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Julia Gonzalez

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General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Research
  • Community Service And Volunteering
  • Advocacy And Activism
  • Human Rights
  • Public Policy
  • Biology
  • Health Sciences
  • Mental Health
  • Mentoring
  • History
  • Sociology
  • Philosophy
  • Environmental Science and Sustainability
  • Spanish
  • Foreign Languages
  • Portuguese
  • American Sign Language (ASL)
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Neuroscience
  • African American Studies
  • Gender Studies
  • Theology and Religious Studies
  • Animals
  • Swimming
  • Weightlifting
  • Kayaking
  • Camping
  • Beach
  • Stargazing
  • Exploring Nature And Being Outside
  • Spending Time With Friends and Family
  • Babysitting And Childcare
  • Art
  • Music
  • Movies And Film
  • Latin Dance
  • Baking
  • Sewing
  • Board Games And Puzzles
  • Gaming

Reading

  • Social Issues
  • Historical
  • History
  • Biography
  • Psychology
  • True Story
  • Self-Help
  • Literature
  • Literary Fiction
  • Realistic Fiction
  • Classics
  • Christianity
  • Mystery
  • Suspense
  • Thriller
  • Adventure
  • Humor

I read books multiple times a month.

Bio

My name is Julia, and I currently work as a research assistant in neurology at the University of Florida. My educational and career goals include completing a master’s in Microbiology & Cell Science with a concentration in Medical Microbiology and Biochemistry and a combined Clinical Laboratory Microbiologist certificate, working as a Clinical Laboratory Microbiologist, and then pursuing a combined Doctor of Medicine and Master’s of Public Health degree to work as a physician involved in improving public policy. My specialty interests are family medicine, street medicine, addiction medicine, and infectious diseases. I care about improving the lives of underserved populations. I believe we all deserve dignity, support, and the opportunity to thrive. I am a strong candidate because I am driven, compassionate, and motivated to use my education to help others. Personal and professional experiences have strengthened my resilience and work ethic. I was able to complete my AA degree at my local community college via my high school's dual enrollment program. I was then able to complete my BA degree largely due to the help of scholarships, grants, and part-time work. As I pursue a master’s and beyond, I hope I am fortunate to be supported financially again in my endeavors. Thank you for considering me.

Education

University of Florida-Online

Master's degree program

2026 – 2028

Majors:
  • Microbiological Sciences and Immunology

University of Florida

Bachelor's degree program

2020 – 2023

Majors:
  • History

Miami Dade College

Associate's degree program

2017 – 2020

Westland Hialeah Senior High School

High School

2016 – 2020

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Graduate schools of interest:
University of Florida, University of South Florida-Main Campus, University of Miami, Florida State University, University of Central Florida
Majors of interest:
Medicine, Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
Desired degree modality:
Full-Time, In-Person
Medical school interest:
Yes
English as first language:
No
Homeschooled:
No

Career

  • Research Assistant

    Research · University of Florida College of Medicine

    Jan 2025 – Present

  • Patient Care Assistant (PCA)

    Hospital & Health Care · University of Florida Health Shands

    Jan 2024 – Jan 2025

  • Spanish Telephone Interviewer

    Research · University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research

    Jan 2022 – Jan 2022

  • Student Assistant

    Higher Education · University of Florida Dean of Students Office

    Jan 2020 – Jan 2021

  • Sales Associate

    Retail · Bath & Body Works

    Jan 2020 – Jan 2020

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Medicine
Dream career goals:
Physician
Work experience:
2 years
Has nursing license:
No
Leadership experience:
Yes

