opinions, developing advanced health literacy, etc.), they inadvertently disrupt patient-provider relationships and migrate toward medical misinformation. Paradoxically, despite their extensive efforts, these patients get sicker rather than healthier. This research offers a new framework for navigating medical uncertainty. By identifying why validated rhetorical moves fail, my work offers scholars and practitioners tools to mitigate conflicts and move toward more collaborative, effective care. This framework is vital for the Lyme community, but it is also scalable to the millions of patients currently navigating complex and infection-associated chronic conditions (IACCs).

I am conducting a new research study to learn about how healthcare providers’ experiences with patients and as patients inform their approach to patient-provider communication (IRB# STUDY00009092/IRB Approval Date: April 7, 2026). I hope that listening to providers’ stories will offer insight into how patients can develop trusting and respectful relationships with their doctors, nurses, and other health professionals.                       

To participate, you must:

• Be a doctor (MD/DO), NP, PA, specialty nurse, or holistic doctor
• Be age 18+
• Be comfortable speaking in English

The study consists of a 1-hour long interview on Zoom or in person at a location of the participant’s choosing.

If you are interested, please email (sarah.singer@ucf.edu) or text (919-438-3026). I will follow up with further information, including information about informed consent, confidentiality, risks, and benefits to participating in the study.