Julia Paton-Smith

Background

About Julia Paton-Smith

I am a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Georgia, pursuing a B.S. in Biomedical Physiology and a minor in Spanish. After graduation, I plan to attend medical school and become an OB/GYN. Since my freshman year of college, I have been involved in virology and vaccine research under the mentorship of Dr. Biao He and Elizabeth Wrobel at the Department of Infectious Diseases. My work includes standard laboratory techniques such as molecular cloning, reverse viral genetic sequencing, DNA/RNA extraction, and PCR testing. In the future, I hope to learn more about conducting animal vaccine studies as our work and research continues. Some of my passions include learning new skills, discovering how things work, traveling, and meeting new people. My experience working as a medical intern in Peru with Volunteers Around the World inspired me to pursue my minor in Spanish. After completing my classes focused on medical Spanish and interpretation, I plan to become a certified medical interpreter so I can apply these skills to my future career in healthcare. Some of my other favorite university classes include Integrative Physiology, Organic Chemistry, Biostatistics, Sociology, and Medical Spanish.