Julia Burns can easily explain where the idea of going to medical school came from.
“I was first brought into the world of medicine through my younger sister, Rose,” she shared.
“Her medical journey was complicated by prematurity at birth, a long NICU stay, early intervention, IEPs, and ultimately the diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome. Rose is a year younger than me, so we walked through life in lockstep. I was privy to multiple doctor appointments, my parents’ frustrations with the healthcare system, and Rose’s challenges in a world and its systems not created for her.”
These experiences, together with her passion for community involvement, natural leadership skills, and self-described status as a science nerd, kept a career in health care consistently on her radar.
“I initially chose PCOM for its Masters of Biomedical Sciences program. As a non-traditional student, I wanted to see if my academic acumen could handle medical school,” she shared.
“During my MS program, I fell in love with the PCOM communities, especially the academic faculty, which also teaches in the DO program. They were supportive and truly cared about my learning and ultimate success. When thinking about medical school, PCOM was naturally my first choice.”
Having quickly become involved in various organizations at PCOM, such as the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) and the Medical Student Advocate Program, Burns is most proud of her collaboration with classmate Amanda Bond to create a TA program that helped support and empower fellow PCOM students. Burns and Bond formalized the anatomy and histology TA system, consisting of second-year MBS students and DO students. In addition, Burns was recently selected as the 2024 recipient of the Mason W. Pressly Memorial Medal. This award is presented to a student for their outstanding achievement and service to the College, the community, and the osteopathic profession. Recipients are selected by representatives from across the College community.
Now, Burns is preparing for her next adventure. Upon graduation, she’ll begin her pediatric residency at St. Luke’s Hospital. Having spent six years at PCOM, Burns knows the highs and lows that can come with pursuing a career in medicine. She says it’s important to remember that it takes a strong support system to get through it.
“My advice to medical students right now is to take a breath, identify your allies, and try not to compare your journey to anyone else’s,” she shared.
“You may be reading this profile thinking about how much I accomplished, but honestly, this has all happened because of the people I’ve been surrounded by. None of my accomplishments happened because of just me, nor did they happen all at once. I’ve had speed bumps that you can’t see. Trust that you have been cultivating your own successes that have been true to you.”
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