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Politics
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
Women in Healthcare Scholarship
I have felt called to a profession in healthcare since I was young. My childhood home often felt like a healthcare facility. For a few years, I shared a room with my late great-grandmother and even slept on a hospital bed. I learned how to get her in and out of a wheelchair, set her up for a meal, and help her ambulate. I felt grateful to assist the matriarch of my large family. I was also happy to alleviate some of the load my late grandmother carried as her primary caretaker. My grandmother was professionally involved in healthcare since she was a teenager. This ranged from assisting surgeons in her home country, working as a medical assistant in the United States, and being an in-home caregiver. In our home, she managed everyone's medication regimens, meals, and medical visits. When my dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, my grandma taught me how to measure blood glucose and about important ranges. She even taught me how to inject my dad with insulin. My late step-grandfather lived with us for a year before he passed. He had suffered multiple strokes and was cognitively declining. My grandmother helped him daily and in moments of disorientation I learned to keep a watchful eye. Even when my grandmother developed leukemia, she encouraged me to keep learning. I still recall her telling my aunt to fetch me so that I could help her bathe. My grandma was the weakest I had ever seen her and she sat naked on her shower chair with her eyes closed. I lathered a small towel with soap and washed her body. To the end, my grandmother encouraged me to be hands-on with caring for others and feel comfortable doing so. After college, I worked as a Patient Care Assistant at the hospital and I was often transported back to my childhood home. I am grateful to have had the experiences I did and to have been taught by my skilled, intelligent, and ultra-compassionate grandmother. I am grateful to have known strong women at home and to have met many more working in healthcare. The reality is that women have always worked and our labor has always been needed. Today, women make up a majority of healthcare roles and I have chosen to follow this path too. I enjoy the combination of science and patient-facing work. I am interested in building connections with patients and coworkers. My end goal is to be a physician involved in public health and policy to improve patient outcomes and working conditions for healthcare workers. Working as a Patient Care Assistant and Research Assistant has shown me that science and healthcare function as a collaborative effort. Every moving part plays a vital role. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important for addressing issues like gender bias and medical racism. It is important to have people from historically marginalized groups in positions of power to address disparities and increase awareness of diverse needs. Our different experiences, backgrounds, and skills make us unique and allow us to relate to patients and advocate for them. As I continue toward a career in medicine, I carry the lessons that the women in my life taught me.
Taylor Swift Fan Scholarship
One of my favorite things to witness is others deeply enjoying a moment so much that they are unable to suppress their joy and excitement. It is even more special when it is many people coming together and happily connecting via a common interest. Experiencing the arts together is a common avenue for this. Back in 2023, I was lucky enough to attend the Eras Tour with two of my best friends. Although we are far from professional performers, we spent the whole time belting her songs and dancing along. It was magical to see how many other people were in the crowd doing the same knowing that we all personally connected to Taylor’s music. In preparation for the concert, I listened to the setlist in the shower, in the kitchen while cooking with my roommate, and when driving. I knew every single lyric. Somehow there was one song that I was unfamiliar with - Marjorie. Taylor began singing the words and I immediately felt emotional listening to the melody. My friends told me that it was a song dedicated to her late grandmother. Having lost my own grandmother, I automatically connected with the song and cried as I listened. I am easily moved by others' expressions of their feelings even if I have not experienced a similar situation. I have however felt universal feelings like pain, sadness, grief and hearing others share their stories moves me. I know it takes a lot of courage to be honest with yourself and others about what you have gone through and how that impacted you. I found this performance so moving because Taylor opened up about such a special relationship she had with her grandmother and the real, complicated emotions we feel when we grieve. She touches upon life lessons her grandmother taught her. She repeats the advice almost like a mantra. This is one way we keep our loved ones alive. We continue their legacy, we take their advice, and we move in the world with them in our hearts. She also touches upon regrets we feel once the person is gone, like feeling we should have acted differently in certain moments or held on to them longer when we had the chance. Lyrics that particularly struck me were “Should've kept every grocery store receipt, 'Cause every scrap of you would be taken from me… All your closets of backlogged dreams, And how you left them all to me” This resonated with me because although my grandmother was sick for months and treatment was no longer working, it was still something I was deeply in denial about. Her passing came as a shock. It felt like everything changed from one day to the next. Additionally, my grandmother had dreams for an easier life given the difficulties she faced as an adult. She often dreamed of a house by the water. She’d close her eyes and savor the imagination as she would tell me about it. I stay with her dream in mind and I also try to live out her legacy which was of deep care for others. I see the face of a loved one in each person I meet. Taylor does a beautiful job of honoring her grandmother and being raw about the emotions I also personally experienced. This was by far the most special performance of the night for me.
Sharra Rainbolt Memorial Scholarship
