Julia Close, MD is a professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Florida. Her primary appointment is as the Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education and the Designated Institutional Official (DIO) for the University of Florida College of Medicine. She was previously the Program Director for the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program. She is a clinician educator, with research interest in curriculum related to general oncology and interactions with patients at the end of life. She is actively nationally in education, serving on the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)'s Professional Development Committee and the In-Training Exam Writing Committees for both Internal Medicine and Oncology. She was previously Section Chief of Oncology at the Gainesville VAMC, and was the Assistant Chief of the Medical Service from 2015-2018. She previously chaired the VHA Oncology Field Advisory (FAC) Committee, a national committee providing guidance for national VA policy. She is interested in performance improvement in oncology, and has a national role in this through the VA FAC and through her membership on ASCO's Workforce Advisory Group Committee.