The first time cancer struck my immediate family was during my freshman year of high school when my grandmother was diagnosed with gastric lymphoma. I recall my aunts sitting me down telling me the news. I had a lump in my throat, tears in my eyes, and we all sat in silence digesting the news and fearing the worst. As a woman of faith, outwardly my grandmother was at peace and she began treatment with the hope of getting better. It was impactful for me to see that although she was the one diagnosed, she reminded us to keep the faith and remain hopeful. Treatment lasted about six months and during that time, it was difficult for me to see my once lively, active, and strong grandmother bedridden. My grandmother went into remission right before my sophomore year. I was with her at the appointment where she was given the good news. The joy was evident on her face, we were feeling so grateful. My relief lasted until my junior year when she was again diagnosed with cancer, this time leukemia. I got to the hospital and once again was told the same devastating news by a family member. The all too familiar fear, sadness, and even hope manifested once more. I spent many hours in the hospital with her as she underwent treatment. She always had a family member with her. I helped with simple tasks, such as reaching for items that she needed, feeding her, and helping her use the restroom. She encouraged me to be involved in her care and develop my caretaker skills. We reminisced over hilarious moments and made new memories during those stays. We also talked about the future. College applications were approaching and I was feeling some anxiety around that. She gave me advice and reminded me to follow my dreams no matter how big they seemed. My grandmother passed away four days after her seventieth birthday. Although I had been through difficult moments before, nothing compared to the pain without her. She had been my legal guardian since I was a year old. I lost the woman who raised me. Her loss greatly impacted my family structure too, she was a glue that held us together. Given that my father suffers from mental health issues, I was now expected to help with the management of his care. The Sunday gatherings she hosted also quickly faded. Her diagnoses showed me how tragically cancer impacts lives. Not only through all that she went through and her eventual passing, but also through how it affected our family dynamics. Although I would have preferred to have never gone through this, I choose to look positively at the life lessons I learned. This journey taught me that grieving never truly ends and these feelings have to be faced head-on. Talk therapy and medication were avenues that helped me navigate this. I am more resilient now. I learned that like my grandmother I could be a glue that connects people. I know the value of deeply caring for others and fostering community. I go through life with more love for others and gratitude for what I have because I know that in the blink of an eye everything could change.
Tawkify Meaningful Connections Scholarship
At the age of one, my late grandmother obtained custody of me after my parents were deemed unfit to care for me. Both of my parents suffer from mental health issues. I eventually was able to live with my father again and he helped raise me. In middle school, my father’s schizophrenic symptoms exacerbated and life for me felt difficult to manage. My grandmother not only became my mother but my best friend. Every day, I looked forward to getting home after school, lying on her lap as she played with my hair, letting all my thoughts and worries unravel. She too confided in me and would tell me about her dreams. My grandmother had a beautiful soul and I am eternally grateful to have been raised by her. She had a heart for others and it hurt her to see anyone suffer. At one point, she was caring for her husband, mother, son, and I under the same roof. Her generosity extended past her relatives, however. Although we were working class, she still felt and knew that she had the capacity to help others. She often donated her time, money, and resources. At home, she would frequently pack boxes with her sisters filled with donations for those with less resources in their home country. Her and I shared a bed practically my whole life but when someone needed a place to stay, even for months at a time, we would give up our room and sleep on the living room couches. She made herself available when she felt people needed someone. I have grown into someone who resembles my grandmother in many ways and I am honored to carry her legacy. My relationship with my grandmother has positively influenced my relationships with others. Like her, I enjoy being of service in ways that people actually deem useful. In my relationships, I try to foster mutual understanding and help. This is seen in simple actions like helping my friends with favors as well as in my love for volunteering my time and resources. Last September, I began volunteering with a local children’s literacy organization, where I meet with a student weekly to develop her skills in reading. It has been deeply gratifying to see her progress in reading and develop her confidence. I am grateful to have connected with her this school year and served as a tutor and another source of encouragement. This year, I began volunteering with the local chapter of an international organization dedicated to mutual aid. On Fridays, members organize to freely distribute food for our unhoused community members. Tables and chairs are set up too to encourage thoughtful conversations. I strongly believe and champion the idea that being in community brings fulfillment. My personal belief is that we all innately deserve healthy, joyous, safe lives and collectively we can help each other accomplish this. Strong relationships change lives and connection nurtures the soul. I try to bring this perspective to my everyday encounters. During my time working as a Patient Care Assistant at the hospital, I met people in vulnerable times of their lives. I understood that there was a lot more to them than their current situation and whenever possible I tried to be a loving smile and listening ear. I have a memory of a hospice patient passing away and as part of my duties I was left to prepare their body for transfer to a funeral home. As always, my goal was to treat their vessel with dignity and respect. I recall his family being in the room and having experienced grief before, I empathized with the family and allowed space for them to grieve too. I asked his family if they wanted to take part in the body preparation process and they joined me in his final bath. I was taken back to when I joined my family and did the same for my grandmother. I was very moved by their love for their brother. My long term career goal is to become a physician and my specialty interests include family, street, or addiction medicine, and infectious diseases. Having been personally impacted by illness in my family and losing my grandmother to leukemia, I know that good health is sacred. Losing her changed the structure and stability of my family. Although it has now been seven years since then, waves of grief still impact me. Pain strikes us all but I choose to believe that strong connections help us keep going.